Salt water boating
08-07-2011, 09:59 AM
#11
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Stainless can rust, there are many many types (alloys) of stainless and they have different degrees of resistance to cresting ferric oxide (rust). Alot of times stainless will get rust on it from the manufacturing process used to create whatever is stainless (screws etc.) They should always passivate the stainless after manufacturing to remove any iron that embedded into the part while it is being machined, stamped etc.
So what do you guys do to help this? I also see everyone say to spray the motor down after boating then some say to spray WD40 over the whole motor?
Belts and all? That seems strange to me.
08-07-2011, 02:46 PM
#12
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Passivation is basically an acid etch to remove the top layer of the stainless. You might be able to do the same with some household hydrogen chloride (toilet bowl cleaner). I boat 100% in salt and IMO the most important step is a through flush with fresh water. I do sometime spray engine compartment down with WD40 or corrosion block or similar.
08-08-2011, 04:37 PM
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wash your boat everytime you use it. a layer of salt will dry on everything.salt away will become your best friend.a little in your soap when you wash your boat will help cut the salt.you also will want to flush it through the motor cooling system. i have been useing spray silicone on the motor.its a hold over thing from a jet boat i had.i had a new baja outlaw.and the motor bay looked new as the day i bought it.im now trying to play catch on a donzi i just purchased. t9 on all exposed bolts and silicone on the motor ect. i spend about 45 min doing clean up when we get home.
come on down to florida. 11 months of boating...life could be worse.
come on down to florida. 11 months of boating...life could be worse.
08-08-2011, 05:20 PM
#15
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Use SALT-A-WAY when you flush the engines. It truly makes a difference.
I have boated on salt water every day of my life. It is not acid - you just have to be more anal. Flush your engines, spray down everything on both the boat, and trailer.
As for stuff in the water - it is a non-issue. I probably spend a couple hundred hours a summer standing around in the water. We usually have one or two weekends a year when the jellyfish get bad. They are annoying but nothing to worry about. We just stay in the water and don't think twice about it - OH, and nothing is funnier than picking one up and chucking it at your friend!!
I have boated on salt water every day of my life. It is not acid - you just have to be more anal. Flush your engines, spray down everything on both the boat, and trailer.
As for stuff in the water - it is a non-issue. I probably spend a couple hundred hours a summer standing around in the water. We usually have one or two weekends a year when the jellyfish get bad. They are annoying but nothing to worry about. We just stay in the water and don't think twice about it - OH, and nothing is funnier than picking one up and chucking it at your friend!!
08-08-2011, 06:45 PM
#16
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Yeah salt water is a B!atch When I was younger I boated up north on Lake Wini and didn't realize how good I had it until I moved down to FL and now spend at least an hour cleaning every time I go out.
Here's my routine...
Flush motors with fresh water for about 5 mins then flush again with palmolive (suppose to be safer than salt-a-way
). Then wash down entire outside, wipe down cockpit, then rinse bilge and then mist motors with CRC and then spray down outdrives, exhaust tips and tabs with CRC. Then go home and curse salt water all night long 
But like 450RRRR said...boating 11-12 months a year, could be worse...
Here's my routine...
Flush motors with fresh water for about 5 mins then flush again with palmolive (suppose to be safer than salt-a-way
). Then wash down entire outside, wipe down cockpit, then rinse bilge and then mist motors with CRC and then spray down outdrives, exhaust tips and tabs with CRC. Then go home and curse salt water all night long But like 450RRRR said...boating 11-12 months a year, could be worse...
08-08-2011, 08:14 PM
#17
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I appreciate all the insight/opinions. We are not 100% sold on moving down but the Chicago winter is looming a few months away and I dread it. Sounds like salt is a real pain to deal with compared to the quick wipedown I do now. Do you guys keep your boats at a dry stack or on a canal? Does the stack place do the work for you or do you do it yourself? We were looking at having the boat on a lift on a canal but it sounds like it would get trashed fast and I don't think neighbors would appreciate the constant flushing of the thru-hull. Please keep the info coming it has been very helpful!
08-08-2011, 09:56 PM
#18
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Great info
Don't want to steal your thread Dave,,,,,,,,, but I am moving to the Sarasorta or bradenton area at the end of the month.
I have flush fuittings on the boat but how do you flush it with salt away? Do you fill a tank like what we use up here for winterizing?
Don't want to steal your thread Dave,,,,,,,,, but I am moving to the Sarasorta or bradenton area at the end of the month.
I have flush fuittings on the boat but how do you flush it with salt away? Do you fill a tank like what we use up here for winterizing?
08-09-2011, 06:41 AM
#19
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A little tip for all of you that spend a lot on Salt Away... it's a combination of the surfactants and pH level that cause it to work so well. You can save yourself a lot of money by making something similar at home that basically works just as well... for pennies on the dollar. Go buy a gallon jug of white vinegar and a gallon jug of car wash soap (dish soaps work great, but will strip wax). I use Blue Coral car wash, but others will work. Mix them roughly them 40:60 (vinegar:soap) and use it as you would Salt Away or Salt Terminator. Works fantastic! 
One last tip I didn't see mentioned for those that trailer your boats... Other than the obvious (aluminum for saltwater!), flush the brakes on your trailer well after every use. The are commercial brake flush kits that will make this a lot easier.
Wild,
Most people use the little inline adapters that come with the Salt Away. It's a little canister that screws onto the end of your hose that dispenses the solution inline. It doesn't hold much though so you end up refilling it pretty frequently. It also restricts the water flow as the internal oriface is only about 0.25", which always made me nervious when flushing the engine(s).
I went to the hardware store and bought an inline container (for spraying fertilizer) that screwed on at the end of the hose in the same way, but holds about a pint and the dispersal rate is adjustable. It also flows a lot more water. I dont recall who makes it, but it was about $10-$15 and works excellent for this application.
Hope this helps...
One last tip I didn't see mentioned for those that trailer your boats... Other than the obvious (aluminum for saltwater!), flush the brakes on your trailer well after every use. The are commercial brake flush kits that will make this a lot easier.
Wild,
Most people use the little inline adapters that come with the Salt Away. It's a little canister that screws onto the end of your hose that dispenses the solution inline. It doesn't hold much though so you end up refilling it pretty frequently. It also restricts the water flow as the internal oriface is only about 0.25", which always made me nervious when flushing the engine(s).
I went to the hardware store and bought an inline container (for spraying fertilizer) that screwed on at the end of the hose in the same way, but holds about a pint and the dispersal rate is adjustable. It also flows a lot more water. I dont recall who makes it, but it was about $10-$15 and works excellent for this application.
Hope this helps...
08-09-2011, 12:19 PM
#20
Registered
A little tip for all of you that spend a lot on Salt Away... it's a combination of the surfactants and pH level that cause it to work so well. You can save yourself a lot of money by making something similar at home that basically works just as well... for pennies on the dollar. Go buy a gallon jug of white vinegar and a gallon jug of car wash soap (dish soaps work great, but will strip wax). I use Blue Coral car wash, but others will work. Mix them roughly them 40:60 (vinegar:soap) and use it as you would Salt Away or Salt Terminator. Works fantastic!
One last tip I didn't see mentioned for those that trailer your boats... Other than the obvious (aluminum for saltwater!), flush the brakes on your trailer well after every use. The are commercial brake flush kits that will make this a lot easier.
Wild,
Most people use the little inline adapters that come with the Salt Away. It's a little canister that screws onto the end of your hose that dispenses the solution inline. It doesn't hold much though so you end up refilling it pretty frequently. It also restricts the water flow as the internal oriface is only about 0.25", which always made me nervious when flushing the engine(s).
I went to the hardware store and bought an inline container (for spraying fertilizer) that screwed on at the end of the hose in the same way, but holds about a pint and the dispersal rate is adjustable. It also flows a lot more water. I dont recall who makes it, but it was about $10-$15 and works excellent for this application.
Hope this helps...
One last tip I didn't see mentioned for those that trailer your boats... Other than the obvious (aluminum for saltwater!), flush the brakes on your trailer well after every use. The are commercial brake flush kits that will make this a lot easier.
Wild,
Most people use the little inline adapters that come with the Salt Away. It's a little canister that screws onto the end of your hose that dispenses the solution inline. It doesn't hold much though so you end up refilling it pretty frequently. It also restricts the water flow as the internal oriface is only about 0.25", which always made me nervious when flushing the engine(s).
I went to the hardware store and bought an inline container (for spraying fertilizer) that screwed on at the end of the hose in the same way, but holds about a pint and the dispersal rate is adjustable. It also flows a lot more water. I dont recall who makes it, but it was about $10-$15 and works excellent for this application.
Hope this helps...
I think I still have one of those sprayers,,,,,,,,,,,,, better not toss that away.
Thanks for the mix, I used to use something close to that with water on my old outdrives to keep the hard water stains off. Sounds like a good idea.
When you say flush the brakes, you mean the drums and disk, not the fluid right?
