SALT WATER BOATERS: can you answer these general questions and give me tips on cleaning the boat after use?

Question

hello everyone, I was wondering if I can get some answers and tips on these questions:

1. when you get the boat out of salt water and on the trailor, do you have to wash the boat right away or you can wait until you get home?

2. do you have to wash the inside? or only if water got in there, then you have to wash it?

3. do you have to run clean water through the engine right away too?

any other tips you can think of regarding washing the vesel please give them.... :) thanks and happy boating1

Answer 1

As a former salt water boater I can tell you that if you are trailering the boat when it's not in use, you can relax .
The salt washes off easily with soapy water.
Be sure to use a brush wherever stanchions and fittings attach to the deck. You want to get the brine out of there.
Just make sure you remove the salt from any brightwork (chrome) and/or teakwood you may have onboard.
The salt will undermine varnish if left on finished woodwork.
You should flush the engine with fresh water as soon as possible, after you've hauled her out, if possible.
You don't want to let that salt dry repeatedly in an engine that is not normally built to handle a lot of salt water.
I had a 34' Carver with twin 454 V8 Crusaders, which was WAY too big to trailer, but was built to withstand sea water.
My biggest enemy was the sea creatures that will actually swim up into the heat exchangers (into the cooling system) and exhaust ports and set up housekeeping in the engines!

Anyway, just take care of the boat up as you would any time you wash it, and you should be fine.
Don't forget to hose down the deck and spring lines as well.
(tie-down ropes, to most folks).

Also, be sure and clean off the trailer as well. You'll get more damage from salt there, than on the boat, actually.
Now, go open a beer, and wash down your boat!

Answer 2

1 you can wait till you get home to wash off the saltwater, but try this. Stop off at a hand car wash and use the higher pressure to rinse off the boat and trailer. Less salt in your yard the better.
2 Yes, same as Q1
3 Be sure to do this as soon as you get to a hose. Run the engine till it comes to operating temp, if you don't have a gauge, 5 min should do. Then allow the engine to run 10 minutes to finish the flushing process.
Note: If you don't get it flushed right away, no big harm. Today's motors are better salt resistant than older ones.

This one's for Bruce, you should already have a sea water strainer for each motor. If not install one. You can install a check valve on the in-let hose, they were to prevent the sea water pumps from running dry on some applications, but they work to keep the critters out of the cooling system.

Answer 3

There are plenty of boats that are moored in salt water all the time. It is a good idea to wash your trailer especially around the hubs, before it drys out if possible. You should run fresh water through the engine. Check to see if the outboard is suitable for salt water. We have 2 fiberglass boats. One stays in the water and one is on a trailer.

Answer 4

I don't know much about boating because I'm only 14, but my family owns a 24 ft boat that we take in the ocean sometimes.
You can wait until you get home to wash it, just make sure you use soap. We always wash the inside afterwards because we go swimming and then get back in. But I don't know about the engine part. Hope I was of help and happy boating!

Answer 5

Yes to all. Salt water is very corrosive and needs to be rinsed off of everything as quickly as possible. You can wait until you get home if it won't be too long. The engine is real important to maintain as salt builds up and the cooling system will be clogged, thus causing your engine to seize. Salt in the air and mist will get into everything, so rinse inside and out! A good polish will help keep your finish looking good and salt away from deteriorating your gel coat.