Cleaning after being in the Bay

[cigar_stub]

Spending a week in the outer banks. It's likey the first time my used boat has seen salt water. What is the proticol for cleaning? should I run fresh water through the engine each day I come out of the water, or is doing that at the end of the week when I'm back at home OK?

Thanks for any input.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Cleaning after being in the Bay

best each day, and rinse down the total boat. our boat spends August in the water, in the Fl Keys, it gets washed down everyday, even though it's in the water.

 

[rndn]

Re: Cleaning after being in the Bay

Don't forget to wash the trailer down good after use as well. Any livewell pump and bilge pumps that may have had contact with salt water should also be rinsed.

 

[cigar_stub]

Re: Cleaning after being in the Bay

Thanks for the input. Do you run water through the engine using the earmuffs each day as well? I'm in a rental house and the hose is too short so I may have to wait for that until I get home tomorrow.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Cleaning after being in the Bay

Just have fun with the darn thing at the beach. It's not going to melt over night or a week for that matter because it touched saltwater.

Most places have water restrictions in place on the OBX so washing down the boat and flushing the motor every day will not win you any friends. Give the hull a quick rinse when you hose down the rods for the night and forget about it.

When you get home you can give it a good scrub and give the motor a good flush.

 

[puddle jumper]

Re: Cleaning after being in the Bay

Im with dingbat on this one all of the boats up hear live in salt water. Just give it a good cleaning when your done and you will be fine. Some people
like to take it for a run in fresh water at the end of the season. If your really worried about it have a Maren repair place install adenoids on the motor.

 

[mattttt25]

Re: Cleaning after being in the Bay

i'll the third to chime in and say don't be afraid of the salt. well be afraid, but don't let it ruin a trip. my boat sits in brackish water from march to december. other than a once a month washdown, it sits and is fine. that goes for the outboard as well.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Cleaning after being in the Bay

we just wash down the boat, so it's not sticky with salt. the boat stays at the dock. buy a hose.

 

[cigar_stub]

Re: Cleaning after being in the Bay

Thanks to all for the advice. I wasn't planning on going in on Friday so I fushed the motor then and washed it down. Bought some STayBright for when I get home to wash and clean the hull.

Low water in the sound was my only fear this week and I found it. But getting stuck on a sand bar for a few minutes was not so bad. The engine stalled and wouldn't start for ten minutes, but other than that, a GREAT week.

 

[magster65]

Re: Cleaning after being in the Bay

Flush it when you can. Spray off your aluminum / chrome as often as you can. Salt water is a bit coorosive but your boat will be fine.