Boating in the ICW

[NCCamper]

Hi Gang,

We are taking our annual weekly vacation to Ocean Isle Beach, starting next weekend. This will of course be the first year with our Sea Ray. It has been a fresh-water boat all it's life. We generally only use the boat in Lake Wylie or Lake Norman. While I will not take her out in the open ocean, I do plan to cruise the ICW. Looking ahead, what precautions should I take to protect her from the salt water, both engine/drive, and the hull? Would it hurt to leave it docked in the canal all week, or should I pull it out after each use? I presume I need to get a set of muffs and flush the cooling system after pulling her out. I recall reading something about "Salt Away", maybe that's not the correct name, but I understand it is a wash I can use to clean the hull. What about the trailer? Would a simple wash/rinse be good enough for this short-term use?

Thanks in advance for the advice.

NCC

 

[AKBASSKING]

For that amount of time it should be OK. When you pull it wash with soap and fresh water all of your boat and trailer. Fresh water rinse you motor too.

 

[coolings]

around here, people with open cooling systems normally do not leave their boat in the water for that amount of time. personally, i wouldn't leave mine in for more than two days. you will need the muffs to flush the engine. salt away seems to work good. a kit of that is only about $15. you will need to buy the adapter that connects to the muff, not just the bottle of liquid. is your trailer painted? painted trailers dont seem to handle the salt water well. and last, just wash down the whole boat with fresh water when you pull it out. not much different than what you already do i assume.

 

[everthing's irie]

A week would be fine. I will say, depending on where you dock you could get growth in that time without bottom paint. For example St Simons area is really bad for growth in a very short time. We had much less growth in a month in the water in Mexico Beach.

Flush the engines when you pull it at the end of the trip and you'll be fine. You may just have some scrubbing to do when you pull it out.

 

[rabyers1]

We vacation at various Virginia and NC spots on the ICW a couple of times per year. Have found that you do not want to leave your boat in for more than a couple of days without bottom paint. Even if you don't get any actual growth, the gelcoat finish will discolor so badly - you will have a hard time getting it cleaned back to its original color. Flushing can be done at the dock with the muffs - we do it on our Bravo III every couple of days - it requires laying on the platform - using a swim mask helps.

 

[avguy]

We took our 240SD to the gulf a few years ago. Stayed in the bays & ICW. Left the boat in for five days. Flushed the trailer w/ Salt-a-way after launch. Flushed the engine & washed the boat & trailer w/ Salt-a-way when we pulled her out.
After we got back home we made a quick trip the the lake to dunk the trailer in & out at the ramp a few times & ran the boat down the lake.
No barnacles, discoloration, or rot. The only evidence I have that the boat was ever in saltwater is a few pictures of us having a great time :thumbsup:

 

[SearayPaul]

You will be fine. To get the tannac acid stains off of your hull wash with soap and water. Dry and then spray with some bleach. They usually come right off. IF you have a stubborn stain just buff it off with Meguires polish. Nothing to it. Have fun.

 

[tobnpr]

Another lake boater that thinks saltwater is hydrochloric acid

Don't worry about it. You won't have any gowth to worry about after a week, especially since you'll be using the boat. Your engine won't know the difference, either. Enjoy your vacation.