Cleaning boat after being in salt water

[jpaschich]

Newbie question. I just bought my first bought (2007 220 Select) and will be receiving it on Thursday. I've only recently been on lakes in friends boats - never in the ocean/bay. Since I live on the bay that is where a good portion of my boating will take place.
How should I clean the boat after each use? I know I need to flush the engine but what else? Wash the exterior too? Just rinse it? Anything else? What do you guys recommend? I guess since there are several lakes w/in a few minutes I could also get out of the bay, go to a lake and cruise around for a bit but that might not always be feasible. Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[jg300da]

I'm assuming you're trailering since you didn't mention it. You need to establish a post use routine. After you load the boat back on the trailer and strap it down, depending on availability of fresh water at the ramp, you need to rinse the boat and trailer thoroughly with fresh water after each use. Most ramps have a 10 minute tie-up limit to prevent back ups so the engine flushing should wait till you get home. When we were trailering I would give the boat a good washing and wipe down when we got home, and use the earmnuffs to flush the engine.

 

[Asureyez]

Fresh Water!

Saltwater is the perfect solvent. It is constantly trying to return your boat to the natrual elements and if allowed to do its thing, will eat a boat.

We hose down with copiuous amounts of fresh water, soap wash weekly. I've got inboards so we don't deal with the fresh water flush. but I'm thinking that ne through.

We have been in a water shortage circumstance here in SoFla which now only alows boat washing on Wednesday and Friday evenings from 4-7Pm . We getting ready to try a newer product called Salt-A-Way which is a liquid applied in a hose end applicator which is supposed to eliminate salt instantly on contact and hence reduce the amount of water needed for rinsing off after use. We'll see on this one.

 

[dad's turn]

Hey Chad - Salt-a-way is a great product BUT! after testing it for 1 year I have found that it is the second step of washing. Salt is easy to remove from the surface. A little soap and water will do just fine. Then you can rinse with s-a-w. You will find s-a-w will leave a film when left to dry. Here is how I found it to work best.

1- Wash down with qualty boat soap and rinse.
2- Rinse with s-a-w making sure you spray in all direction you want to get water wereyou normally would not wash. (Just as the ocean spray does.
3-Rinse canvas and glass with fresh water.

That does the outside. Then I take a spray bottle full of s-a-w and towel and spray and wipe down the inside. Canvas supports and joint. hinges ect.

Great product

 

[STIHLBOLTS]

Taking care of a salt water use boat is no scary thing.

Just like the others said, use lots of fresh water and don't rub until it's soaked pretty good. The "Salt Away" product is a good one to put in the water and wash it down with that first before using the boat soap.

Also flush your motor each time, allow it to reach operating temp before shutting off. :grin:

 

[Morpheus]

Re: Fresh Water!

Saltwater is the perfect solvent. It is constantly trying to return your boat to the natrual elements and if allowed to do its thing, will eat a boat.

We hose down with copiuous amounts of fresh water, soap wash weekly. I've got inboards so we don't deal with the fresh water flush. but I'm thinking that ne through.

We have been in a water shortage circumstance here in SoFla which now only alows boat washing on Wednesday and Friday evenings from 4-7Pm . We getting ready to try a newer product called Salt-A-Way which is a liquid applied in a hose end applicator which is supposed to eliminate salt instantly on contact and hence reduce the amount of water needed for rinsing off after use. We'll see on this one.

Please post the results of the Salt-A-Way product that sounds like a great thing.

Also they said bay not sure what bay. Your gonna want to put in your signature your boat and where your from this will help us help answer your questions in the future.

I boat in the Tampa Bay and Gulf mostly and we trailer. We keep the boat on the trailer in secured storage yard since our garage would never fit our boat and the HOA doesn't allow us to keep it here unless indside a garage.

This is my routine. I like to go out on a clean boat so the day before we plan on going out I tow the boat home and wash it with soap and water (Brite Wash by Yact Brite) I have a special hose end connector/container that foams the soap onto the boat for a nice foam bath. Sitting outside it gets pretty dirty. I also take this time to pack the boat with all the items we will need and also gas it up.

When we come back so to not to tie up room at the ramp I get the boat on the trailer strap it down put the cover on and go home.

There it get's flushed a min of 5minutes and a full wash again and wipe down all surfances with the different yacht brite products.

 

[midway]

I use Salt Away on my current boat, did not use anything other that soap and water on the old boat, did not have to change the manifold until about 15 years old, the flush would last about 20 min, in my case I put in and take out in the back yard, so pull forward and hook up flush, unhook and unload while engine flushing, still about 20 min, then Salt Away at the end, rinse boat and wash inside and out. Salt Away will rinse the salt off of the boat. I drain my engine in the winter if there may be a freeze just in case, no rust in water so I feel that Salt Away works.