Boat in Saltwater for a week. Questions.

[ezmobee]

We're taking the boat with us to Ocean City, MD for the first time next week to use on the back bays. We rented a condo with a very nice boat slip. So my boat will be docked there for a week. I don't expect to have access to a freshwater supply to do any engine flushing or rinsing while it's docked there. With this in mind, would I be better off not tilting my engine up when not in use and just leaving it in the water? Or should I still tilt it up? I plan on taking a good freshwater run as soon as I get home to clean everything out as best I can. Anything else I need to be aware of?

 

[lprizman]

Re: Boat in Saltwater for a week. Questions.

a week,,no worries, 5 minute flush when you get back and power wash the bottom

 

[dingbat]

Re: Boat in Saltwater for a week. Questions.

I wouldn't worry about flushing the engine. Doesn't matter one way or the other if the drive is left up or down for the week.

The salt isn't just in the water, it's saturates the air as well. Everything on the boat will have been exposed to salt during your stay. Cameras and things left onboard over night usually don't fair to well in the long run.

The problem, if you're going to have any, will come down the road when it starts eating at things you can't clean like the contacts in your switches, spade lugs on connectors, non-tinned wires and stuff like that.

Just enjoy the beach and clean the thing up good when you get back home.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Boat in Saltwater for a week. Questions.

I wouldn't worry about flushing the engine. Doesn't matter one way or the other if the drive is left up or down for the week.

Sounds good. As I don't have PT&T I won't knock myself tilting that big b@stard everyday then

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Boat in Saltwater for a week. Questions.

spray your block and all down with WD40. you should have no problems. a bucket or two of fresh water, wipe down seats, windshield etc, and covering at night will, present you with a fresh non sticky boat in the morning. then when you load the boat, try to flush asap, and washdown. self service car wash is good. leave the foot down, that way the water will drain out of the power head, and the salt will not hurt the lower in a week.

we take the deckboat to the keys for a month each year, it dock in front of the house for the month. we have a hose and washdown the upper every night and cover. no flushing until loaded. it does have anodes on the lower.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Boat in Saltwater for a week. Questions.

My initial reply to "boat in saltwater for a week, questions" is this: "boat in salt water for 20 years. No problem."
In OC you want to moor with your motor up in case your slip is shallow at low tide, so you won't sit in the mud.
I must respectfully disagree with my esteemed colleague and mentor about WD40. It attracts salt. Use another protectorant, such as CRC. I like to use aerosol white lithium grease to coat all fittings and contacts. do it before you go--but honestly a week won't matter.
Read up on OC fishing and stuff at tidalfish.com esp. the message boards under mid-Atlantic.
Have a good anchor and paddle, and be mindful of the tides there. A shove pole may be a trip-saver, too (I never go without one). Wide bays can be shallow and small creeks deep. Mercifully, the bottom is soft so mistakes are not permanent. Channel markers merely suggest the location of a channel several years ago.
Know your tides. everything is based on the tides, first, and wind direction, second, up there.
I'm leaving today for 4 days on that part of the coast but about 30 miles south in completely deserted environs. Nothing like it. Have fun!

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Boat in Saltwater for a week. Questions.

Thanks HC. I can't believe I didn't think about raising the motor up for when my boat is docked during low tide. I plan to try to do most of my boating around high tide. I'll be sticking mostly to the Assawoman but may venture out in the Isle of White depending on the conditions. Hoping to do some crabbing and flounder fishing. Thanks also for the fishing link! I'll be reading up there today. I had previously found this one http://fishtalk.atbeach.com/

 

[highN'dry]

Re: Boat in Saltwater for a week. Questions.

Corrosion X on the engine. Tilt engine up when not in use. Wash and clean thoroughly once you pull it.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Boat in Saltwater for a week. Questions.

so how was it? great weather for this time of year--low 80's and breezy. However I found the NE wind messed up the drift for flounder fishing, and clouded the water some, but it made the beach nice and kept down the bugs. Greenheads were fierce, though. Great stars Saturday night. Tides were a little strange; low hit almost 2 hours early where I was--and it was low. I just about wore out the shove pole! Crabs not as plentiful as earlier this summer; I ran three pots and only got about a dozen a day. But nothing like being on the shore! (If you wnet down to Assateague, that environment the same as where I was-Cedar Island--but completely deserted.)

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Boat in Saltwater for a week. Questions.

I'm here right now. And it's been AWESOME. The boat has been in the water for 4 days and we've used it at least twice a day so far. Lovin' it. We're here till Saturday but the boat will be pulled on Friday before my help leaves.

 

[Miroash]

Re: Boat in Saltwater for a week. Questions.

If you are using the slip power, you may want to check your sacrificial anodes. A week probably will not be long enough to hurt anything but why take a chance.