Using Boat in Salt Water

atengnr

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Sep 18, 2006
Messages
482
Im thinking of taking my 1968 saftmate to the Charleston SC area to cruise in the harbor. How detrimental will it be to run the boat in salt water for 3 or 4 days?? Motor is a 1968 55 HP Johnson.

Thanks.
 

mthieme

Captain
Joined
Oct 6, 2007
Messages
3,270
Re: Using Boat in Salt Water

Flush it out afterwards, you'll be fine.
 

frankie g

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Nov 14, 2007
Messages
388
Re: Using Boat in Salt Water

Salt water's not poison ya know! flush your engine @ the end of each day and hose her down w/fresh h2o and yiur good to go for the next outing.;)
 

huckelberry

Seaman
Joined
Sep 1, 2008
Messages
56
Re: Using Boat in Salt Water

I don't know where you are planning on staying in charleston but if bushy park boat landing, easy to find and get to, is close enough to where you are, put in there. The road cuts an river in half, salt on one side and fresh on the other. A lot of people will launch on the salt side, cruise for the day, and come back to the landing on the fresh side. The only drawback is it is about a fifteen to twenty minuite ride out of the way depending on how fast you can go. But if the landing is not too busy, take out on the salt side, cross the street and dunk it in the fresh for a flush. Hope you have a good time.
 

cdnfthree2

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Aug 3, 2008
Messages
402
Re: Using Boat in Salt Water

Everything already said by frankie. When you spay it down be sure and get the springs real good too. Those go faster than anything I know of.
 

atengnr

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Sep 18, 2006
Messages
482
Re: Using Boat in Salt Water

Everything already said by frankie. When you spay it down be sure and get the springs real good too. Those go faster than anything I know of.

Springs? You mean on the trailer?
 

cdnfthree2

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Aug 3, 2008
Messages
402
Re: Using Boat in Salt Water

Yes, sorry I wasn't more clear. When I bought my first boat I had to replace the springs before I could move it home. Two years later you could hardly tell they'd been replaced.
 

atengnr

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Sep 18, 2006
Messages
482
Re: Using Boat in Salt Water

Is there a product that can be sprayed on the motor to inhibit corrosion?
 

dingbat

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Nov 20, 2001
Messages
16,318
Re: Using Boat in Salt Water

If you leave a boat is saltwater for too long the bottom of the hull to just above the water line will change color. I've seen them turn a couple of different colors but most turn black for some reason. :D
 

tashasdaddy

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
Nov 11, 2005
Messages
51,019
Re: Using Boat in Salt Water

inhibit, corrosion, fresh water. wd 40. salt water is only really bad, when the boat and motor, are neglected. washdown and flush, after every use.
 
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