Rock salt on fiberglass sailboat?

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fireblade274

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Im the new owner of a 28 Cal from 1967 and I live in Maryland. We got some snow, and as a first time boat owner, im wondering if its okay to continue putting rock salt on the deck to deice it. I did it once, but my dad, who used to own a 26 pierson, told me not to as it will degrade the fiberglass. Is this true? a quick google search did not reveal an answer. Is there any truth to this?
 

garbageguy

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Good question, looking forward to input from others. Not sure if the fiberglass cares, but what about the other materials' compounds the salt will contact?
 

gm280

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I personally don't know about the actual fiberglass, however, all the metal parts won't love it for sure. I would forgo it, in my opinion, and look for some other way to deice the deck. Salt is extremely corrosive indeed. JMHO
 

JimS123

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Polyester resin (fiberglass) is chemically resistant to salt at room temperature and below. It degrades at 150 Deg. F.

OTOH, the salt will destroy everything else on the boat.

The first thing I thought when I read the post was why would you want to deice the deck? Did you plan to go boating in a Maryland Winter?

I live near Buffalo, NY. We got a little snow too...LOL. In the old days sailboats were put on the hard in Winter, and the masts stepped. Then a canvas tarp was put over the whole vessel. The mast served as the framework. Wooden frames like those used on powerboats were not needed.

Today, most all sailboats stored at waterfront marinas are done with the masts still up. Some are partially covered with tarps over the booms, many are just left uncovered. I imagine today the snow on the decks of the uncovered ones is as deep as the boom.

As soon as the weather permits, scrape, scoop, shovel and wash all that salt off.
 

Scott Danforth

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Fiberglass doesnt care

However everything else on the boat doesnt do well with salt
 

dingbat

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The first thing I thought when I read the post was why would you want to deice the deck? Did you plan to go boating in a Maryland Winter?
Do it all the time. Some of the best fishing occurs in early February into early March. Forecast highs in the 60’s this week
 

dingbat

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Guess I better sell the boat now that I know I can’t use it around salt....lol
 

JimS123

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Guess I better sell the boat now that I know I can’t use it around salt....lol

I gave up the promotion of a lifetime and a 6 figure pension just so I didn't have to move my boat from freshwater to a saltwater port.....but that's another story.

Saltwater boaters flush engines and topsides with clean water to mitigate the corrosion problems. We're not talking about salt water here, we're talking about deliberately throwing rock salt on the deck. Not diluted...100 % salt.
 

tpenfield

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Is it really necessary to be putting rock salt on the deck . . . :noidea:

What are you trying to accomplish by doing that? Is the boat in use or laid up for winter?
 

SkaterRace

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What are you trying to do with the rock salt? I know remove ice but why are you removing the ice I guess is a better way of putting it.

As for the effects, think about this, your car does not like it and it is steel (mostly) and while there is stainless steel on the boat which is better doesn't mean that it likes it. Same goes for any teak or wood, wood and salt are not a good combo.

Of course, they can withstand some salt water but direct rock salt lol nope, please tell me you are not going to ruin a boat by doing this?
 

Old Ironmaker

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Don't they sell big tarps in Maryland? I don't want to be a wise arse, again but I don't get it? Is it the weight of the ice and snow you are concerned with? I drove a Corvette Sting Ray in and around a city in Ontario for a few winters. The salt never harmed the glass, like others said the under body didn't like it at all. If you must deice the deck I would consider liquid calcium chloride. We soaked rail cars that carried Iron Ore etc. in the winter to prevent sticking of the often frozen materials, it works, well. I am interested if the Calcium Chloride they now sell can be liquified. Heck it might melt glass.I'll have to do a science project this week. Like I have nothing else to do. Please don't put salt on your boat for more than a few reasons. It's just not right.
 
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dingbat

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Of course, they can withstand some salt water but direct rock salt lol nope, please tell me you are not going to ruin a boat by doing this?
please enlighten us on the difference in corrosive properties between NaCl and NaCl dissolved in water.....lol

Ocean water is roughly 3.5% salt by volume.

My boat is completely covered in salt at the end of a hot day. It’s everywhere. I could fill a salt shaker yet the boat still looks new. A day on the water gives much greater exsposure than you would ever experience elsewhere
 

Old Ironmaker

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please enlighten us on the difference in corrosive properties between NaCl and NaCl dissolved in water.....lol

Ocean water is roughly 3.5% salt by volume.

My boat is completely covered in salt at the end of a hot day. It’s everywhere. I could fill a salt shaker yet the boat still looks new. A day on the water gives much greater exsposure than you would ever experience elsewhere

Do you guys hose them down at the end of a day out?
 

dingbat

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Do you guys hose them down at the end of a day out?
Not necessarily. The boat is built for saltwater use. Everything is either fiberglass, plastic or stainless to resist corrosion and designed with the expectation to be hosed down at the end of the day. Everything at the helm is either waterproof or behind clear splash covers.

If I'm in a slip it gets sprayed down with raw water (salt) to remove the day's accumulations (blood, guts, dirt, salt, beer, etc.). The rods and reels are the only things guaranteed a freshwater rinse after use.

Trailering is a bit different. Most marinas I frequent have freshwater wash down stations. Pull the boat out of the water and head over to the wash down station. Quick rinse (a flush if no line) and down the road you go.

The only time the boat gets a "bath" is before long periods (a week or more) of storage or going out in public. Can't take mama out to a nice waterfront restaurant in a dirty boat....lol
 

gm280

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Not necessarily. The boat is built for saltwater use. Everything is either fiberglass, plastic or stainless to resist corrosion and designed with the expectation to be hosed down at the end of the day. Everything at the helm is either waterproof or behind clear splash covers.

If I'm in a slip it gets sprayed down with raw water (salt) to remove the day's accumulations (blood, guts, dirt, salt, beer, etc.). The rods and reels are the only things guaranteed a freshwater rinse after use.

Trailering is a bit different. Most marinas I frequent have freshwater wash down stations. Pull the boat out of the water and head over to the wash down station. Quick rinse (a flush if no line) and down the road you go.

The only time the boat gets a "bath" is before long periods (a week or more) of storage or going out in public. Can't take mama out to a nice waterfront restaurant in a dirty boat....lol

dingbat, I absolutely understand what you are saying. And to some extent you are right. But ocean water is merely a 3.5% on average. He is literally throwing rock salt on the deck. I am certain he is putting a heck of a lot more salt in his boat then most sea going boats see.

And think of the electronics and mechanical equipment that salt will get into that way. Regardless of type of hardware, it all corrodes with salt. Even the pumps and engine control cables and such. Think of the winches he uses for a sail on such a boat. :eek:

Not trying to argue with you by any means, just presenting a fact.
 

dingbat

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dingbat, I absolutely understand what you are saying. And to some extent you are right. But ocean water is merely a 3.5% on average. He is literally throwing rock salt on the deck. I am certain he is putting a heck of a lot more salt in his boat then most sea going boats see.

And think of the electronics and mechanical equipment that salt will get into that way. Regardless of type of hardware, it all corrodes with salt. Even the pumps and engine control cables and such. Think of the winches he uses for a sail on such a boat. :eek:

Not trying to argue with you by any means, just presenting a fact.

I'm not sure how the rock salt going to affect anything simple just by throwing it on the floor of a fiberglass cockpit fitted with Marelon and stainless steel cockpit drains.

At room temperature, you need three times more water than salt to dissolve the salt into solution. Even then, max. solution capability at 77 degrees is 26%. (The salt left at the end of the day by salt spray evaporation is 100%). Once in solution, any "salty" water would simply flow out the cockpit drains or washed away in the next rain

To address your examples, the engine cables are sealed and run in rigging tubes under the deck. I replaced them 10 years ago as Preventative Maintenance. The freshwater and saltwater washdown pumps are OEM. The housings are epoxy coated. All wiring connections are hermetically sealed and there is nothing metallic into contact with the water.

All the hardware on the boat is 316 stainless down to the windshield wipers and blades. The boat is 22 years years old and still looks like.

The real problem is salt air. Its permeates everything, eating things from inside out. Your first indication of most impending failures is usually the failure itself. An aggressive inspection and preventative maintenance routine is paramount.
 

dingbat

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tpenfield

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I wonder if the use of rock salt on a sailboat is preventive or preventative :noidea:

Seems like the OP has run for cover :rolleyes: (for all intents and purposes . . . or is it. . . for all intensive purposes :) )

Be that as it may, I'm not sure a web forum is the best place for grammar . . .

Worst offenses are:

Your - You're

There - Their - They're

Spell checker features make it even worse
 

gm280

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Hay, if we our goin two start counting of points four both spilling ann word useage, i'm inn trouble.

I meen;

Ha, if we are going to start counting off points for both spelling and word usage, I'm in trouble.
 
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