Aluminum trailer boating in salt

[Stinnett21]

I've never boated on the coast but would love to before my hour glass is empty. I know the protocol is to wash down and flush motor asap after exiting the ramp. But exactly how does this work with an aluminum boat sitting on the trailer? How does one rinse between the bunks and hull? These days you see many pontoons on lifts on the coast. Also do most ramps have wash down capability? I recently visited Jekyll Is. GA and went to what appeared to be a public ramp. I saw a spigot off the side with a hose and the ground was wet around it. I assume this was a public wash down? Appreciate any input.

 

[dingbat]

Saltwater isn’t acid. If your that concerned, drop the boat in a freshwater river or lake on the way home and go for a ride

The “wash the boat immediately after exiting the water” mentality quickly goes away once you figure out nothing happens if you don’t rinse immediately…..lol

Then again, this assumes the boat is fitted with hardware and fasteners (316 stainless) suitable for the environment. Carbon steel and 304 stainless hardware and fittings will start to “stain” after only a couple of uses.

I use raw water (salt) to get built up salt, blood, guts, etc. off before trailering.
Spray the rods down with freshwater when I get home. Might rinse the boat down as well if I’m not heading back out anytime too soon.

 

[Stinnett21]

Ok thanks I guess I'm overthinking it. My uncle lived in Cape Coral, had boats on his lift and would spend a lot of time washing down after an outing and would talk a lot about how hard the salt was on everything. Maybe he put too much fear in me lol.

 

[cyclops222]

There is another important reason for some areas EATING up metals.
The water is TOO POLLUTED !! The Ph level rapidly attacks some metals there. Jacksonville, Florida was a KNOWN acid area due to the paper mills and other companies dumping everything into the salt waterways.

 

[dingbat]

Ok thanks I guess I'm overthinking it. My uncle lived in Cape Coral, had boats on his lift and would spend a lot of time washing down after an outing and would talk a lot about how hard the salt was on everything. Maybe he put too much fear in me lol.

Salt is only hard on Fe alloyed materials. As long as galvanic contact with more noble metals is avoided, most aluminum structural alloys, 1000 (commercially pure), 3000 (AlMn), 5000 (AlMg) and 6000 (AlMgSi) series, are resistant to corrosion in sea water, especially the so-called seawater resistant alloys in the 5000 series.

Two things aluminum alloys will not tolerate……pH above 8.5 and stagnant (low oxygen) water.