mercruiser in saltwater ?????

[lakeerieboater26]

I was hoping to take my boat down to Hilton Head and use it for a few days in Broad creek which is saltwater. Will flushing the engine with fresh water and rinsing the trailor be sufficient to prevent saltwater corrosion? And what other measures can I take to protect the engine and other parts of the boat ( grease, paint, wd40 ) ?

 

[P 0 P E Y E]

Re: mercruiser in saltwater ?????

Rinse it off real good at the end of your trip.

It's always salt water for us and our stuff gets corroded but it takes multiple seasons of neglect to have the salt blow things up.

Enjoy the winderul world of Salt Water boating....

 

[lakeerieboater26]

Re: mercruiser in saltwater ?????

Thanks for the advice. Much appreciated !

 

[dontask]

Re: mercruiser in saltwater ?????

Salt loves Mercruisers.

 

[lakeerieboater26]

Re: mercruiser in saltwater ?????

care to elaborate ?

 

[Shadow66]

Re: mercruiser in saltwater ?????

I live in Charleston and go in salt water here all the time with our Mercruiser 3.0. Lots of people do and as long as you take care of it, rinse after it's no issue.

 

[dontask]

Re: mercruiser in saltwater ?????

care to elaborate ?

Take a magnet to the metal in and around your IO engine compartment and see what salt loves to interact with as opposed to engines built primarily with aluminum and stainless metal.
I suggest before you take it out in salt water you treat the engine & compartment metals with moisture barriers, corrosion/rust inhibitors. Flushing the engine on muffs only rinses the interior parts of the cooling system. Salt is hard to get out of exterior engine assembly seems, in and around bolt threads, cracks, crevices, holes, in and under cracked chipped worn away paint. Once it gets in it is hard to get out and that's where it starts working.

 

[Fishermark]

Re: mercruiser in saltwater ?????

Just flush your engine and you will be fine. It won't hurt to spray some anti-corrosion spray on the engine, etc.

If you have a painted steel trailer.... that I would be worried about. Just one dunk in salt water could cause problems down the road. I would suggest you wash it down with soapy water after use. Even that may not be enough to save it. It is AMAZING what salt water will do to steel. I've boated in saltwater all my life and I am simply resigned to replacing items on a regular basis. Even galvanized doesn't last long. But simple painted steel lasts DAYS - if that.