Short term corrosion protection

[Titanium48]

I normally only boat on freshwater, but I'll be taking my boat on a trip soon and I would like to spend a couple of days on saltwater. I am planning some freshwater boating afterwards, but it will be a few days after the first saltwater launch. I was thinking of using some sort of oil-based anti-corrosion spray (WD40?) on the (electric drum) brake mechanisms and suspension parts to minimize corrosion before I get a chance to wash the trailer in a lake. Any other opinions or product suggestions?

Thanks.

 

[tpenfield]

Be careful because you do not want to make an oily mess on the water when you launch. Best to just wash everything really well with the hose after you come out of the salt. Run the engine on the muffs as well.

 

[robert graham]

I spray white lithium grease on my trailer springs, shackles, bolts, nuts, hubs, tilt/trim rams, pump, motor....it becomes semi-hard, never washes off, helps a lot with corrosion.....stays on for years.....good stuff.....still a good idea to rinse boat, motor, trailer after saltwater use.

 

[Mi duckdown]

What tpenfied posted and also your fishing poles and reels if fishing

 

[Titanium48]

I will try to wash the salt off immediately if I can, but I don't know that will be possible. I haven't seen any evidence of trailer washing facilities at any of the launches I've been scouting out on Google street view. I was planning on doing any anti-corrosion spraying before leaving, so there will be a couple of days and a 10 hour highway trip for any excess to drip off or evaporate before hitting the water.

 

[reelfishin]

Other than making sure everything is lubed up properly and well painted before dunking in saltwater, there's not much you can do before hand that will have a huge effect. You can however buy a gallon of one of the many salt removing solutions that are available. A spray down with a salt neutralizing solution will be your best bet.
iBoats here sells CRC Salt Terminator:
http://www.iboats.com/CRC-Salt-Terminator/dm/cart_id.326015706--session_id.287434059--view_id.885886

Since I fish almost solely in salt or brackish water here with an aluminum boat, I keep a spray bottle in the boat, I spray down the boat, outboard, fishing tackle, and trailer after coming out of the saltwater. Most of my trailers were bought in the early 80's. While there's some surface rust on the trailer hardware, there's no rust on the frame or axle after all these years. I also put some in the run barrel at home when I flush out my outboard.

 

[MH Hawker]

I dont launch in salt but i use the spray on graphite on my trailer springs and so on, it drys into a hard coating.

 

[dingbat]

Spraying anything that doesn't dry completely is done more harm that good. See, there is sand in and around saltwater, and sand is attracted to oily, greasy, mess you created on running gear. How well do brakes hold up covers with mixture of sand and grease coating? Sand grinding in the springs can't be good for them

Saltwater isn't acid. Put the boat in the water and go boating. Rinse off when you get home and your done