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Posts: 91
| I have a question, thought someone might be able to supply some advice or suggestion.
I'm planning a trip this summer to Maryland, and our place is right on the Chesapeake Bay, but pretty far inland. They tell me it's "brackish" water there, ( part salt, part fresh), and wonder what if any problems I could expect if I would run my boat there.
I have a 25 hp Mercury 4 Stroke engine. Would the possibility of salt, pose any future problems for me? Thanks and look forward to your suggestions. |
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| Brackish=salt. Flush engine well and rinse everything! Salt ruins everything! Buy cheap pliers/hook cutters/scissors ect. Don't bring anything metal that you want to keep! In addition to rinsing, I would take the time to wipe everything as well. |
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Posts: 5874
| Glass boat? Better than aluminum. If aluminum, I'd flush with fresh water when I loaded
up, and also run water into the bilge.
I would flush the motor every time it came out of the water. And wipe the boat down, too. Flush the trailer off too. When you leave, I'd run through a self serve car wash, and thoroughly wash the boat and trailer with soap and water, then rinse well. Then I'd do the same when you got back home.
Edited by Shep 3/11/2015 10:05 AM
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | i'd rent a boat |
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Posts: 688
Location: Already Gone | I have a great friend who moved to Portland Maine to build a bridge...that's his job.
He towed his 16 ft. Lund and 50 Johnson along, wanting to fish the Coastlands, and hunt sea ducks/divers for a season while there.
He couldn't be more sorry, the damage that the salt caused. It got into connections, bearings, nut and bolts....He wants that one back.
Like Cutler, even the word "brackish" sounds corrosive, damaging and abusive.
As sled said, I'd rent...and keep my rig clean. |
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Posts: 2687
Location: Hayward, WI | Yikes, how do people using their boats in the salt daily make it work? Are the salt boats and motors designed that much differently?
Interesting discussion. I assumed a rinsedown and flush and would be good to go. Sounds like it's a risky situation though. |
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | i had a whaler and then a saltwater ranger center console ... everything is stainless and galvanized ... for a reason and then they are work themselves. |
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Posts: 91
| Thanks for the advice guys...guess it's a no brainer... I'll be renting a boat! |
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Posts: 14
| I live in Maryland and have had my boats in the Chesapeake hundreds of time, both glass and aluminum. You will be fine. Do you think that the owners of the thousands of boats that hit the bay every week go overboard on the maintenance every time they use their boats? Not to mention the millions of boats up and down both coasts and all around the world. Brackish water will not destroy your boat. At the end of the trip give your boat a thorough cleaning, flush the engine and rinse the trailer.
Edited by Peltz 3/13/2015 10:10 AM
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Posts: 1316
Location: Lebanon,Mo | Your boat have carpet ? If you decided to rent,guess it doesnt matter |
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Posts: 42
| Peltz - 3/13/2015 11:09 PM
I live in Maryland and have had my boats in the Chesapeake hundreds of time, both glass and aluminum. You will be fine. Do you think that the owners of the thousands of boats that hit the bay every week go overboard on the maintenance every time they use their boats? Not to mention the millions of boats up and down both coasts and all around the world. Brackish water will not destroy your boat. At the end of the trip give your boat a thorough cleaning, flush the engine and rinse the trailer.
I to fish the Upper bay where the water is brackish and never once had an issue with boat or motor. I run an aluminum boat with a 150 Mercury Opti with a 9.9 pro kicker. Just flush out the engine and wipe down the boat. As Peltz stated there are thousands of boat owners that run their boat w/o issues on the bay and the ocean . I wouldn't think twice about bringing your own boat down. Plus you know your boat, how it handles and you have it rigged for you. Not sure what kind of rental you would find. I'm sure you know big water, just keep a close eye out on the bay the weather changes QUICKLY and gets real snotty real quick.
Edited by fishpmc 3/22/2015 7:30 AM
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Posts: 41
Location: Madison | RENT RENT RENT, its really just not worth the risk :/ |
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Posts: 1202
Location: Money, PA | As long as you rinse your boat each time, it will be fine...also flush the motors with fresh water when you get home....People do it everyday out in Alaska and they primarily use aluminum boats....You will be fine! |
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