saltwater and alluminum corrosion

TinBoats.net

Help Support TinBoats.net:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

answer3

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 10, 2014
Messages
93
Reaction score
0
Location
Somerville MA
I bought a 14ft aluminum boat last winter and thought to use it mainly for freshwater fishing, but now that I tasted inshore saltwater fishing I am addicted and use it ~90% in saltwater (can't resist catching and eating bluefish, black sea bass, fluke and bluecrabs :D ). I already added a front deck and a plywood floor with foam underneath and was on the way to attach the livewell I just made when I realized that a lot of what looks like salt buildups (or corrosion?) accumulated under the floor and on spots with unpainted aluminum. After each trip I washed the outside of the boat + trailer with a garden hose and flush the outboard with freshwater, but I didn't do anything inside the boat. I guess I should have...
How do you guys clean the inside of your aluminum boat after a saltwater trip? is it enough to only wash it with fresh water using a garden hose?
My original plan was to add the livewell and some storage compartments on each side (a little bit like a bass boat). But if I do that I won't be able to remove everything to give it a good clean every once in a while. I was thinking to maybe seal the sides of the floor, front deck and storage compartments with silicone or 5200 so everything is watertight and wash the whole inside of the boat with the garden hose after every trip but I am not sure if it will be watertight enough.
anyone of you faced a similar issue? what would you recommend?

a few pictures to show you what I am talking about:
IMG_4432.JPG
This is below the floor and front bench


IMG_4433.JPG
this is on the side of the boat where the middle bench seat was attached


IMG_4436.JPG
This is the front of the bow plate. I removed some of the salt deposits (corrosion?) with my finger


IMG_4434.JPG
gunwale
 
I may be a little over kill but I rinse mine using a small electric pressure washer. First I use the soap attachment and shoot some Purple Stuff then rinse with fresh water. It only takes 10 minutes and I also give rods reels and cooler a shot at the same time. If I am away from home I find a self servise car wash as soon I possible and spend a couple dollars.
 
do you have any floor or storage compartments in the boat? If so do you remove them before washing inside the boat?
 
My front storage looked like that on the inside after a couple years. Like fishfreek, I rinse mine down IMMEDIATELY after saltwater use, even if I come in at 4am. The longer you wait, the worse it gets.
 
You can't make it water tight, no matter how hard you try, you need to make it so that you can rinse it good. I have a 1448 and I added a plywood floor, I did not put any foam under the floor and I don't recommend it for salt water, plus I really don't think it is necessary or helps deaden the sound that much. You need to be able to let the fresh rinse water run under the floor. Be sure to totally seal your wood on all sides, I used epoxy. You may want to strip it out and clean it up using a pressure washer and then some phosphoric acid cleaner, then paint it with a good quality primer and paint.
 
Bar Keeper's friend is what I used to clean up my hull before sending it off to be welded. It's similar to Comet in consistency, very fine abrasive powder. Mix with a few drops of water, and it'll rub it in with a sponge. You'll swear its a new boat!
 
surfman said:
You can't make it water tight, no matter how hard you try, you need to make it so that you can rinse it good.
Once you get it cleaned up, I highly recommend a good coating of protective wax be applied, like that of Woody Wax or Rupp's (make of outriggers) aluminum protectant.
 
mbweimar said:
Bar Keeper's friend is what I used to clean up my hull before sending it off to be welded. It's similar to Comet in consistency, very fine abrasive powder. Mix with a few drops of water, and it'll rub it in with a sponge. You'll swear its a new boat!

Awesome idea - I will keep that in the files. I only go in freshwater but I am going to be trying some flats fishing and did not know about bar keepers friend.
 
It's sort of an all purpose metal cleaner. But works wonders on my kitchen sink, my stainless exhaust tips, bare aluminum on my boat, etc. You can find it just about anywhere. One word of caution I forgot to mention, it can be messy. Rinse well, and maybe wipe down with a damp towel afterwards, otherwise the white residue will be all over.
 
mbweimar said:
One word of caution I forgot to mention, it can be messy. Rinse well, and maybe wipe down with a damp towel afterwards, otherwise the white residue will be all over.
FYI, they make a liquid version too that I like better for use on a boat. It comes in a plastic bottle too, versus one of those cardboard-bound cans. I agree, it is a superior cleaner for all-around boat use!

Where I know some do keep an amount of the powder on hand was for deep-cleaning blood spots of the decks on frp boats. We'd mix the powder with a small amount of water or 10% bleach solution, to make a paste, and would leave it on the tough stains. Just don't leave it there too long, as it could bleach the substrate to a lighter color than the surrounding deck. Now go ahead ... ask me how I'd know that ... :?: ?
 
Can I use this Bar Keeper's friend on the painted parts of the hull or is it going to strip the paint a bit? I think overall the paint is in good shape, there are just some spots like under the seats that are not painted so the salt did some damages there.
I will definitely put some wax after I repaint everything.
Any good paint you would recommend? also can I paint over the existing paint inside the boat so I have something homogeneous? hopefully I don't have to strip the paint and put a new coat everywhere...
 
answer3 said:
Can I use this Bar Keeper's friend on the painted parts of the hull or is it going to strip the paint a bit?
Strip it? No ...

Dull it? Yes ...

I wouldn't use it on any nicely finished surface. You will even ruin the native patina on aluminum or bright steel 'treadplate' if/when using the powdered stuff.
 
You can get the phosphoric acid cleaner at the hardware store in the paint dept. I don't have a recommendation of paint. I actually didn't paint mine but I like the wax idea.
 
from what I read about the wax looks like it will last a few months so I understand that paint would be for permanent protection and wax for extra protection and easier cleanup of the surface
How often do you think I should apply the wax? once before the season and one in the middle of the season?
 
Fishfreek said:
I may be a little over kill but I rinse mine using a small electric pressure washer. First I use the soap attachment and shoot some Purple Stuff then rinse with fresh water. It only takes 10 minutes and I also give rods reels and cooler a shot at the same time. If I am away from home I find a self servise car wash as soon I possible and spend a couple dollars.

what is the power of your pressure washer? I found a 1450 PSI one for ~$80 on amazon. Is it ok or is it too powerful and risks damaging the paint?
 
thanks! I just placed the order, this weekend the boat is going to look like new :D
I got a bottle of simple green pro HD with it, is it the detergent you use or do you have something else?
 

Latest posts

Top