Method of freshwater washdown

Looking at buying a Smokercraft Alaskan 15 this next year. Going to pair it with a Yamaha 25 after reading lots of reviews on what to power it with.

Only concern I have after looking at one at a dealership is how to spray freshwater in the bilge area after running it in the salt (which will be the majority of the time.) If you’re not familiar, this boat has prefabricated decking throughout the boat which is nice, but I’m not aware of any way to get in and spray underneath it.

In previous boats I had removable decking that I would pull every few trips just to make sure there was no saltwater sitting for long periods.

Do any of you know a method to easily wash down the bilge after being in the salt? Thanks!

Why ... ? My tins are always immersed 24/7 from May to Oct on moorings in the salt ... and I/we (many tins on the river) have never flushed one. As far as I’m concerned the rains take care of that!

But yes, the hull outside is properly prepped w/ 2-part epoxy-based etching primer & then good aluminum safe anti-fouling paint.

Good to know! Thanks!

My only concern was the dark, inaccessible areas under the decking that would accumulate trace amounts of salt buildup over time. I know it’s marine grade aluminum, but for some reason I’ve always felt that it should be quickly sprayed down after being in the saltwater.

Perhaps I’m just overthinking. Running freshwater water through the outboard and spraying off the trailer always concludes my days on the saltwater.

Anytime I take my tin to the salt (which is quite often) I just bring it home and spray the whole boat down with the hose. The water runs under the floor and into the bilge and should do the trick. Like Dale said, the rain takes care of most of it. If I did happen to take on a bunch of saltwater for some reason I will make a point of taking off the hatch to my bilge and just spraying down what I can get to.

Saw this (or something very similar) on Shark Tank.

https://rinsekit.com/collections/rinsekit-products-bundles-and-accessories/products/rinsekit-plus-with-pressure-booster-pump?gclid=CjwKCAjwjbCDBhAwEiwAiudByw_Yh268KX_fld2FgMp02m0PnOYZJHQ1tKZ42YPw9-0JXzjgEvjbyBoCKn0QAvD_BwE

Steve H. said:

Saw this (or something very similar) on Shark Tank.

https://rinsekit.com/collections/rinsekit-products-bundles-and-accessories/products/rinsekit-plus-with-pressure-booster-pump?gclid=CjwKCAjwjbCDBhAwEiwAiudByw_Yh268KX_fld2FgMp02m0PnOYZJHQ1tKZ42YPw9-0JXzjgEvjbyBoCKn0QAvD_BwE

Click to expand...

Seen those before! Perfect for camping as well.


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jethro said:

Anytime I take my tin to the salt (which is quite often) I just bring it home and spray the whole boat down with the hose. The water runs under the floor and into the bilge and should do the trick. Like Dale said, the rain takes care of most of it. If I did happen to take on a bunch of saltwater for some reason I will make a point of taking off the hatch to my bilge and just spraying down what I can get to.

Click to expand...

That’s what I was hoping for! Thanks for the input.

Salt + water = acid, which eats aluminium. So your concern is valid. Soap solutions are alkaline & will neutralize salt water, so maybe pour some soapy water into the bilge before the drive home & then tip the bow up & let it drain once you are home.

DaleH said:

Sin
Why ... ? My tins are always immersed 24/7 from May to Oct on moorings in the salt ... and I/we (many tins on the river) have never flushed one. As far as I’m concerned the rains take care of that!

But yes, the hull outside is properly prepped w/ 2-part epoxy-based etching primer & then good aluminum safe anti-fouling paint.

Click to expand...

Since you moor in salt water, do you hang a zinc anode over the side. My water is mostly fresh/brackish depending on the wind. I wonder is I need to hang a zinc over?

My boat also has decking that closes off the bilge area. It has never been in salt water, but I did have a gaso leak once that made me want to flush the bilge out. On my boat I am able to put a hose in the 2" seat pedestal bases. I just ran the hose long enough to fill 4 5-gallon buckets and figured that was enough.

If you want to avoid problems with cleaning it, I suggest you buy a saltwater washdown pump. It doesn't cost a lot of money. Believe me, it is really worth it because contacting boat cleaning services every time you ride your boat isn't reasonable. Moreover, these services usually cost a lot of money. There are many good websites like https://housewatermatters.com/best-washdown-pump-reviews/ on the internet where you can order such cleaning kits. Check it out by yourself.