Planning to ride in salt walter in a weekend.... how to care and prevent issues?

[brobertov8]

Hello Folks,

I ride in fresh water from many years, but I never did salt walter with my own ski... only rentals.

Could you guys give me some tips?

I´m have some fear about the mechanical components, specially the drive shaft and the jet pump....
I really don´t know how would be the behavior of salt there....

I don´t know how much fast is the corrosion... For example, if I ride there for 3 days and bring the ski back to my home on the mountains.... and on the 4th day I would make a really good wash on it, that would prevent corrosion?

Thank You for any tips...
Bruno

 

[3ftDeep]

The faster you can get the salt water off, the better. Remember to rinse inside the hull as well. The clamps inside the engine compartment are vulnerable to corrosion, and can cause a lot of grief if they rust and fail.

 

[JoeZ]

Good stuff above. I'd also strongly recommend a heavy coat of silicone spray before going out on the corrosion prone areas, and over the engine in general.

After riding, rinse and repeat.

 

[brobertov8]

ok... thanks for the tips... for a "fresh water guy" sounds like it would "destroy" all the ski in a salt water ride...

Also I´m believe the trailer is another problem... since I can´t wash inside the steel frames... the only solution possible I see is to come with it to a fresh water lake and submerge it on the water...

I don´t know well in Florida, but at least on the Brazilian sea, every time I see a speed boat or a boat and look into the steel parts, I can see some rust there... even on steinless steel bolts/nuts, etc....

I presume the correct proceed is to find a boat ramp with fresh water hose available.... and just after a ride, rinse all the ski and the trailer.... But at least on the trailer I´m pretty sure some parts would start to corrosion.

I remember a friend´s ski which was in a good shape but some parts failed and rust due salt walter rides... for example that shock which holds the "hood", etc...

 

[bikerdib]

I don't know if it is available where you are but there is a product called "Salt Away". Maybe contact a local dealer. You spray it on the engine and other metal parts and it is supposed to prevent corrosion. I've never used it but I know others have. My machines never have and never will be put in saltwater. If you can avoid it, don't putyour trailer in saltwater if it is a painted steel trailer, especially if it has box section frame. It will rust from the inside out.

 

[Coastiejoe]

Before you hit the salt, spray all the metal parts with some sort of product. Even WD-40 will work for you as it is temporary. Under normal circumstances, prolong use of WD-40 can cause issues with rubber components. But in your case, you will be washing it off anyways. Spray ANYTHING metal down. Winch gears, engine, rear nozzle, driveshaft ect ect. After day three, hit a car wash while everything is still wet and fresh as it will be easier to get it off before it dries. Open the seat up and rinse everything down. You can use the soap brush for most of the ski,, even the top of the engine as the soap wil get into the hull and help with the salt water.. If there is no fresh water hose, start the ski and put the pressure nozzle into the fresh water threaded port and squeeze the trigger, that will help with the exhaust and the impeller tunnel as well as the driveshaft a bit.

Once you get home, then you can dos quality job of cleaning things..

 

[AircraftDoc]

Flush the engine as soon as possible-per manual. As I have an 04 I also spray the cylinders with seadoo preserve oil to lube the exhaust valves from corrosion - if the seadoo is going to sit for a couple of days or weeks. The salt water is really bad for the 04 thru 07 exhaust valves.

And everything else they said above.

 

[Hawk388]

I would get this product delivered before you go.

I use my ski in only salt water. There aren't many fresh water areas near me, so it's all salt or brackish water. After every time out, I rinse the ski down completely with fresh water, a carwash as mentioned above is a great idea as they will likely have a regular hose on site to do the flush. After each second trip out, I rinse the whole thing down with the salt-away after the engine has cooled. You don't want to spray salt away or fresh water on the engine when it's still hot.

Anyway, spray everything down with that salt away to include your trailer. Then let it sit for a couple of minutes and then rinse the whole ski down very well. You don't want the salt away to dry on anything so start rinsing at the first sign of it starting to dry up. I will rinse out the engine compartment twice. After the first time, I pick the trailer tongue up until all the water drains out of the bilge holes. Then I rinse it all down again and pick it up again. After almost 20 hours of salt water operation, there isn't a speck of corrosion anywhere. I also use a corrosion inhibitor on all the metal parts. But this one dries to a solid film over everything and turns a slightly brownish color. This way, when it starts to wear off, I can easily tell when it needs to be reapplied. It's called CRC Marine Heavy Duty Corrosion Inhibitor. I bought it at an autoparts store.

 

[Spimothy Leary]

salt away, crc 656, fluid film are part of my post salt ride routine. Buy all 3 and you have enough for your next 20 salt rides.

crc and FF actually are still good preventatives even for a fresh water ski.

RE: trailer, a few dunks in salt won't be the end of the world, if you plan on doing this regularly, then the sooner you upgrade to aluminum or galvanized the better.

 

[JoeZ]

BTW, while I think this thread is filled with great information, it's kinda blowing the problem out of proportion.

Most of us chiming in ride nothing but salt. It will rust/corrode things more quickly, but a single dunk (or weekend) in the salt isn't that harmful. Just do your preventative (fluid film, wd40, silicone spray, any thing else mentioned), your rinse after riding (helps if it doesn't have time to dry between your ride and your rinse), and your post ride spray (again, fluid film, silicone spray, etc).

It's no big deal if you do those for a weekend.

 

[Coastiejoe]

That's why in the case of the OPs question I kept it very limited. Spray the metal, go ride, rinse at car wash, clean well when he gets home.