How will my freshwater Aluminum Boat work in West/East Bay areas?

[gpnfish]

Hi Everybody!

I am a newbie here and have a question. I will be relocating from Wisconsin to the Galveston Area in the Spring (Tiki Island), and I am wondering if it is worth it bring the boat with me to fish the West Bay and Tiki Island areas?

It's a 17 ft Alumacraft with a painted hull, but it is still aluminum! Its rigged with a 50HP oil injected Yamaha. Does anyone here have experience with that (Freshwater Aluminum boat in salt)? When I used to live in South Carolina, I would take my boat to fish the saltwater rivers and bays around Charleston, and I hosed it off intensely in Freshwater when I got back to the ranch. I only did that a handful of times and am wondering how many times I can do that before the boat and motor start showing/feeling the effects. I am trying to decide whether to give it a shot or try and sell it and buy something else when I get there.

Thanks ahead of time for your opinions!

Gary

[Root Canal]

Aluminum boats work fine in salt water, but there are a few thinks you need to do.(1) Buy you an anode and mount it to the back of the hull. You can do a google search and find out details. Retailers that sell the boats don't tell you this unless you ask them.(2) Always disconnect or remove the batteries from your boat to prevent electrolysis. If you don't saltwater in the trailer carpet boards will eventually eat through the hull.(3) Take your boat to the car wash and soap it and the trailer on the way home. Don't wait a day or so. This will break down the saltwater. Plain water doesn't work and your trailer takes a beating more than your boat if you don't do this.

[Cnovel]

Aluminum boats work fine in salt water, but there are a few thinks you need to do.(1) Buy you an anode and mount it to the back of the hull. You can do a google search and find out details. Retailers that sell the boats don't tell you this unless you ask them.(2) Always disconnect or remove the batteries from your boat to prevent electrolysis. If you don't saltwater in the trailer carpet boards will eventually eat through the hull.(3) Take your boat to the car wash and soap it and the trailer on the way home. Don't wait a day or so. This will break down the saltwater. Plain water doesn't work and your trailer takes a beating more than your boat if you don't do this.

I would say if you have carpet on trailer , to take it off completely and leave it bare, I have seen boats without batteries that sit for long periods that did not get rinsed, get holes in them. Also , I am sure your trailer is not galvanized or aluminum, so it will not last long, even with a good washing each time, it will buy you some time for sure though !

[Root Canal]

[QUOTE=Cnovel;320053]I would say if you have carpet on trailer , to take it off completely and leave it bare, I have seen boats without batteries that sit for long periods that did not get rinsed, get holes in them.

This raises an issue for me. My Dad bought an aluminum boat that had a pull start outboard. We used it for 20+ years with no
electrolyses issues. The only time we put a battery in it was when we went out at night.
I bought an aluminum boat in 2000 and I never heard of this problem at that time. The starter battery was always in the boat and
connected. 8 years later the hull was ruined by holes were the carpet boards were.
When I bought my new boat a couple of years ago the mechanic at the boat shop told me it was caused by 2 reasons.
(1) The boat I had was made from a cheap grade of aluminum.
(2) Batteries were always connected and it caused a reaction with the salt water in the Carpeted boards.

The boat I have now according to the mechanic is made from high grade aluminum and shouldn't have that problem.
But I am thinking of putting glide-on boards on top of the carpet to be on the safe side.

http://www.surfixinc.com/surfix_trailer_bunkslides.html

[axe]

I have used a G3 Guide V14 aluminum V hull in east bay for several years with 0 problems. However, it is a pull start (no battery on board at all) and I have Hardline glide on skids on my bunks and I rinse it with the water hose and flush the motor for 10+ mins when I'm done...