Salty Air and Brackish Water

[Bud Kennedy]

Here on the coast we face a few environmental conditions that can raise havoc with your watercraft.  Two years ago I had to replace my boat trailer mostly because of corrosion. Launching in brackish water will do a job on the trailer suspension, axles, hubs, brakes and just about everything else.  The new trailer is aluminum with all of the fastener hardware being stainless steel.  A couple times a year I do wash down the trailer with salt away just to be sure the axle, hub and brakes are afforded some level of protection. Every so often I also perform a complete motor flush using muffs in the driveway.

The other thing is that in these parts, anything is subject to the salt air and it does not take long for corrosion to happen.  One must remain diligent about keeping up with all forms of oxidation even if it is caused by the salt air or the scorching sun in the summer.  I am sure the Florida folks are more than familiar with these kind of issues and may be able to offer their suggestions to help with environmental protection issues ranging from mold and mildew to oxidation.

[Capt. BassinLou]

I owned an offshore boat for a few years and maintenance was the key. Once I replaced my trailer with an aluminum trailer, things got a little easier. But nonetheless, staying on top of things ensured you wouldn't run in to issues down the line. Flushing an outboard after use on brackish or saltwater goes a very...very.. long way. Nowadays, since I only fish in freshwater, maintenance is ALOT easier.

[FlatsNBay]

For me, any time the boat went in brackish water, I completely washed down the boat motor and trailer. Like Lou, I  flushed the motor with fresh water. After the boat was dry, I would spray some corrosion block on a rag and wipe down any of the metal parts on the boat such as cleats and hand rails . I'd even hit the trailer with corrosion block too. It's expensive like $15-$20 a can but well worth it. A little sprayed on a rag goes a long way.

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[Jim Jackburn]

Oxidation is predictable

Took me about 2 years to fix this oxidation problem with my bass boat trailer. I'm a pretty quick learner and will not make this same mistake again either. Some fishermen know that bass boats and bass boat trailers are not durable, not resistant to salty air or salty estuary environments. You can predict the severity of the metallurgy problems with electrolysis if you are aware of the types of metal alloys they are made with. If you don't know, ask the boss at the boat store where you are buying the boat/trailer.
Corrosion problems with freshwater bass boats and especially the stock boat trailers that come with them are predictable with salty air and water environments... even oxidizing just parked outside in the back yard.
Consider this: if you plan to spend much time fishing salty/brackish estuary environments using a bass boat and trailer, buy the boat and then buy yourself an aluminum boat trailer to haul it.
Start with a good aluminum boat trailer, just that will save you a lot of aggravation, repair cost and time in the long run.