Salt Away

Mike... · Posted: Thu Jun 17, 2010 4:47 pm Post subject:

So are you guys using Salt Away or Vinegar to flush when your boats are in the water?

I ask because we are going to be parked in a slip (brackish water) for the next five months, and won't have any easy way to get the boat out to flush the outboards.

And as I mentioned above, I think the marina would blow a gasket if I was draining vinegar or Salt Away into the water.

However it also seems a bad idea to go all season in brackish water without flushing.

Any suggestions?
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mike

localboy · Posted: Thu Jun 17, 2010 6:11 pm Post subject:

I honestly don't see why vinegar would be "environmentally" damaging. The ratio of vinegar to H2O would be very minute. JMO.

thataway · Posted: Thu Jun 17, 2010 6:43 pm Post subject:

Agree, Vinegar is of little or any consiquence to the environment in the concentration you are using. It is often used to clean the marine heads.

Salt away--the same. Small amount, and large volume of water.

Matt Gurnsey · Posted: Thu Jun 17, 2010 6:44 pm Post subject:

localboy · Posted: Thu Jun 17, 2010 8:24 pm Post subject:

Oh, oh.....no comment. Wink

AstoriaDave · Posted: Thu Jun 17, 2010 9:23 pm Post subject:

You can flush vinegar down the drain anywhere with no qualms. It is a natural component of a lot of living systems, despite what the City of Seattle says.

I yield to Matt on the legalities. Very grateful I live in the sticks, where we do not sweat things like that.

Big dave · Posted: Thu Jun 17, 2010 10:58 pm Post subject:

Well I bought the West Marine's answer to Salt-Away it is called Salt-Off it was about $15 cheaper and I to was told it is the same stuff in a different bottle. I ran it through both motors, couldn't tell you if it made a difference or not. I guess I feel better about it though. I will take it with me when I go north and flush it out again when I come back in October.
Dave.

Mike... · Posted: Fri Jun 18, 2010 10:03 am Post subject:

I think I'll check with a few boaters at the marina and see if they use Salt Away or anything else when they flush. Maybe it's one of those "we aren't supposed to, but everyone looks the other way" things.

Otherwise it looks like my only option is to tilt up the outboards and flush (through the flush port) with a garden hose. Motors off, of course.
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mike

DoryLvr · Posted: Fri Jun 18, 2010 10:51 am Post subject:

One of my Coast Guard friends who as an outboard mechanic told me that if your outboard is run every day while in salt water, you don't need to worry about flushing it. If you pull it, and the salt water gets a chance to dry, that is when the flushing needs to be done.

Mike... · Posted: Fri Jun 18, 2010 11:13 am Post subject:

thataway · Posted: Fri Jun 18, 2010 11:22 am Post subject:

Salt will tend to build up in engine passages, where there is residual heat as the engine is shut down. The water evaporates and salt is left. It is not a bad idea to let the engine idle a few minutes before shut down, and cool off.