answer3
Well-known member
I bought a 14ft aluminum boat last winter and thought to use it mainly for freshwater fishing, but now that I tasted inshore saltwater fishing I am addicted and use it ~90% in saltwater (can't resist catching and eating bluefish, black sea bass, fluke and bluecrabs ). I already added a front deck and a plywood floor with foam underneath and was on the way to attach the livewell I just made when I realized that a lot of what looks like salt buildups (or corrosion?) accumulated under the floor and on spots with unpainted aluminum. After each trip I washed the outside of the boat + trailer with a garden hose and flush the outboard with freshwater, but I didn't do anything inside the boat. I guess I should have...
How do you guys clean the inside of your aluminum boat after a saltwater trip? is it enough to only wash it with fresh water using a garden hose?
My original plan was to add the livewell and some storage compartments on each side (a little bit like a bass boat). But if I do that I won't be able to remove everything to give it a good clean every once in a while. I was thinking to maybe seal the sides of the floor, front deck and storage compartments with silicone or 5200 so everything is watertight and wash the whole inside of the boat with the garden hose after every trip but I am not sure if it will be watertight enough.
anyone of you faced a similar issue? what would you recommend?
a few pictures to show you what I am talking about:
This is below the floor and front bench
this is on the side of the boat where the middle bench seat was attached
This is the front of the bow plate. I removed some of the salt deposits (corrosion?) with my finger
gunwale
How do you guys clean the inside of your aluminum boat after a saltwater trip? is it enough to only wash it with fresh water using a garden hose?
My original plan was to add the livewell and some storage compartments on each side (a little bit like a bass boat). But if I do that I won't be able to remove everything to give it a good clean every once in a while. I was thinking to maybe seal the sides of the floor, front deck and storage compartments with silicone or 5200 so everything is watertight and wash the whole inside of the boat with the garden hose after every trip but I am not sure if it will be watertight enough.
anyone of you faced a similar issue? what would you recommend?
a few pictures to show you what I am talking about:
This is below the floor and front bench
this is on the side of the boat where the middle bench seat was attached
This is the front of the bow plate. I removed some of the salt deposits (corrosion?) with my finger
gunwale