cb4004

My Feedback: (2)

Guys

Are there any after run / maintenance routine I need to be aware of when running in salt water? I'm out here on the west coast and it's easer for me to run in salt than fresh water.

Thanks

yeeharacing

I'd say flush everything with freshwater after running.
Wipe verything down with a clean damp (freshwater) towel.
Load everything up with wd40

Your gonna have problems with corrosion from the salt water.
Your gonna spend twice as much time cleaning after the run.

Justaddwata

My Feedback: (3)

No matter how good a job you do you will find corrosion a much bigger expense in salt than fresh.

Before you consider running the first time do the following
Your radio box will have to be as water tight as you can make it. No second chances with salt in those electronics. Use a product like Corrosion X to possibly buy you a second chance but make your priority keeping water from the box in the first place.
Use a product like corrosion X on everything metal and give the motor and motor electronics a double dose (spray some inside the cooling jacket of the motor as well as other metal cooling components - like water pickups and exits). Also any aluminum running hardware and flex cable. Be sure to use a good lube on the cable. Be sure to clean the cable after every trip to the bay - it wont last a week stored with salt. Also lubricate all pivots and linkages (throttle, rudder etc).

After each trip do the following
Remove the battery and receiver and wash the boat thoroughly inside and out with warm soapy water. Also pass some of this water through your cooling system. Flush down boat and cooling system with fresh water.

Allow it to dry and spray off all metal parts with corrosion X (corrosion X does not work miracles but is 10X better than WD40 from my experience).
Clean off flex cable and regrease - store out of boat until you are ready to use to minimize potential rust.

If you dunk the boat well check that you have no water in the radio box. If you have - DO NOT RUN THE BOAT AGAIN. If your receiver has not fried yet - it will and it will likely happen when you are full throttle heading toward shore. Remove it from the box and flush out with corrosionX and towl dry. Your battery pack is probably toast.. You must also ensure you get the motor running again (even if you are done for the day - get the motor running - it will rust solid in a few days and likely be severely damaged in a matter of hours just from having salt water in it.

Salt water is considerably less forgiving than fresh. It eats electronics and alloys quick. Any short cuts in maintainence will be very evident the next time you go to use the boat.
Corrosion X is around $10 - $15 and I got my last can from NAPA. It may save you a lot more money.

Bullitt01

I always run at the model yacht pond in mission bay. One of the things ive found to help with the whole saltwater
problem is i bring a large garden sprayer filled with fresh water. After every run i spray the inside and the outside of the boat with the fresh water. It helps alot. And of coarse like JAW said, i spray all the metal with Corrosion X. Bring it home, start the motor and run fresh water through it for about 5 minutes.

bequiakt

hey guy,
I ran in the caribbean for about a year with electrics and found that the first thing you do is 1.. seal your electronics
2..keep all water out at all cost.
3..pay close attention to servoes..like sealing with silicone and bees wax
4.. after you ran, flus within the first 15 minutes with fresh water and use plenty of WD40 all over. also used a lot of silicone spray for lubricating. i had quite a few issues before i found that these things really worked wonders


[8D]

bequiakt

hey guy,
I ran in the caribbean for about a year with electrics and found that the first thing you do is 1.. seal your electronics
2..keep all water out at all cost.
3..pay close attention to servoes..like sealing with silicone and bees wax
4.. after you ran, flush within the first 15 minutes with fresh water and use plenty of WD40 all over. also used a lot of silicone spray for lubricating. i had quite a few issues before i found that these things really worked wonders


[8D]

yeeharacing

Wow..
I think I shouldn finish with this beer... I'm seeing double.