How to Remove Salt From a Boat After Fishing

Salt does its damage after the water evaporates. The goal of a post-trip washdown is to get the salt into solution and off the boat before that happens. Work top down. Rinse the hardtop, electronics housings and rocket launchers first, then the gunwales and deck, then the hull sides and transom. A hose-end sprayer that proportions a salt-removal concentrate as you go means you are not mixing buckets between sections. Flush the outboards with a motor flush attachment so the concentrate reaches the cooling passages rather than only the exterior. Trailers get the same treatment, including the frame rails, using a chassis flush attachment with a long flexible hose. Finish with rods, reels and anything that lives in a rod holder. Wipes are the practical option here because you can work around drags and guides without soaking the reel. Follow the manufacturer directions on dilution and surface suitability for any product you use.