flush outboard with daily use?

[MattInOz]

Hey guys

I'm going up to Turkey Beach near Gladstone with some mates to do some fishing for a week in April, and the house we're renting (AirBnB) only has tank water (no town water in the area) and they expressly forbid washing boats/motors with their limited supply. The boat will be in the water every day for the week... how much of an issue is it if it's not flushed till I get back to Brisbane?

Matt

[Old Scaley]

No risk at all. Just give it a really good flush when you get home. I have been on trips where the motor went for a few weeks without flushing and had no dramas. Lots of working boats have outboards that live in the water without regular flushing and last for thousands of hours. Having said that, I flush mine after every use if at all possible. Enjoy Turkey Beach and don’t forget the crab pots. 

[Junky]

It will be fine. 

We used to do Fraser every year and those motors would only get flushed on the final day as we were leaving. 

 

[mangajack]

The issue is leaving your motor long enough for the salt to dry off inside the powerhead....that takes about a week with no water going over it....Run your motor each day and you will not have an issue. When shutting down let it idle to drop the temps down, do not shut down immediately from higher revs.

[MattInOz]

Thanks guys, you've set my mind at ease. I tend to get a bit OCD about things like this.

[Neil Stratford]

Take your own hose and get a four way brass tap key from Bunnings ,so you can access the council park water. I’m pretty sure there would be a tap in or near the public toilets or at the picnic shed, at the ramp park.Its always a good idea to flush the salt out of your motor asap -if you can.

Also good to give your trailer and boat a quick rinse as well.

Neil

 

[Ed.]

As Neil said, I would be more concerned about flushing the trailer after each use, than the motor if you are using it daily.

[MattInOz]

On 02/01/2024 at 9:21 PM, Neil Stratford said:

Take your own hose and get a four way brass tap key from Bunnings ,so you can access the council park water. I’m pretty sure there would be a tap in or near the public toilets or at the picnic shed, at the ramp park.Its always a good idea to flush the salt out of your motor asap -if you can.

Also good to give your trailer and boat a quick rinse as well.

Neil

 

Unfortunately my understanding is there's no town water anywhere in the turkey beach area... will look into it though. I'd be happier if I could rinse things off.

[Hweebe]

Not really practical - but you could buy one of those collapsible outboard flush bags.

You would need to carry sufficient amounts of fresh water to use though.............

Example Shop Outboard Flush Bags In AU | Salt Attack (salt-attack.com.au)

Probably cheaper options available or DIY options as well

 

[Old Scaley]

Ring the shop there and ask them for ideas. Wouldn’t be much that happens there without them knowing about it. Very friendly locals at Turkey Beach. 

[Huxstang]

I actually discussed at length flushing with the guys I bought my boat from.  They were quite firm that for us average punters, flushing after every use was a really important thing to don. They didnt support the use of the head flush port but the use of either a flush bag or muffs.  

They did say if using daily the flushing was fairly pointless. They pointed to a commercial fishermans boat they had in with a 200 Suz on it that they do servicing on.  Said it never gets flushed because its in use basically every day.  Had over 2000hrs on it and no signs of any corrosion when doing their maintenance (that was from the actual mechanic).  Pro’s might work their boats hard but they dont want either unreliable or expensive maintenance, so I reckon what I have been told has to be pretty reasonable advice.

Went up to Cooktown and in 5 days only flushed it after last trip.  Will do the same on any other long trips.  

[Corry]

We're lucky enough that we carry a 100l water tank under the tray of our car, I use it locally when I park the trailer in the car park for the day and give the metal bits of it a hose down, when travelling, I only do the outboard after the last day.

When I get home I then take it for a run in the dam for a few hours, and run the trailer in and out a few times, gives everything a good flush out, including the deck wash and pick ups under the boat. 

[MattInOz]

On 15/01/2024 at 8:28 AM, Hweebe said:

Not really practical - but you could buy one of those collapsible outboard flush bags.

You would need to carry sufficient amounts of fresh water to use though.............

Example Shop Outboard Flush Bags In AU | Salt Attack (salt-attack.com.au)

Probably cheaper options available or DIY options as well

 

Nice idea, but ridiculously expensive. Think I'd just get a plastic garbage bin and cut it to suit instead. Suppose I could do that and put 3-4 jerry cans of water in the ute... fill them up in Gin Gin or somewhere else close by to save carting water all the way from Brisbane. Still, as Huxstang pointed out it's probably not worth it if I'll be using the boat daily, just do it when I get back.

[Hweebe]

Definitely don't recommend that link as it is way over the top pricing.

But that's just so you get the idea  as an option. I'm sure bunnings would have something you could use for probs less than $10 hahaha

[Huxstang]

Mate of mine did a trip up to Pancake Creek and on way home drove into Monduran Dam reversed down the ramp.  A guy was yelling at him about not having undone the straps…he laughed and said he was just flushing trailer and motor with fresh water.  Not sure if its bad etiquette but its only around the corner from Turkey Beach relatively so you could always stop for a quick fresh water fish on the way home and run it with some fresh water.

[MattInOz]

On 31/01/2024 at 4:10 PM, Huxstang said:

Mate of mine did a trip up to Pancake Creek and on way home drove into Monduran Dam reversed down the ramp.  A guy was yelling at him about not having undone the straps…he laughed and said he was just flushing trailer and motor with fresh water.  Not sure if its bad etiquette but its only around the corner from Turkey Beach relatively so you could always stop for a quick fresh water fish on the way home and run it with some fresh water.

Best idea I've heard all week... thanks.

[mangajack]

If i fish central to north qld I always set the last fishing day in one of the dams.....give it a good sloshing at the end of the day and throw 20 buckets in the hull and run the bilge pump back to the ramp.

Just another job you don't have to do when you get home.

For many years I would flush out at Youngs Crossing before they added all of those bollards.

[MattInOz]

13 hours ago, mangajack said:

If i fish central to north qld I always set the last fishing day in one of the dams.....give it a good sloshing at the end of the day and throw 20 buckets in the hull and run the bilge pump back to the ramp.

Just another job you don't have to do when you get home.

For many years I would flush out at Youngs Crossing before they added all of those bollards.

That's gotta be a lot easier than hosing it all off and flushing the engine.