saltwater

[weedstomper]

Sail in the S Francisco bay with a Hunter 270 (260 with winged keel). Use a Honda 9.9 outboard. Boat stays in the water all summer. Recommendation says flush the engine with non-salty water every time after use. Quite a chore with the boat in the water. Any alternative for a practical approach? Comments appreciated.
Cheers, Albert

 

[caverun]

Similar post had several replies earlier this month- see this thread:
http://forums.hunter.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?p=1132021

 

[Stu Jackson]

If you're in a slip it's easy. Get a big painters bucket and tie a line through the loops where the handle is so the line goes over the top of the engine with the bucket at the right height. Fill it with fresh water and run the engine until the carb dries out. Unless your engine has one of those handy screw in adapters to connect a garden hose.

Or do what the linked post says. Muffs.

It's not hard, but it does take discipline to do it at the end of a day.

I agree that if you're using the boat a lot, you only need do it on a regular basis.

What's your engine worth to you?

 

[Calif. Ted]

Or a flushing kit, if you don't already have it, I used to tease a dockmate about flushing his Honda 9.9 and using Saltaway every Sunday before he left the boat.
http://marine.honda.com/parts/accessories/categories/flush-kits

 

[fstbttms]

I use my Johnson 15 h.p. four or five days a week. I flush it religiously after every use. The costs of not doing so can far outweigh the inconvenience of doing it. Believe me, I have found out the hard way.

 

[weedstomper]

flushing bags

Thank you all for the great suggestions. I have been doing the muffler thing. Sometimes hard to reach the tip of the shank because the slip is a bit too short. Saw these bags: http://www.burgees.com/flushingbag/Model_MB1.htm
They should work provided engine stays in neutral. Anybody tried them?
Cheers, Albert

 

[inarathree]

+1 on stu's recommendation. My boat is in the water 365. I just use a homer bucket filled with fresh water till the carb runs dry.

 

[weedstomper]

Saltwater flushing: this works fine

This is an option that works fine when it is cumbersome to reach out with "ear mufflers", allowing full flushing with tap water. Item is commercially available.