AS Ben Sandman explains, Salt-Away, a useful boat and tackle cleaning product, allows for more time fishing and less time cleaning up after a big day on the water.
THE “just-left-the-showroom” condition of my boat has seen me cop a bit of flack from mates. “You spend more time polishing it than you do fishing from it!” was one of the most common comments… until they saw the boat completely washed down with Salt-Away – in about 30 mins – after a long day offshore.
As the product’s name suggests, Salt-Away is a maintenance product that quickly and easily removes salt from various surfaces. The label on the bottle claims it’s non-toxic, non-hazardous and biodegradable. What it’s made from I don’t really know, and it doesn’t really matter… it just works.
As a salt-removing treatment / boat wash, this highly-concentrated product must be diluted to a ratio of around 512:1, which is achieved by using the Salt-Away auto-mixing unit. I simply fill the 100ml container/reservoir of the trigger-grip mixer unit and connect it straight to the hose. There are three settings on the mixer unit: off, fresh water, and Salt-Away.
I hose down one section of the boat at a time – working my way from the hard top and windscreen, then along each side of the boat – with the first blast on the Salt-Away setting, then flicking the lever to the freshwater setting to rinse. I’ve found this method to be the most effective, especially on hot days, as it doesn’t allow the Salt-Away liquid to dry and leave residue streaks/spots on the boat.
It’s cool to see it in action the first time; watching caked-on salt melt away and run off the boat without having to wash it with a soapy sponge. (The only time I wash the hull with a sponge is if there’s any sludge from the boat ramp.) The trailer, wheels and brakes also get a good dose of Salt-Away, as does my fishing gear.
One of the other uses for Salt-Away is for corrosion control, which means it’s perfect for flushing outboard engines. Connecting the mixer unit to a good set of earmuffs, I run fresh water through the engine for about 10 minutes, then flick the lever to Salt-Away for about a minute, until suds start coming through the exhaust and tell-tale.
When you see this, turn-off your engine. This leaves a protective film in the engine to protect it against future salt corrosion until the next time you’re on the water.
With a few hundred hours on my boat now and some big fish to its name (busting another mate’s myth that it “never leaves the shed”), I’ve used Salt-Away to wash down my boat every time… and have not once polished it. The results speak for themselves.
I generally go through 100-150ml of Salt-Away each time to wash a 6.7m boat, trailer, flush the engine, and hose down outriggers and other fishing gear. The product is available in 1L and 4L bottles, so there are plenty of washes per bottle, depending on the size of your boat.
The best part of using Salt-Away, apart from easily washing away salt and protecting the boat, is how little time it takes. The unwritten rule of fishing, where everyone onboard helps to wash the boat, has no relevance here. With a beer in one hand and hose in the other, washing the boat is a quick and easy one-person job.
Salt-Away Concentrate 946ml RRP $42.50
Salt-Away Concentrate 3.79L RRP $99.95
More info at salt-away.com.au