Northwest Fishing Reports

I will be fishing salt water this year in my Hewes Craft welded aluminum boat. I was just wondering what you guys that fish salt most of the time do for anodes? Do you use aluminum anodes attached to the hull or do you use zincs attached to the hull? I would also think that the anodes on my outboards motors should be made of the same material as any extras that you would bolt to the hull. I have fished salt water several times in fiberglass boats but this will be my first time in an aluminum boat.

The zincs on the outboard is all you need brother. I think my Honda has 4 separate anodes, 2 small, the doohickey behind the prop and a 10" x 1 1/2 bar tucked in under the mounting bracket. Even if the doohickey isn't a true zinc, I'm good to go!

added later: magnesium anodes, not zinc.

Actually you don't want to use Zinc anodes with aluminum as the AL will sacrifice to save the anodes. What you want to use is magnesium and that's probably what is on the OB. Another good thing to use is "Salt-Away" (SP?) Wash the boat down and then spray it down with the Salt Away, let it sit for a few minutes and rinse away.
With a Hewes I understand there have been quite a few issues with holes drilled and cut after the paint was sprayed. I would be inclined to check around the windows for any raw metal, under the rubber as salt water like to make it's way in and bubble away. If you find raw metal, the best thing to do is sand to bare metal and prime and paint with in 8 hours to seal it. The anodizing that's on the sheet stock is pretty good for keeping the salt at bay, it's the edges where its been cut and exposed or welded.

Have fun out there! Catch a bunch!

Another thing you will need to think about is if you have bunks. If your bunks are carpeted you will want to put on some Teflon/plastic covers. Hewes craft had a big problem with the electrolysis where the carpeted bunks meet the boat as it sits. It creates a suction cup effect and dosnt allow the salt water to rinse off from the top of the bunks when the boat is on the trailer. Hewes craft said the way to fix it was too put on teflon bunks or those covers that come in 2 ft sections that you screw onto your bunks. I would recommend with all aluminum boats. My old boss had to really work to get hewes to fix the bottom of his boat where it was being punched through by the bunks. I hope that helps

Just to add something here. Every time I fish the salt I go to the lake and back the boat in. Make sure the boat lifts off the bunks. Run the motor for a few minutes. Then go home and give everything a bath inside and out. Be sure to pull the motor cowl off and give all the electrical components a good bath with a corrosion inhibitor (wd40)

Thanks ALL good advise.

Not sure if there is one around you, but I always just hit the Brown Bear Self wash near my house. Pull the boat in and power wash everything top to bottom (trailer included).

Gringo Pescador wrote:Not sure if there is one around you, but I always just hit the Brown Bear Self wash near my house. Pull the boat in and power wash everything top to bottom (trailer included).

Coming out of Shilshole, we always stop at the Brown Bear on Leary for a good squirt. Slam dunk on the way home.

Get a stiff wire brush and give the anodes a good brushing on a regular basis. That helps or so I'm told.

My North River Seahawk came with an anode attached to the hull. The stern has brackets for trim tabs welded on to it ( I don't have trim tabs) and an anode came attached to one of the brackets. You may want to think about adding one to the hull if there is a convenient location.

BARCHASER wrote:My North River Seahawk came with an anode attached to the hull. The stern has brackets for trim tabs welded on to it ( I don't have trim tabs) and an anode came attached to one of the brackets. You may want to think about adding one to the hull if there is a convenient location.

It certainly can't hurt. Cheap insurance if there is a spot. Oh, if mooring in the salt for the summer.... I'd recommend one to the hull.

One attached to the transducer bracket which is welded to the hull or the extended transom (if applicable in your case) will do the job on your Hewescraft. Since the Hewescraft doesn't use a bolt on off-shore "bracket", the fully welded extended transom and the hull are the same potential.

Like Bodo mentioned, most important is to make sure the anodes you choose for your motor and hull are correct for the type water your boat is in, fresh vs salt or brackish.

Hewescraft specifically states any time a dissimilar metal fastener (other than aluminum) is used through the paint an anti-corrosion coating such as Eck is required. It's in the owner's manual and is required to maintain the paint warranty. Most owners and many marine riggers do not adhere to this requirement and place blame elsewhere when crevice and/or dissimilar metal corrosion occur after failure to follow correct fastener installation procedures.

Really as already stated, ( Im about to beat the horse :-D ) Motor anodes are all you really need if your just doing day trips as long as you use salt away or salt terminator. I run it through my motor and then bath the inside and out with it. It leaves a protective ( temporary ) film that you cannot see, but definitely works. I also keep my boats waxed. Motors and hull. Helps protect. If I didnt have to drill some holes for anodes, I wouldnt. Unless you are mooring it or just really lackadaisical about after boat maintenance you should be fine.

oh to add to that, west marine has their own brand of salt terminator and its cheaper than the brand name stuff. I get it by the jug. Works really well.

for my crestliner I stick with the zincs on the motor. I hook the hose to my yamaha after every trip in the salt for atleast 5 minutes plus I run the motor over in a lake near gig harbor as much as it sees the salt. never used the salt away but saw a guy run dish soap through his motor to get rid of the salt. he swears it works.

I met a guy a few years ago who had a really nice Duckworth that had a highly polished aluminum finish. He said that he'd been fishing with that boat in salt water for five or six years, yet it still looked brand new with no oxidation. I asked him what his secrete was and he said that he used butt cream. Like for diaper rash for kids. It's like 95% zinc oxide. He would buy a tube every time he went out and just smear it on the aluminum. Then wash the boat when he got home. If nothing else, it would be an inexpensive extra line of defense.