-- Last Updated: Jul-03-09 2:44 PM EST --
Am i supposed to rinse off the kayak with fresh water after its been used in salt water? or can i just wipe down and let dry outside?
Salt attracts moisture.Wash it.
salt water
salt water will corrode metal over time, having said that your kayak won’t break if you don’t rinse it each time. I tend to bathe stuff when we’re done, could be 1 trip out or at the end of a week. Don’t forget your life jackets too 
I figure a good rinse when convenient works best in the real world.
Wash it and also everything else
you used on the trip…like drysuits or wetsuits or spray skirts. Salt is corrosive.
Its quite a scene when we spread out all the gear on the snow and hook up the hose to the inside the garage faucet…have to beware where the resultant ice rink winds up.
Not even winter is an excuse not to do the rinse routine.
Boat materials
like polyethylene, polypropylene and fiberglass resins are very resistant to any ill effects of salt water- these materials are used in chemical reactors where saline solutions are used — washing off the boat only helps metal fittings that may corrode- washing just helps the appearance because you don’t get the dried minerals on the surface. Good idea to wash off your wetsuits and lifejackets, icky stuff will grow in the fabric in the damp material.
Don’t bother…
– Last Updated: Jul-03-09 8:05 PM EST –
The rudder/skeg controls will freeze. Your two piece paddle will weld itself together. Your PFD will rot plus it is really yucky getting in a gritty boat.
However the industry does need you to buy new gear often.
Sorry folks but this is a stupid question.
I never rinse mine off and it’s fine
when I was paddling a lot more I ddin’t
bother rinsing my kayak off, and rarely rinsed off my gear. Of course, we would get a lot of afternoon thunderstorms which probably did a lot of rinsing for me.
rinse it when you can
You’ll get advice all over the board on this. Some dont take care of their gear and then complain and whine when it does not perform. Rinse it once in a while and it will last longer. Take care of your gear, it will take care of you.
one more thing
it’s not a stupid question. Ignore those that turn their noses up at genuine interests and concerns. Small minds.
!
Thank you for that.
Salt water dripping on to the roof of…
Your car is not a good thing. That’s a pretty good reason. I guess a towel would also work for that though.
Bob
always rinse
I’ll rinse the boat and paddles after I get home, or the next morning if I get home and I’m dead tired after a long day. Those darn Shamwows work great to dry them, I can do both boats within 30 minutes. I never know when I’ll paddle again, and I learned long ago to take care of my stuff, and it’ll take care of me.
Clothing items always get washed, by whatever method the label recommends. I sometimes won’t wash PFD’s if I haven’t been in the water.
Fresh or saltwater, makes no difference to me.
wash everything
Rinsing is not enough to remove the “scumline” on the hull, so I use a little car wash. Its really the fittings, skeg & rudder that would corrode. I’ve seen some very corroded aluminum rudders owned by non-washers.
Everything should be at least rinsed - including fishing tackle.
Salty goodness
I like to lick the salt crystals off of my boat, it’s delicious!
In all seriousness, I rinse out my gear, but almost never my boats. I have no rudder to worry about and, given the rocks I tend to abuse my boat with, salt is the least of my concerns. But hey, it’s only gelcoat and I can always put on more.
Rinse off
I usually carry a gallon jug of water and rinse the yak off and sponge out the inside before putting it back on my truck