If you live close to the coast like professional bass angler Brian Latimer, it stands to figure that at some point you might get the itch to fish on saltwater. But what if like B. Lat, as his friends and family affectionately refer to him, you have an aluminum bass boat? Can you take it out on saltwater?
Absolutely! While B. Lat, who makes his home in South Carolina, spends the lion’s share of his time fishing on freshwater, he isn’t shy about taking his Lowe® Stinger 188 aluminum bass boat down to the coast for a different brand of action. That’s because B. Lat knows what to do when he takes his boat out of the water, being careful to give everything a thorough cleaning afterward. And for even more corrosion resistance, you could consider upgrading your trailer to a galvanized-steel or aluminum model designed specifically to resist corrosion in the marine environment.
In this video, B. Lat demonstrates how he hoses off all the critical components – the leaf springs, wheels, ratchet straps, etc. Anything with a bolt needs to be rinsed off to prevent corrosion.
In addition to the steps B. Lat demonstrates, Mercury recommends you thoroughly flush your engine with freshwater after every saltwater use. Wash all of your boat’s surfaces with soap and water, clean and lubricate steering components, and finish by using Mercury All-In-One Spotless Shine. If you’d like to see how B. Lat uses the Mercury Flush Connect to flush out his Mercury Pro XS® outboard, be sure to check out this Dockline blog.
For more on this Mercury Pro Team member, check out the Brian Latimer YouTube channel or Straight Up Fishing TV and find him on Instagram at brian_latimer.
