Jet Ski Saltwater Care: Flushing, Rinsing, Corrosion Protection and Storage

As soon as the craft is on the trailer, with the engine off and the key or fob in your pocket, spray fresh water into the intake grate under the hull and into the steering nozzle at the back. Look for weeds, sand or a plastic bag in the grate. Clearing the pump is covered in our jet pump guide.

At home, park with the craft level. Find the flush fitting (on the transom, under the seat or in the engine compartment, depending on the model) and connect the hose and adapter. Don't turn the water on yet.

Start the engine and let it idle, then immediately turn the water on. Follow your manual's time and method:

• Yamaha: idle about 3 minutes with the water fully on. If the engine stops while flushing, turn the water off immediately, then restart and continue. When done, turn the water off and blip the throttle quickly for 10 to 15 seconds to push water out, then stop the engine. Yamaha says not to run above 4,000 RPM on land, and not more than 15 seconds without water.
• Sea-Doo (closed loop): run at idle with water flowing for about 90 seconds to flush the exhaust, then water off first and engine off after (Sea-Doo's winterizing steps).
• Kawasaki and others: use the order and time in your manual.

Never leave the engine running unattended on the hose. Put the flush cap back on securely afterward; an uncapped flush fitting can spray water into the hull when you ride.

Rinse the whole craft with fresh water, then wash with a mild marine soap and a soft mitt. Yamaha warns against dish soap and household detergents because they strip wax and protective coatings. Rinse again and dry with a chamois or microfiber towel. Wash the trailer at the same time (Step 10).

Let the engine cool first: never rinse a hot engine. Remove the seat(s), pull the bilge drain plug(s) so rinse water can run out, and tip the bow up slightly if you can. Rinse the engine area and bilge with low pressure: a plain hose or your thumb over the end, never a pressure washer or a strong nozzle. Discover Boating and Yamaha both warn that pressure can force water past electrical seals, and Yamaha says to keep water away from the air intake area. A salt-removal wash product can help in salt water.

Wipe off the water you can reach with old towels. Let the engine compartment air dry with the seat off. Yamaha suggests standing the seat on end against a wall so water drains out of the foam instead of dripping back on a clean engine. Put a note on the handlebars to put the drain plug(s) back in before the next ride.

Sea-Doo adds a few habits that keep water out of the hull: loosen the drain plug(s) after you pull out at the ramp so water drains on the drive home, leave the seat or access panels off for several hours before covering, and store the craft on its trailer with the plugs loose and the bow slightly raised so rain can't collect. If you find a lot of water in the engine compartment when it hasn't rained and you haven't ridden, Sea-Doo says to have a dealer check for a leaking cooling line, a loose hose clamp or damage.

Once the engine bay is dry, mist a PWC anticorrosion spray (Yamaha's own advice is Yamashield in salt water and silicone spray in fresh water) over:

• The engine's outer surfaces and metal brackets
• Electrical connections and the battery terminals
• Steering and throttle linkages, hinges and other exposed metal (Sea-Doo lists these for its anticorrosive lubricant)
• Exposed metal parts of the jet pump, lightly (Sea-Doo)

Where not to spray: the seat, footwells, traction mats, handlebar grips and boarding step (they get slippery), the air intake and air filter box, a hot exhaust, and the pump impeller and wear ring area unless your manual says so. Wipe off overspray on painted and gelcoat surfaces.

Salt air attacks connections first. Look at the battery terminals and the connections you can see for white or green crust. Yamaha recommends removing a corroded connection, cleaning both sides to bright metal, refitting it tight and coating it with a protectant. Disconnect the negative battery cable first and reconnect it last.

Most PWCs have one or more sacrificial anodes, often in the pump or ride plate area. Check them monthly in salt water and replace them when they are about half worn away (typical; confirm in your manual). Never paint them. Use the anode alloy your maker lists for where you ride: BoatUS notes magnesium anodes are meant for fresh water only, and a craft that moves to salt water needs aluminum or zinc ones (check with your dealer before swapping). An anode that looks brand new after a season of salt riding may not be connected properly: have a dealer check it. See our sacrificial anodes guide.

Salt water eats trailers, especially the wheel bearings, brakes, lights and winch. After every salt launch, rinse the frame, springs, axle, hubs, brakes and bunks with fresh water, including from underneath. Let hot hubs cool before you submerge or spray them, so the bearings don't suck in water. Many owners add a salt-removal wash to the rinse. Grease bearings as our trailer bearing guide describes and check the lights often. BoatUS suggests doing the rinse within a few hours of leaving the ramp (a coin car wash on the way home works), and reminds owners of aluminum or galvanized trailers that bolts, spring hangers and any scratched spots on the frame still rust. If you ride different lakes or rivers, also remove weeds and mud and let the craft and trailer dry before the next launch so you don't carry invasive species (see our clean, drain and dry guide).

Once a month in salt season, look for rust or corrosion in the engine compartment, check exhaust and cooling hose clamps for looseness or rust, check engine mounts, and inspect the air filter or air box for signs of water (all on Yamaha's post-ride list). Before every ride, check the hull and pump area and make sure the drain plugs are in.

Keep the craft covered with a breathable, fitted cover when it isn't in use; Sea-Doo warns against plastic wrapping that traps moisture. Fill the fuel tank between rides to cut condensation, as Yamaha suggests (check your manual for how full). For winter or long storage, follow our PWC winterizing guide: flush, drain and purge water, stabilize fuel, change the oil, fog if required and take care of the battery. Log every flush, anode change and corrosion check in BoatMend.