Will seawater dishwashing corrode the sink?

[Cap Bill Des]

Cruising seasonally for four winters now, I've always washed the dishes in fresh water. Between that and daily showers we're limited to about two weeks between needing to refill fresh water. I'm thinking of using seawater for the initial dish wash, with just a spritz of fresh rinse. Will the stainless steel sink start to show corrosion, or staining? I see some folks washing dishes off the stern, or using a bucket, but I don't want that, I like washing up in the galley. Will there be rust? Thanks

[MarkJ]

I used a spare seasick to bring in salt water.

Some numnut said never put salt water into the boat on a electric pump because it may sink your boat.
Stupidly I followed his idiot advice.
When I decided he was a moron someone told me never to put salt water into the sink in a normal faucet because it may sink the boat. As I am a moron too I accepted this idiots advice and have the electric pump onto a foot switch which is very inconvenient.


The salt water is wonderful!!!

That's not the problem. The problem is listening to people with grey matter the size of a pea.

Of course salt water will not affect stainless steel!!

Bung it into the boat in a normal marine faucet going through a normal marine 50 psi pump and have it exactly like the fresh water. Your freshwater consumption will plummet.

Clean salt water is so good you could swim in it! In fact some people do! Fish even do!

I have a spray bottle next to every sink. Wash in salt, spray with fresh. that's plates or hands

[keepondancin]

My previous boat was a Crealock 37. Deep sink, loaded for cuising, with full tanks, sea water would at times be in the sink. The SS sinks developed a couple of pin holes, watched them form over a couple of years. I patched them from underneath with gray Marinetex. I would assume that it was the salt water that caused the corrosion.

[SV DestinyAscen]

No unless you're soaking dishes in the sink with it.

My wife was very upset with me when I left some dirty pots to soak. Copper clad/steel pots + steel sink = ugly pots and ugly sink.

[zeehag]

it is stainless steel. it may pit, but it woulda anyway.
are your stanchions gone away from rust?? your boom fittings?? your gooseneck and other stainless items?? davits?? they all get salt water. why would your stainless sink rust. if it does, perhaps it is the type of metal(alleged taiwanese black steel ha h ah ah aha) or your habits of not rinsing or wiping dry your basin. perhaps if the pits started UNDER your basin they were from some other cause.....

funny how my taiwanese stainless steel basins are perfect after all these 40 yrs of existence, with and without salt water in both of em...and chemicals and the rest of the down the drain stuff previous owners have flushed down sinks.....

[Sea Dreaming]

On our boat the galley sink is original to the manufacturer. It's nearly 40 years old and has had a life time of salt water washes. However, the head faucet, also stainless steel, also original, is corrected to the point where the handles appear to have "exploded". The galley salt water faucet is bronze and shows no corrostion. Point being that the faucet will hold the salt water and cause corrosion in stainless unless flushed with fresh water occasionally. The sink get drained and wiped out or even rinsed with fresh water occasionally.

[Steve Bean]

To keep your stainless sink looking its best, always scrub with the grain if it's a brushed finish, and use a minimum of abrasives. No pressure water or city water on my boat, please! Foot pumps for fresh and salt.

[CREX]

No! I installed a salt water foot pump immediately and used 10 years without any sink staining/rusting. Just rinse with fresh water. All good. Really surprised how many offshore vessels don't have saltwater pump in galley. Sail on brother...

[goat]

After 33 years of salt water use here's a direct comparison;
Sink on the right is plumbed strictly for salt water, the left; fresh water. Both use foot pumps.
As you can see, the sinks themselves are fine, the drain on the salt water side shows more corrosion but it will be a simple matter to replace it.
I love the ability to get sea water on board without a bucket.

[CREX]

The Goat pic says it all.

[goat]

Not sure why the picture uploaded twice or why the picture turned sideways. Goats; not known for their smartphone skills.

[CREX]

Baaaad goat, baaaad.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

I used a spare seasick to bring in salt water.

Thats meant to read: I used a spare SEACOCK. i.e. thru hull fitting.

Damn spell checkers

[Sailmonkey]

Will it corrode..........maybe, but who cares. If it takes 5-10 years then you'll just need a new sink.

Our old sink was so deep that when on starboard tack it had an inch of seawater in the bottom......it was not corroded.

[Nanamuk]

On our first 3 year trip we had a bronze hand pump for salt water at the sink for washing up without using a fresh water rinse. By the end of the trip the rolled edge of the pot lids were all pitted with some cracks, the stainless stove was a mess, the ss cutlery was pitted as were the fresh water taps, and the sink strainers were almost dissolved away. The sinks themselves are still fine 38 years later. If you don't use the salt water frequently enough it will smell like rotten eggs - not a great kitchen smell! We no longer use salt water for cleanup. Maybe a fresh water rinse will solve the pitting problem. Stainless ain't - even 316 will get surface rust after prolonged salt exposure.