preventing rust and corrosion in lazarette

[Thollis2]

After 4 years of owning this 2014 R-25 that we moved to Puget Sound I took a close look at all the components in the starboard lazarette. The hot water tank had a minor amount of rust in one corner and the autopilot pump had corrosion on the fittings. I keep wet dock lines, the deck brush, crap pot floats and other random stuff here. Should I be rinsing off the salt water and letting everything dry out before I stow it? Is minor corrosion preventable on a boat that's kept in covered moorage in salt water all year?
I've cleaned off off the corrosion and put on a protective grease barrier.
Looking for advice on better housekeeping going forward.

 

[Bosn Mate]

I have an R29 so your situation is different but this is how we reduce the moisture/rust in our cockpit lockers:

• Ensure that the hatch rubber gaskets are in good condition and in the right positions so there are no leaks. We treat the rubber with Sil-Glyde annually.
• Placed Dri-Dek on the deck to allow air flow.
• Placed plastic tubs in the locker so no gear lays directly on the deck.
• Wherever possible, avoid placing anything wet in the locker. For instance, we place our mooring lines when underway in a dry bag that is hung to the rail. If unavoidable, we let the gear dry before storage.
• Periodically, we open the hatches and let them air out.
• Address the rust whenever we see any.

Mike