After sailing we remember to rinse the boat and flush the engine. Seldom do we remember to wash the props or the ladders. Salt water rusts both even though they are stainless steel. But we can clean the rust on props and ladders as can be cleaned as the pictures below show. Deep rust, however, always leaves a “finger print” that can only be taken off by grinding but I do not do that. I use a metal wax that leaves a protective coat of wax on your props and ladders to help resist rusting.
Props
These are typical images of rust accumulating on props. All the rust comes off but sometimes on the denser rust spots, a dark residual is left.
Ladders
These images shows where rust typically collects on ladders. Much of it is along the sleeves that slide into the sleeves above, not allowing you to see the rust.
