Antenna/water contact-control issues?

I built an RC Electric RIB for the purpose of taking some cool video on my upcoming sailing vacation in the British Virgin islands.

Taking great care to keep this watertight in these rough conditions and also for portability, I am packing this in a backpack, I want to replace the plastic tube that pokes through the deck with a sealed mount with removeable whip antenna.

Question is, if the metal whip antenna contacts the water at the base, will have interuped or poor signal to the RC gear?
This is a 49 MHZ radio.

RIB is 17" and looks like this:

Hmmm…20 views and nobody knows the answer, c’mon, I know it’s a stinkpotter, I do sail and also have RC sailboats…:confused:

Usually, the aerial is covered in plastic and that should stop the water from grounding out the aerial.

True,I am replacing that part because it is very close to the new waterilne and a potential for leaks, want to install a thru bolted base, sealed with neoprene washers and silicone then a metal whip antenna.

One of THESE is due any time in UPS:
http://www.funrcboats.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=RA3301

Well, we know that in FRESH water, you’d probably be okay, as people run rc submarines down to 4 or 5 feet. Or so the rumor goes. I think I’ve seen half that depth in a pool.

I don’t know about salt water. Presumably it would be worse, since it’s a better conductor.