Seems like it’s just part of the routine—clean, re-lube, repeat. Some brands last a little longer, but nothing’s bulletproof in this climate.
That’s pretty much been my experience too. I moved into a 70s ranch about ten years back, right on the marsh, and thought I’d get clever with “coastal-proof” everything. Tried the marine sealant trick on the old aluminum windows—looked great at first, but by the next summer it was like scraping dried glue off the tracks. I even tried waxing the frames one year (don’t ask), but the sand just turned it into sandpaper.
Honestly, I’ve come to accept it’s just another thing to keep up with, like mowing or cleaning gutters. Every spring I give all the sliders a good rinse and hit them with fresh silicone spray, and if I get six months before they start sticking again, I call that a win. If anyone ever invents a magic fix for salt air, they’ll make a fortune... but until then, it’s just part of living near the water.