Ballhead outdoor question

I've settled between purchasing a used Acratech Ultimate ball or a used but heavier Kirk BH-1 and will be using it mostly outdoors and more specifically at the beach. I like the Acratech as it is an open design and is probably better suited for outdoor/harsh weather but wanted to know if the sand/sea water mist would be a potential issue on the BH-1.

I can't say anything about the BH-1, but the Ultimate is really neat. It can get you some angles that traditional ball heads can't. It'd be useful for macros and such. If you're doing mostly landscapes, did you consider the Acratech GP (or GP-s if you use a traveler tripod)? It's more expensive than the Ultimate, but very impressive in what it can do.