salt water boats

[gero1]

to buy or not to buy?? why or why not?

[MOP]

IMO there are pros and cons in both cases, wood rots fresh water intrusion. You will find more bad transoms and stringers in fresh water boats, this is touted by all wood boat restorers. Several of you know one of my best buddies has been restoring wood boats for many years, the ones from the lakes the bottoms are shot but the hardware is perfect. The salt boats the wood is good but the hardware needs re plating. Electrolysis has been thrown around a lot, it is just about as bad in many fresh water areas as it is in salt. The drive on my 16 got pitted badly up at the first 1K run and had to be repainted, I have none of that issue here in my salt pond. I put my 22 together fours years ago come and try to find any rust. IMO it is a Krap Shoot! You can find good and bad boats in both elements proper inspection is KEY!

[mattyboy]

going thru a salt water boat right now, I would rather have my johnson slammed in a car door than go thru another salt water boat.

never ever again

[glashole]

have heard one of the big things is the wiring and corrosion

i could be off because it is just something that i have heard

[gcarter]

The TR spent many years in PA, I imagine, running in salt water.
If a part could corrode, it did. I was able to re-constitute the gimbal and drive, but not w/o a lot of work, welding, maching, and hand finishing.
No rot though.

[Conquistador_del_mar]

going thru a salt water boat right now, I would rather have my johnson slammed in a car door than go thru another salt water boat.

never ever again

Now that is a fairly descriptive analogy of the pain you must be going through in the restoration - lol. Bill

[txtaz]

I used to have boats in salt for years as I lived on the coast. The wiring and cosmetic stuff is easy to fix. Tear down a salt engine thought and you will need more moonshine than you can get your hands on. Not for you, but for eating the scale out of the water passages. I use muratic acid and still ended up with pitted water passages.
AND when you need to take something simple apart, it is a pain due to corrosion. I've had to cut an entire lower unit in half to replace a water pump because the upper shaft corroded in place.
Fresh water small boats are better.

[MOP]

All of the above were due to being poorly maintained, say what you want as soon as you look over a well taken care of salt boat it will knock all of the above statements down. Problem is most boaters have no clue all they know is wash and wax make it look pretty while it goes down hill! My engine has aluminum pan, timing cover, and headers and risers all with -0- corrosion! Just smack the guys that turn the key and can't take care of their toys!

[gcarter]

You're right Phil.
People don't take care of them.

[txtaz]

All of the above were due to being poorly maintained,

Hey, I resemble that remark. Then again, I was a kid at the time.

We would head out to fish at 4am, get home at 5 pm, put the boat up, spray it off and that was that. It got washed once a week, at best.

The little boats went in a lift, the big boats sat in the water. The reality is what can you do? Get a dinghy and a hose to run salt away through it while under the lift?

I don't see that happeneing. Even if it's trailered, unless it's one of us ana# type people, it won't happen.

Know who you are buying the boat from.

[Craig S]

I bought a Century Resorter in '86 and used at my house off Corpus Christi bay regularly for 10 years or so. the clean-up was a b*(&^%, but never had a problem.

Now, I'm moving my boating to a freshwater lake near Houston. Looooots easier, pull the boat out, chamois it, and park it undercover with a sheet. None of the flushing of the engine, bilge, trailer, springs, bilge, etc!

Cleaning it correctly in saltwater is a pain. A royal one.

[zelatore]

I think, in terms of the original question about buying or not a salt water boat, the answer is the same weather it was salt of fresh water, as it is with any used boat.

You're buying the previous owner, not the boat.

In other words, how the boat was maintained is more important than who made it or where it was used.

[MOP]

Hey, I resemble that remark. Then again, I was a kid at the time.

We would head out to fish at 4am, get home at 5 pm, put the boat up, spray it off and that was that. It got washed once a week, at best.

The little boats went in a lift, the big boats sat in the water. The reality is what can you do? Get a dinghy and a hose to run salt away through it while under the lift?

I don't see that happeneing. Even if it's trailered, unless it's one of us ana# type people, it won't happen.

Know who you are buying the boat from.

Wes I am a bit anal I spend close to an hour flushing the F/W cooled engine, washing the boat, drive and trailer with extra attention to the brakes. I also have sprayed anything that could rust with CRC corrosion preventative, all electrical connections inc. the battery are sprayed with Pro Clean. I have worked on this stuff much of my life and know what it takes to make sure it stays in one piece and dosen't decay around me. Trust me I have one of the most bullet proof 22's there is! Phil

[JeffH]

I've had my 1997 18 in salt water since I got it 5 years ago. I clean after each use and it looks as pristine as the day I got it... I did upgrade to a closed cooled motor though:yes:!

JH

[Morgan's Cloud]

Question is , if you only had one shot at a once in a lifetime dream boat that was NEVER going to come along again , would you walk away simply because you were told it was a saltwater boat ?

IMO Phil's attitude toward the subject is the healthiest and most lacking in 'tude.
He isn't saying 'buy' or 'run' just look ... You might be surprised .

And I've never boated for even a minute in anything but salt , but then again I don't have a choice ....

[mattyboy]

Question is , if you only had one shot at a once in a lifetime dream boat that was NEVER going to come along again , would you walk away simply because you were told it was a saltwater boat ?

IMO Phil's attitude toward the subject is the healthiest and most lacking in 'tude.
He isn't saying 'buy' or 'run' just look ... You might be surprised .

And I've never boated for even a minute in anything but salt , but then again I don't have a choice ....


yeah if my project was a 16 or 18 I would have walked away, the fact that it was a benchseat in extremely solid shape with no signs of weak or soft spots in the deck hull stringers or transom in any of the problem areas that always occur on a benchseat . that fact and that it is an structurally solid unrestored condition rare boat well that and the price made it a no brainer.

the boat looked mechanically sound and showed signs of aleast decent care over it's lifetime . wires looked ok until you realized corrosion ate them from the inside out , every bolt taken out is a job that takes twice as long than usual.

the original question salt over fresh not a once in a lifetime chance.
So if you are talking and apples to apples comparison. the same boat ,the same maint routine , the same condition, the same price I would still go fresh.

once you throw any other variable into the equation all bets are off like location ,supply,rarity,uniqueness,

my point if a benchseat or a criterion II popped up suddenly the fresh or salt fact would be lower on the list than normal

that's my 'TUDE like it or freaking not ;)

[Tidbart]

to buy or not to buy?? why or why not?

My .02, this is a very generalized question, so it can't be answered as easily as yes or no. The answer depends on so many variables. There is usually a big difference between a 40-year salt boat and 3-year salt boat. Same for fresh water.

Bob

[Marlin275]

I boat on the Hudson River with a salinity level of 5.0 - 18.0 ppt
Best of both worlds?

[gcarter]

I suppose there's a few things that should be considered....
Robert may be referring to a boat that's less than ten years old. It may be basicallly like a new boat if it's been cared for, but still be a salt water boat.
Most of the boats I've fooled w/have been over 20 years old. As such, fresh or salt, I assume the wiring's shot and needs replacing. In fact the breakers found in the '80's boats are NOT in any form or shape even water resistant, much less water proof. In my opinion, those breakers are dangerous and need to be replaced NOW and not later. Virtually all the wiring connections behind the dash use spade terminals which corrode badly. Most of the boat's fasteners are corroded and not reuseable.
So, IMHO, if it's an older boat that's been through 4-6 owners, count on re-wiring, and re-fastening the entire boat over time.
But these two things aren't a big deal and can be done by yourself for a few hundred dollars.

[gero1]

thank you! 4 boats, 1 in greenbay,1 in chi town and 2 in so fl. all of them are 2000 or newer. one of the fl boats has a few more ops that i like, closed cooling and it's green

[Cuda]

I agree with Zealator. Every boat I've ever owned was a salt water boat, and I never had a problem with them. As long as you flush them they will be fine. I just sold my fishboat that I bought brand new in 1988, and I already miss that boat. I never had rot or a weak floor or anything. It had very little teak, which I hate. I'd take it 40 miles out in the Gulf, or fish in a foot of water. Great boat.

[Morgan's Cloud]

97% of the world's water is salt so you freshwater guys are the exception . not the 'norm' anyway ..

[Craig S]

thank you! 4 boats, 1 in greenbay,1 in chi town and 2 in so fl. all of them are 2000 or newer. one of the fl boats has a few more ops that i like, closed cooling and it's green

green is good.

[Team Jefe]

Obviously I do most of my running in the salt ans I agree with Phil and Don.....look at the boat, Look at the previosu owner, how was it maintained, was in a sling in saltwater, stored outside or stored inside, etc. The Revenge gets flushed and washed after every run to get the salt off the parts that can corrode...so far, so good.

I have a feeling that when it comes to Donzi's you will be able to find more salt boats than fresh....just a feeling.

[MOP]

I won't ****ch but many of you would be surprised at how many fresh water boats have dunked in my cursed salt water! Does that taint them for the rest of their lives?

[farmer tx]

I won't ****ch but many of you would be surprised at how many fresh water boats have dunked in my cursed salt water! Does that taint them for the rest of their lives?

:boat:YEP:boat:

[gcarter]

I happen to know of at least one if not more members here who have sold boats claiming they have "NEVER" been in salt water.
But I have seen them in the Gulf w/my own eyes!
Ya never know.

[MOP]

No matter here it came from buy one from someone that cared!!!!!

[Cuda]

I won't ****ch but many of you would be surprised at how many fresh water boats have dunked in my cursed salt water! Does that taint them for the rest of their lives?
My 22 was a freshwater boat from Michigan. That didn't stop me from putting it in salt, though the steel trailer didn't recover as well. At the time I also had the Minx on an aluminum trailer, and just ran down the road a half mile to the St John's and swapped trailers. I think I had it on the aluminum when I went to Miami with it.

[MOP]

Anyone who has been around old boats especially wood ones will tell of the choice between "Rust or Rot", chose one or the other. Salt boat can and many do suffer from corrosion issues. Fresh water boats tend to have more structural issues, the key is to have a knowledgeable person and or a surveyor look it over!

I have thought for a long time that it would be nice to chip in for a moisture meter that any member could with a decent deposit and a small donation give a hull a good once over before spending his $$$