Question re: Salt Water Boat

[AVickers]

I've come across a boat I might buy, but it's a 20-year-old salt water boat. As far as I can tell, it's been a salt boat all its life.

I had her out yesterday and she performed fine -- good, smooth idle; no miss; accelerates fine; WOT is fine, no surging; held 140 degrees the whole time; and she had good compression in all holes. Boat has about 450 hours on the meter: 351 Ford w/ velvet drive and Warner V-box.

The boat had a freshwater flush system on it, but the current owner says that it wasn't connected when he got the boat. He has since replumbed everything and flushes when he's done. He said previous owner had replaced exhaust manifolds and risers.

Here's my question: Given that it's been in salt or brackish water all its life (or at least for the last seven or eight years) and given that it didn't get flushed for some period of time, how long can I expect a SBF to not rot through somewhere.

My concern stems from the fact that every non-galvanized nut and bolt on the relatively new trailer is corroded to the point that I'm going to have to cut them out to replace 'em. They look a mess!

What does that kind of corrosion do to the water jackets inside of an engine?

And how long does it take to completely rot out??? :confused: :confused: :confused:

[Bryan Tuvell 33ZX]

AV, I can only say as a salt water boater, I have seen engines that have rarely been flushed on the inside and some that are flushed every time (like mine with Salt Away). Big difference IMO.
The salt enviroment is harsh in many ways but IF it is stayed on top of it can be hard to tell.
Also, there is a big difference in brackish and pure salt water.
Good luck, I hope it works out for ya.
Bryan

[BigGrizzly]

could go into the Physics on this all day. Since I lived on salt and brackish water my whole life, I can tell you this the trailer will come apart long before the boat motor. In order to corrode ocigen must be present, and repeted dampness. The block will rust and put up a semi-protedtive scale inside, when/if gets too thick than problems occur, if winterized correctly it may never happen or at least untill rebuild time happens. The trailer gets repeted dampness. Other factor is brackish water is no where near as bad as full salt.

[Bryan Tuvell 33ZX]

While were talking salt and corrosion.

On both my Donzi's the Bennet Trim Tab (black) bracket has always rusted. Anyone here a stainless guy who could make me one? Or know who would?
Can you buy them made of stainless? It is the only thing in my engine compartment that rusts like no tomorrow.
Bryan

HI Big GRIZZ! :)

[MOP]

Having been a marine tech at a High & Dry operation for alot of years, I have seen alot of engines that were never flushed that lasted along time. The problems that were very prevelent were risers and manifolds, starters and every darn nut & bolt you had to remove one way or another. My thoughts have always been you will wear it out before it rots out. By the way a VEEE DRIVE way cool! But don't forget to pull the cover off it and clean the water passage. I run in salt I flush every use and I WD-40 everything and wash my engine with water regularly. Its three years old and RT has seen it it look like a FW engine.

[knee deep]

I can't say too much but, for what its worth I just bought a '68 18 2+3 with a 351w and it has the original factory flush. The motor runs great and there are no apparent problems. I flush it and wash it with freshwater after every run. Hell, they were born in the salt so......

Good Luck! Like everything take good care of it and remember boats are she's just treat it like a lady!

[Rich]

There is a world of difference in the corrosion department between salt and fresh water. Salt will destroy any ferrous metal even stainless steel under the right conditions. Forget about aluminum and zamac (aka white, pot metal). Salt water trapped in an aluminum outdrive will turn turn it into jelly if left long enough. I needed 2 old style mercruiser gimble assemblies and outdrives and gave up looking for something here on Long Island. Everything I found was a corroded mess. I finally bought (2) 34 year old #1 complete gimble assemblies from a guy upstate NY where they had only been in fresh water. Not a drop of corrosion and everything came apart without a problem. If you flush and wash everything down after everytime you use it you'll be OK. But when your buying used.......BUYER BEWARE and AWARE.......

[AVickers]

Thanks for the info guys. It appears that the boat was flushed regularly...with one of those plumber's friend types of devices. And winterized with antifreeze.

It also appears that the exhaust manifolds and risers were replaced a couple of years ago. She also has new marine starter, alternator and carb as well as all new hoses.