Closed cooling System on Nautique

I was wondering if anyone knows how much a closed cooling system would be on a nautique 210. I want to be able to take it in salt water. Would that still be a bad idea with the closed cooling system? Thanks ,Colin

Not that I know the difference too much. Obviously the exuast manifold is a problem area when taking a boat into salt water. So closed cooling would help there and in other areas. But salt water is still the devil in a lot of ways. Especialy your trailer! It just seems to get in all areas of your boat and reak havok. I am sure there are some people that take their boats in salt water that can give you other problem areas to consider. But if that is your only option than closed cooling will help, but not get rid of all the issues of running in salt water.

Take it to the salt and enjoy it. Plan your day so you and your crew spends about 15 minutes rinsing and flushing the boat after every dip in the salt. We skied in salt for years before closed water cooling systems existed without any issues. Salt will cause troubles aluminum heads but yours should be steel. Don't forget to flush the trailer brakes.

Does a closed cooling system in a ski boat run raw water through the exhaust manifolds?

Many people will tell you a closed cooling system is unnecessary. The water that runs through the manifolds is where much of the damage will be done regardless, and the engine components are designed to slow corrosion down. The trailer will fail long before the engine. Aki on this group has a galvanized trailer that was then painted, and it looks sweet. As stated above flush the motor when finished, and keep the bilge as dry as possible, to protect the steering cable and other components. Dripless packing helps keep water out of the bilge.

I run exclusively in salt, I have a closed cooling system and a flush kit installed. A closed cooling system runs through your block, you still have raw water running though your manifolds and risers. I flush with fresh water every time I get my boat back to the dock which rinses out the risers and manifolds.
As stated above the trailer gets the worst of the salt, the most important thing you can do here is rinse the trailer immediately after it has been in the salt water. The corrosion is at its worst during the first 15 minutes it is out of the water.

Colin:

Are you planning an occasionaly trip to salt water, or will this become your "home" area?

If you are talking about a few dips in salt water a year then I wouldn't worry about it. Flush it out ASAP after you are done and it shouldn't cause any problems. Don't forget to rinse down the bilge as well.

If you want to install a Fresh Water system, then be prepared to spend about $800. Here is a link to a place that sells such stuff (note, I have never bought anything from them, I just found them on a web search):

http://i-netmarine.com/fwc/pcm_fwc_sys.htm

Note that there are two ways that you can go with the fresh water system. The "full" system includes the major portion of the exhaust manifold. The raw water from the heat exchanger is dumped into the exhaust only after the riser elbow. Only a very small portion of the exhaust manifold touches salt water.

On a "half" system the fresh water is circulated just in the engine block. The output of the heat exchanger is routed to the exhaust manifold jacket and then out the exhaust. Your ~$500 cast iron exhaust manifolds continue to get salt water circulated through them.

Rod

Dealer installed Closed Cooling should be anywhere from $900 to $1200 depending on dealer and how well they treat you, a small price to pay for a little piece of mind if you ask me.

Like Peter said most people will tell you that the newer risers are much better built and closed cooling isn't necessary. I have it on my boat and I don't put my boat in salt water, I rinse even after going in freshwater......it's just habit.

Your biggest concerns should be the trailer it will take a beating in just a few months. If you can get a trailer that is built out of channel instead of tube I would recommend it. The channel will dry out where the tube stays wet and damp for a longer time rusting from the inside out.

I have a galvanized trailer that has been dipped in epoxy, it doesn't have a speck of rust on it and the epoxy has held up great in almost 2 years of use.

The screws on your bunk should be greased or taken off and anti seize put on them before putting them back on, this way if your bunks go bad you can take the screws off and change out the wood.

I would take my lug nuts off and grease the threads before putting the lug nuts back on, this way you won't have any problems if you get a flat, I would also do the same with the spare tire.

I would pay attention to your wiring......I had all my butt conectors dipped with liquid electrical basically making all my connections water proof. I haven't had one light go out again in almost 2 years of use.

You should also pay attention to your hinges on your boat, I use Boshields T9 corrosion preventative. I sprayed all of my hinges, under my seat where it slides back and forth on the track, and all the screws that are visible.

On my engine I had all my motor mounts greased heavily with marine grease, I put a lot of grease under the risers where they normally rust and the paint starts to chip, I greased my throttle cable, any bolt or screw I could see I hit with marine grease.

I originally set my boat up for the salt but after picking it up decided it was too damn nice to subject it to the beating that salt will do over a long period of time.

No matter how good you clean it you will see salt residue on the rubrail, on the trailer, on the outside and inside of the boat.

Don't get me wrong it can be done and a lot of people do it, if you are extremely anal about your boat you won't have a problem.

You just have to take a few extra steps to keep it looking great.

Flush it after every use, using salt away or salt terminator and your engine will be fine.

One other note about trailers......Get a trailer that is galvanized "channel" type. The fancier closed tube trailers will rot on the inside. Even if it is rinsed every time.....the steel tubing is still unprotected from the elements. It might look nice on the outside.....but the corrosion will be happening on the inside.

haha, i just bought a nautique 210 on a galvanised trailer with closed cooling.. This thread isn't instilling much hope in me!

I have run in salt water for years. Yes it does rot your manifolds quicker than fresh but not that much quicker as long as you flush after each use, although if I'm using the boat the following day I normally dont bother.

Also my trailer is galved but the axle is not. I replaced it this season and as the boat has spent its entire life in saltwater since 1988 then I think the axle lasted quite well!

I know of one 1978 mastercraft used in saltwater all its life that actually spends 6 months of the year in the water without being removed so no flushing done ever, that is still on the original engine block so don't worry about the block rusting out!

It all depends on if you want to ride in the salt. As I live 30 secs from the beach i choose to ride in it ande put up with the downside as it means more water time (and more cleaning time though)

Personally I wouldn't worry but then my boat is coming up to 16 years old. I have a friend who doesn't worry about dipping his air nautique in the sea either but I also have friends with older boats that wont go any where near it and would rather have a 2 hour round trip to find a fresh water lake (and pay big bucks to use it too as we are in the UK and lake membership is on average 1000 bucks per year)

If you can aford the 210 I'm sure the extra for the closed cooling is within your reach?

Oh @ brit rider, where are you going to use the 210?

(Message edited by jayc on October 20, 2004)

(Message edited by jayc on October 20, 2004)

I'v eben in salt for years with no major problems, none of my previous boats had closed cooling. but i felt that with this kind of money being laid out closed cooling was a good idea!

I ride mostly north wales (the menai straits) but am occiasionally at tamworth and Thorpe.

Where abouts do you ride?

I'm down in Essex, although currently in Turkey at the mo. 34 deg and glassy flat water, shame all I can find is an old outboard to tug me around!

Take it easy buddy/