Saltwater Checklist

I'm about to buy a ski/wakeboard boat which I will keep moored in saltwater throughout the summer.

Would be interested to hear peoples' experiences of doing the same.

Please help me to build a checklist of equip / maintenance to protect the boat. To get things started:

1) Install freshwater closed cooling.
2)
3)

Please reply by adding to the list. All idea welcome.

1) buy saltwater series MasterCraft
2) enjoy.

My dad has a cabin crusier moored in saltwater and swears by a product called corrosion X. You can purchase at west marine. He uses on exposed parts of the motor/transmission that might be prone to rust.

I agree with Mr. Woreout any boat specifically built for saltwater will have a closed cooling system,stainless hardware etc..Much easier than trying to protect-upgrade later on.

Don't retro fit closed cooling to a boat with 50+ hrs / 1 seasons use. You'll be firever having problems with the heater exchanged blocking with scale.

How old of a boat do you plan on purchasing? I have talked to SkiDim.com about this and they say that Indmar has yet to make a decent saltwater kit for their engines. PCM is making one of the better saltwater kits for their Ford 351s. The only problem is that none of the newer boats are offering 351 engines. It is like a $900 kit and comes with everything you need. The indmar kit costs like $2000 plus you have to buy new manifolds and from what I have been told by our malibu dealer, it will end up costing $4000 by the time we replace everything. Might as well buy a new engine with closed cooling installed.

Closed cooling
zincs
flush kit
salt a way
boe-Shield ( to coat entire motor / tranny and any other exposed metal)
Galvanized Trailer
Lots of rinsing!!!!!

Bucket and brush to collect all the rust with!

Dave Burns

I am guessing thats the advise for the boat owner who neglects his boat????

You should really try to not keep the boat moored in salt, If possible keep it on a trailer or a lift. Th ere is no doubt using you're boat in salt is gona lower its life a little and keeping it in the water is gonna lower it more, but if you are meticulous and really take care of it you can get alot of anjoyment out of it. Follow what deepcove said plus, spray boe - shield on all electronics and wires, buy this stuff called woody wax and put it on you're tower and all other aluminum and stainless steal, wax your boat often, buy a boat with a snap out carpet (this will really make your life much easier), be prepared to change out screws for stainless ones as they begin to corrode. My mastercrat screws that are used in areas that arent important for integrity or anything seem to be made of a cheap stainless and have shown some corossion so i've been replacing them as i go. You're best bet is a mastercraft saltwater series and in my opinion after that would be a regular mastercraft or nautique and then a centurion. Why, because they all have snap in a carpet for one. I was looking at a malibu vlx and even though i loved it (im not trying to bash malibu) there were alot of things that for saltwater the boat wouldnt be the best: no snap in carpet, and alot of carpet everywhere to top it off, non marine speakers, those speakers on top of the dash, lotst of chrome things, the floor not being fiberglass, lots of vinyl. Basically you want to avoud these things as much as possible

Thank you for the help everyone. I've learned a lot!

1) Salterwater Mastercraft looks good but out of my price range for my first boat. Plus I really want a direct drive slalom boat (as I like to mix slalom/wboard)

2) I would like to leave it on a trailer but local authorities only allow us to launch at a ramp that only has water 2 hours either side of high tide).

3) I'm going to invesitage the idea of a boat lift - a good idea!; but will need to check if the mariner allows these.

Further questions (if I may) If I do need a to keep it moored:

1) Should I anti-foul? Any recommended products. I saw there is a 'clear' product.

2) If antifoul is not a good idea, then I will need to clean the underside of the boat say once a month? Any tips on scum removal from the hull? Wax the hull?

3) If I take all of the advice and look after the boat as much as I can. Remove from water for six months of the year. How do you expect the boat to end up in say 2 or 3 seasons? This is how long I'd like to keep the boat before part ex for new one (not told the wife that yet!). I know salt is not good - but I don't know by how much the salt speeds up the rusting (I guess I'll learn - probably the expensive way!)

Thanks for your help all. Salt sucks. But I guess for me it's a case of living with it; or living without wakeboarding!!

2 to 3 seasons you don't have to worroy, u may just have to go through 1 set of manifolds and thats it. I've had mine for 1 season (in salt) and its practically like brand new.