wake board boats and Salt Water durability

I have searched a couple times about salt water and could not find anything so I wanted to start a new thread. I wanted ask people's opinions about there boats and running them in salt water. Does anyone believe that there is a better make for durability in saltwater. I had a 23foot chapparal and it had 7.6 mercrusier designed for saltwater this boat lasted. I have seen a lot of fresh water boats and they could be ten years old and they are immaculate as well there engine is in great running order. My question is that I'm in the market for a boat now and I know master craft has the crusader a salt water engine that is an option on there boats, but I will be buying used. Maybe for lack of words is there easier maintence on some boats that make it more durable to run in saltwater . Any opions gentleman. I would be running the boat at the jersey shore so maybe someone can give me some pointers to maintenace that might be helpful to know befor hand.

(Message edited by whitenight on April 26, 2006)

(Message edited by whitenight on April 26, 2006)

Look for an inboard boat with fresh water cooling if you are really worried. You can add freshwater cooling to nearly any inboard but it usually runs you approximately $1000. Honestly, though, the only real investment you need to make in a salt water boat is to ensure it has a flush kit to make flushing the boat easier after each day on the water. If you flush your boat and wash it down every time you take it out, you shouldn't have too many issues. The people that have the most issues with salt water boats are usually the people that store their boats by the ocean too and therefore get the constant saltfog atmosphere corroding the interior.

Having run salt water boats for about 7 years now, they do require a slight bit more maintenance than a freshwater boat but the additional enjoyment you get from using your boat more than makes up for it.

The only other recommendation I have is really to do with the trailer. You really would like to find a boat with a galvanized trailer. Painted trailers will only last a few years in saltwater even with constant maintenance. It's easier and cheaper to find a boat with a galvanized trailer than to buy a boat with a painted one and then need to buy a brand new trailer.

One more bit of advice...
Try and find someone that's all ready using the boat in saltwater. Chances are that they'll already have the boat dialed in with everything required to take care of it in salt.
Good Luck - AJ

I flush mine with Salt Away every time I put it in salt. I wash it down each night after salt water runs too. I have been flushing my trailer with fresh water immediatly after dropping the boat in (not galvanized...)

Get fresh water cooling and snap in carpet. ALso try to find a boat with deeper V. Buy alot of salt away and crc.

The primary issue of operating a boat in salt water is the cooling system. If you pump up salt water from the ocean and circulate that through your engine you will have problems after a few years.

The most common solution to that is to install a "fresh water cooling" system. Most of the boat manufacturers have this as an option although they don't really make it obvious. Actually, it isn't so much the boat builder that has the option as the engine manufacturer. As long as the engine compartment has a little extra room there usually isn't any problem installing an engine with fresh water cooling.

Adding it after the fact isn't too difficult, but like AJ said it will have a price tag on it. Basically you have to add a heat exchanger and a bit more plumbing. The raw water pump will now suck up salt water from the ocean, run it through the heat exchanger and dump it into the exhaust manifold water jacket.

Ideally, your exhaust manifolds would be the type that circulates fresh water over most of the manifold and doesn't mix the raw water until the very end of the "elbow". Unfortunately, this is not the most common arrangement. It is more common to have the water discharge cool the entire manifold and then dump into the exhaust proper. This will result in salt water running through the cast iron manifolds so they won't last very long. If you are adding fresh water cooling, keep the manifolds you have but when they rust out replace them with the type that circulates fresh water.

As far as everything else the salt water won't effect it much. Prop, rudder and shaft are pretty much immune to salt. The salt spray will get on things and cause bits of problems here and there but if you rinse the boat down after use it won't be too bad.

Galvanized trailer is a must. People think that a good wash down after the use is all it takes...the deteriation happen during that 8 hour period you are on the water and that trailer sits in the parking lot unwashed. I have seen two year old painted trailers look like they were 10 years old.

"If you pump up salt water from the ocean and circulate that through your engine you will have problems after a few years."

Thats simply not true. I have been boating on the sea for over 20 years. I had 1000+ hours on my last mastercraft over a 4 year period without any issues and the previous owner had used it on saltwater for 8 years before that.

We have a mastercraft in our club with over 25 years use in saltwater with no issues with excess corrosion on the engine block. Sure its done 5 sets of exhaust manifolds and an engine circulation pump but thats it.

Closed cooling is great and worth the money on a new boat but its by no means essential. Flush after each use and you'll be fine.