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Go Back   WakeWorld > >> Boats, Accessories & Tow Vehicles Archive > Archive through May 08, 2008

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Old     (ncsuuh)      Join Date: Jan 2007       04-16-2008, 9:44 AM Reply   
Hello everyone. I need a little help with something. I am moving down to Tampa, FL this coming fall. I will be buying a boat hopefully soon after I move. I am not exactly sure what I am looking for but more then likely it will be a 1997-2002 Nautique. The problem is that the boat will spend most of the time in salt water. My question is what adjustments will I have to make, besides closed cooling, to have the boat last a long time in salt? And how much should I look at spending. I know that some people say as long as you rinse it and flush it after every use you should be fine. However, I am the type of person that needs peace of mind knowing everything will run fine. So what will I have to change? Does anyone in the area know of a dealer that would do the work and has experience?
Old     (dreevs)      Join Date: Jul 2002       04-16-2008, 10:35 AM Reply   
Everyone has an opinion on this and there are a ton of salt related topics on this board to search. The topics range from snobs who ignore salt totally to a few guys in Hawaii with Nautiques in salt everyday with no issues or added parts. Ultimatly its up to you and the type of person you are when cleaning and maintaining your boat.
If your looking for true peace of mind, buy a saltwater edition MC or SAN.
Old     (ncsuuh)      Join Date: Jan 2007       04-16-2008, 10:59 AM Reply   
I have looked around WW and I have found a lot about saltwater and boats but nothing really about what needs to be done.
Old     (brit_rider)      Join Date: May 2004       04-16-2008, 11:17 AM Reply   
I always say.... just look at how many run abouts have closed cooling. Next to none - Why should a Wkabeoard boat be any different. Look after it and it'll look after you.
Old     (lknboarder)      Join Date: Jan 2008       04-16-2008, 12:23 PM Reply   
Why wouldn't you take your MC
Old     (ncsuuh)      Join Date: Jan 2007       04-16-2008, 3:04 PM Reply   
I wish. It isn't mine. It's my parents.
Old    dabigkahuna            04-16-2008, 6:41 PM Reply   
Matt,

Couple of suggestions from a guy who runs a Nautique in Salt 100% of the time.

Don't add fresh water cooling to a 97-02 boat that doesn't already have it, it will just clog up the heat exchanger and cause your engine to overheat.

Once you do buy a boat, the main thing you need to "add" to the boat to make it saltwater ready is your time, a hose-flush connection, and some anti-corrosive products. Before I dunked my Nauty in the salt, I thoroughly cleaned the entire engine/trans/v-drive (it was new, so it was easy, but a used boat will take a bit more time and effort). After the cleaning, thoroughly coat the entire engine/trans/v-drive with an anti-corrosive spray, such as LPS3 or WD-40. As far as your electrical connections, try to add dielectric grease to all the terminals, cannon plugs, etc. After that, your good to go. After each use, use Salt-Away to wash the entire boat, inside and out, as well as flush the engine following the Salt-Away Instructions. About every 4th time out I re-wash the engine/trans/v-drive w/ Salt-Away and re-Coat with LPS3/WD-40.

As long as you are diligent about the wash-down procedure, you'll be fine. Of course, your boat will show it's age much quicker, and small problems will creep-up here and there, but it will still run fine and give you loads of enjoyment. I look at it as a trade-off, I can ride year-round in Salt, so I accept the added inconvenience of the washdowns.

I'm sure there's tons more things you can do, but the above are absolutely critical.
Old     (nbeihl)      Join Date: Mar 2004       04-16-2008, 9:17 PM Reply   
I just got done cleaning my boat after running it in the salt water. I use to wash the boat after each use, so the only different thing that I am doing now is flushing the engine. I use to wash the boat with car soap and now I use saltaway. You will also need a trailer that can hold up to the salt.
Old     (mars)      Join Date: Aug 2005       04-17-2008, 3:03 AM Reply   
thank you nbeihl!

Couldn't agree more. Its not so much the boat but the trailer that is the weak link in salt.
By and large, brackish or salt used boats are perfectly fine as long as you take care of them. The place where I have seen boats go to rot fast is when they are stored on a boat lift over salt water (constant exposure to humid, salty mist)--this is true regardless of the type of boat.
Old     (woreout)      Join Date: Aug 2006       04-17-2008, 1:07 PM Reply   
Dreevs, CC doesnt make a SS version. Miami Ski Nautique put closed cooling and printed up some Salt Series stickers and wallahh a SS Nautique.
Dreevs when you coming down? We have gotten a little rain here lately.

Matt I would invest heavily in WD-40 and spray it on everything metal after every trip.
Old     (dreevs)      Join Date: Jul 2002       04-17-2008, 1:35 PM Reply   
I just went through one of those Salt Series SANs in Miami when I was there last weekend. You think its just a stcker huh? Ive heard of your loving relationship with CC...
When I can make it thru your canals without dinging my prop or having you tow me thru - I am there!
You should come to Lake Weir Saturday - Mastercraft is putting on a wake comp at Gator Joes.
Old     (dreevs)      Join Date: Jul 2002       04-17-2008, 1:37 PM Reply   
Bring Will with you.
Please.
Old     (ncsuuh)      Join Date: Jan 2007       04-17-2008, 3:21 PM Reply   
Thanks for all the insight!
Old     (jtnz)      Join Date: Sep 2007       04-17-2008, 3:32 PM Reply   
We run in salt all the time, and have closed cooling. Every ride we rinse down the boat and the trailer (and the back and undercarriage of the truck too) and flush the cooling system for a while, give it a few revs just to clear all the salt water out.

I "Soft Sealed" the motor and most of the other metal parts the other week. Not sure if you'd have an equivalent product there but it's basically a type of film that you spray on and it will stick to the metal in a skin about 2 - 5mm thick. It also penetrates rust.

Maybe fish oil would work the same, although that stuff stinks for a few weeks...

Sometimes we get a bit of ballast water leaking down into the bilge and the belts throw it all over the place so it's bit harder to stop rust. Just pulled off a fully siezed alternator last week to be replaced.

Accessories like starters and alternators really don't like the salt.

(Message edited by jtnz on April 17, 2008)
Old     (ncsuuh)      Join Date: Jan 2007       04-17-2008, 6:13 PM Reply   
^^ dabigkahuna, where do ride at? Hawaii Kai? I am a transfer from UH. Moved back here about 3 years ago. Lived off lewers in Waikiki right over Irish Rose.(it isn't there anymore)
Old     (kko13)      Join Date: Jul 2006       04-17-2008, 8:53 PM Reply   
Matt when you get down to FL i would head over to Largo to Fortes Inboard Connection. the owners name is Dom. they service all brands of ski boats and he as a great reputation in the service industry all across tampa bay. he can give you the low down on what will work best in salt as most of the boats he works on are used in salt.
Old    dabigkahuna            04-17-2008, 9:22 PM Reply   
Wassup Matt,

Hawaii Kai?? Nah, they pretty much banned me from riding there! They are super strict, they really don' want any wakeboarding in the marina from what I can tell, unless you are a commercial operator (there's only one operator), you are pretty much shut-down if your boat throws anything that resembles a wake. Besides, the water 90% of the time is rough and dirty.

We ride out at Keehi lagoon at Oahu Water Ski Club

http://www.oahuwaterskiclub.com/6.html

Shoot me a PM and we can swap contact info, love to get you out there riding!

Aloha,

Alan
Old     (woreout)      Join Date: Aug 2006       04-18-2008, 8:46 AM Reply   
Haha Dreevs, funny you should say that, Will is in town and she was asking about you. She remembers you from Wakefest.




































NOT
Old     (dreevs)      Join Date: Jul 2002       04-18-2008, 11:30 AM Reply   
Thats okay. Shes dreamy and I love her anyways - even if shes forgotten our 1.5 minute conversation last year...
So, you coming tomorrow or what?
Old     (woreout)      Join Date: Aug 2006       04-18-2008, 11:40 AM Reply   
No, can't make it. I have to work my boss is a a$$ole and makes me work every Saturday.
Old     (srock)      Join Date: Mar 2002       04-18-2008, 1:49 PM Reply   
Ride, flush, rinse, protect and learn to love the inner beauty of a galvanized trailer.
Old     (plhorn)      Join Date: Dec 2005       04-18-2008, 3:00 PM Reply   
I would get the fresh water kit. My understanding about the risk of clogging of the exchanger on an older boat that dabigkahuna mentioned is only an issue if you've already been using the boat in salt water for a couple of years.

Plus it makes winterizing the boat a lot easier.

The best thing for cleaning the boat is taking it to a fresh lake on the way home and backing the trailer in for a quick dunk.
Old     (reachjims)      Join Date: Aug 2007       04-19-2008, 4:13 AM Reply   
don't use wd-40 on the engine it will eat away at the casing on the wires, i use a product called corrosionX, its like 17 bucks a can but in the long it will save you money on buying a new wire harness.
Old     (monkey)      Join Date: Oct 2002       04-23-2008, 12:40 PM Reply   
http://www.theruststore.com/

I'm having good luck with the bullfrog rust inhibitor from the rust store.

Hey Kahuna, who are you flying for now that Aloha got shut down?
Old     (kko13)      Join Date: Jul 2006       04-23-2008, 4:32 PM Reply   
errrrrr hes moving to FLA we dont winterize we BOARD!!!!!!!!!!

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