Salt water boats

[guffins fisherman]

On a side note. What should I do to the engines (outboards) coming from Salt to fresh? anodes? Impellers? Thanks

First, if the O/B is not a saltwater rated model, run away. Second, if it is saltwater rated, look it over real good. Cowl off, look for corrosion on anything aluminum and copper, look at the seals around the head, look at the condition of the lower unit paint, prop, etc. If it is a mess, chances are the power head is too. Try to seatrial it. As has been stated, there is a HUGE difference between running on muffs, and running under load and running temps. Look at the flow of water coming out the indicator hose, feel the temp of it. Third, keep an eye on it, and pray you got one that was flushed regularly.

[work2fish]

Did all these things. Ran hard for an hour and then sat at idle for a good 15 min. had it plugged in and read at the dealer aswell as scoped.

so is there anything I should be doing now that'll be in fresh water?

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[guffins fisherman]

Beyond that, I would only be guessing. I'm sure there are others that are able to chime in.

[Xxx]

Work2fish, plugged in meaning they could hook to a computer to analyze the motor? For all the differant pressures? That would have found differant pressures in the heads as the valve seats started to deteriorate which would have a showed up in compression loss in cylinder XYZ!! I would have pretty good faith in that, I would insist on pulling the lower unit and new water pump installed, plus at the dealer you'll get a warranty of some sort

[work2fish]

Was purchased privately, I just had the dealer perform the work and mechanic check them over.

OK I'll consider the water pump change. Someone else also mentioned to change the sacrificial zincs to another metal in fresh water?

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[guffins fisherman]

I think magnesium is supposed to be better in fresh water.

[work2fish]

Thanks. I'll take any other suggestions anyone else has. there is a wealth of experience on this board.

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[Salmo slayar]

Like others have said, buying a used boat or motor is a bit of a gamble. I think it depends on what you are looking for. If you enjoy mechanical projects and a bit of a risk (like me!), then I think used boats, Salt or Fresh, are great. I would definitely be VERY patient in searching for a used boat (I spent 3 years searching for my truck), but you sure can get some great deals. Every year I see a couple of boats here on LOU that are absolute steals. A couple of Islanders have practically be given away in the last couple of years on this site.

 

The last boat I bough was from someone here on LOU (1971 21' Starcraft Chieftain/ $1,000). I knew it was a project boat, but I have always wanted to learn boat and engine repair, and I wont do anything unless I have to. Plus with the price of aluminum at what it was, and with the Big Jon down riggers and rod holders, I figured I couldn't loose money. Lets just say , that boat has spent a lot more time broken down in my yard than in the water. But for $1000 + parts... I now know how to sand, prime, and paint out drives and bell housing, replace the bellows, gimbal bearing, shift cable, upper and lower oil seals, and every other seal in between. Hopefully I get her back in the water this weekend!

On the other hand I once bought a 1949 5hp elgin outboard for $75 from Craigslist. I have put hundreds of miles/hours on that motor, and the only time she doesn't run, is when she is out gas. 

 

Also, While saltwater is generally more corrosive than fresh water, I think fresh water can be very corrosive (i.e. comparable to salt water). On of my friends worked on a project comparing the corrosive properties of the Great Lakes water with sea water. I couldn't find too much infor on the topic, but here is a link for those who are interested.

 

http://conservancy.umn.edu/handle/11299/131055

 

 

That was bit of a ramble, and probably not very helpful to the original poster...    Gonna go home now, and work on my boat !

 

Good luck with your new boat. I am sure you will love it!

[Bozeman Bob]

I have seen fresh water engines come apart just as quickly as salt water do. All the surveyors I have dealt with inspect everything but the engine. They leave that to mechanics at your expense to look it over. There is no guarantee they can find everything ,its a educated crapshoot. Who is to say a timing chain isn't on its last breath or a piston ring isn't ready to grenade ? If your searching for the ultimate deal make sure you have saved enough on the deal to be able to replace the engine in the near future and if you don't your more ahead of the curve. Sorry to hear some have had bad results with saltys but I see a whole lot of them being used as charter boats.

[jth21usa]

Ended up buying fresh water, thanks for your help.

[lakebound88]

So your telling me and the others that a survey would have picked up what a precision high performance engine builder and myself didnt, I can you if you have a plug missing been around the racing industry since I was 12, the motor didn't skip a beat on muffs for a 1/2 hr., how much pressure is there at an idle. A lot more at WOT!! Going out over the water, that would remove all the scale and the valve seats just go away from the rust. Let's back up to the Preacher mans house, the water that came out of the exhaust was clear and warm. Brought boat back hooked muffs up again and chunks of rust scale was coming out, not mud. There was no water in the oil, by the third thing we tried the intake in the front where the thermostat sets in was rusted so bad you couldn't tell there are directions in which the water is to flow. After replacing the manifolds how would you say, water could get into every cylinder yes, all 8 Freaken cylinders I mpossible right!! No what object would deliver water to all 8 cylinders the carb can't, but what the carb sets on can, because the water jacket in the intake rusted through and delivered liquid sunshine to all 8 runners. Do you think a survey would have picked that up. Shy of the minister it would of taken an act of God to pick this up, so now I would be 6-7 Ben Franklins in the O before I ever started, the boat itself is spotless. You could eat of the outer shell of the engine. He told me he just put a new motor in it because up in Onieda, the block froze and busted. He used to dry dock it at a marina, he had all the paper work to prove his mouth. But he failed to tell me he went to the bay for fluke and sea trout, which he let slip after a few phone calls to him to let him know how bad he screwed me. A man of God told me to get bent in a much more meaningful way.LOL. There are boats on here I kick myself for not waiting!! My wife said that when I bought this boat, the economy was much better and people weren't selling thing just to make ends meet. Carl, I'm not calling you out, but I don't think the best surveyer in the world would have picked this mess apart!! When your working with your wallet you tend to remember all the little nick-nack things!! Not trying to excuse any of my actions, but both my father in law, my uncle and I kind of were more lacked in our poking and prying around just because of what or who we were dealing with. This is still not a excuse to my purchase!! To all those who are looking at a saltwater boat, if it's before 2004 don't purchase, the SaltWater engines have Teflon coated water jackets and a special designed wash down system. Those are outboards I don't know about a I/O.

No offense, 1986 came from salt water, great runner. You bought a boat used in saltwater, without a closed loop system. A surveyor wouldn't have noticed that, you're right, the motor did rust out from inside out... sounds like the guy wasn't smart enough to flush the motor. I know you're venting... but... one bad egg shouldn't steer someone away..

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[Xxx]

Hey Lake88 I ain't gonna jump on your shyt, yes the newer outboards salt water motors are lined with Teflon and can be washed out very easily. Salt and cast iron don't go well together, kind of like a #10 screw and aluminum. I know your a very intelligent man, and a e'Fin survey, survey, survey wouldn't. have detected this totally rotted motor. Went down to our local dealer and Jim was working on a Mercruiser V6 he was putting heads on, so I asked what's going on here. Was a salt water boat that now is a lake boat, guy claimed he did the flush deal faithfully and run it off the muffs at home. Here we go the salt ate the fins off the water pump enough water coming into the thermostat and the sender so the motor overheated warped the heads, beyond the planer trick, a $50.00 water pump, ended up $1300.00 for new heads, water pump plus the gaskets you know we're I'm going with this!! If your going to say buying a mister salty isn't that risky then so be it. Me I'm going to say the truth of the matter even if it a good price. Somewhere down the line it's gonna bite you in the ass. There isn't one person I know that bought a salt boat, saying they'll ever do it again. They'll tell ya DON'T do it!! You will regret it trust me. No hard feelings here L88 your freind Pap!!!

Edited June 21, 2016 by pap

[lakebound88]

No hard feelings whatsoever. Bad things happen to all boats.... there's a reason they named it BOAT. LOL. Freshwater, saltwater, big or small vessel. They all eat holes in the wallet, my option on that is i can't take my money with me when I die so why not blow it in a boat 😉

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[Roughrider IV]

I bought my 90 grady in 2010 down in Virginia, guy had repowered the boat with a suzuki in 2006 and had 200 hours on it, I took it out for sea trial, ran great, bought it next weekend. Boat is solid and dry, changed out zincs and thermostat and water pump, still running strong with 450 hrs. Boat was always housed at garage, no slip usage. I did examine the engine mounting bolts and removed the nuts and used large aluminum plates for backing as the washers were pulled into the glass more than I liked. I did put money into the galvanized trailer, coupler and disk brakes which I new would need work.

[Xxx]

On a positive note the salt does save the stringers and ect. where the raw water rots them to shyt. A 1990 repowered, with a 2006 with only 200hrs good in your favor!!! I would be willing to give an outboard a thought, but an inboard not this dude, unless a whole new powerplant was sitting in the hole. There's too many fresh water boats out there just about giving them away to think of a mister salty!! Just look on this board alone. Over and Out with this Topic, see ya parts store LOL.