Saltwater versus Freshwater Boats

[Sea-IV]

Saltwater versus Freshwater Boats

Ok I need some advice before I get to deep. As some may know I sold my boat and I am looking at at very well mistimed Tiara 2700 Open. Now this boat has been in saltwater but the gentleman that is representing the boat insists its Freahwater cooled. Now this boat has twin Crusaders in it. As far as I can tell I am open cooled system. Does this create a problem bringing it from Saltwater to Freshwater. I know that there are certain things that need to be considered but the boat is priced right and I tell you looks immacualate thru pics. Any advice is appreciated as this will be my first and only boat with onboard motors.

[AnglingAddict]

Look at it in person - boats always look cleaner in pics than they do in person...

[Bozeman Bob]

What year is the boat and how many hours on the engines. Most , but not all saltwater engines are a closed system, meaning they have a heat exchanger and use antifreeze. The raw sea water is pumped into the heat exchanger to cool the antifreeze and then exits out the exhaust manifolds. The exhaust manifolds under these conditions are usually replaced every 5-7 years and is not a big deal. Very easy for yourself to do, no need to pay a marina for that. They probably go for 350 per engine from ebay. Once in fresh water they last just about forever. If its a open or raw water system you should figure the cost of replacing the engines into your offer as they will be needed to in a very short time. You are not very clear to me what it actually has. Other than that I would not hesitate to buy a salty providing it passes a survey which includes a sea trial and inspection on land. You pay for that and can figure it will run you around 600. Some people are very negative on this but in most cases if you follow my advice there are no more issues than a poorly or even well maintained fresh water setup. I have a bunch of saltys docked near me and none have had issues do to them coming from salt water. And yes most did it because of the cost vs a fresh water boat that can go fro 2 - 3 times as much mostly IMHO because they are not used as much as the warmer climate salt water boat vs the Great Lakes and 8 months of being laid up. 

Edited July 4, 2017 by Bozeman Bob

[Sea-IV]

40 minutes ago, Bozeman Bob said:

What year is the boat and how many hours on the engines. Most , but not all saltwater engines are a closed system, meaning they have a heat exchanger and use antifreeze. The raw sea water is pumped into the heat exchanger to cool the antifreeze and then exits out the exhaust manifolds. The exhaust manifolds under these conditions are usually replaced every 5-7 years and is not a big deal. Very easy for yourself to do, no need to pay a marina for that. They probably go for 350 per engine from ebay. Once in fresh water they last just about forever. If its a open or raw water system you should figure the cost of replacing the engines into your offer as they will be needed to in a very short time. You are not very clear to me what it actually has. Other than that I would not hesitate to buy a salty providing it passes a survey which includes a sea trial and inspection on land. You pay for that and can figure it will run you around 600. Some people are very negative on this but in most cases if you follow my advice there are no more issues than a poorly or even well maintained fresh water setup. I have a bunch of saltys docked near me and none have had issues do to them coming from salt water. And yes most did it because of the cost vs a fresh water boat that can go fro 2 - 3 times as much mostly IMHO because they are not used as much as the warmer climate salt water boat vs the Great Lakes and 8 months of being laid up. 

Why thank you for that honest answer. Not sure on hours yet, they are Crusader engines that the boat has and the boat is a 1988 Tiara. I am headed down there to look and set up a survey if I like what I see in person. Sea trial is a must for me. 

[Bozeman Bob]

Crusaders are a chevy block with there bolt on parts ,like maybe the shape of the exhaust manifolds,type of carb / ignition system/ heat exchangers but the basic long block is Chevy. If there high hours but a closed cooling system I would not worry to much. The 350 blocks if properly maintained will go from 3,000 to ,yes I have seen it, 6000 hours. Long blocks [ complete with cylinder heads etc ] go for 2500 -3500 and are pretty much plug and play,not that hard to swap out. Good luck and report back your findings, hopefully it comes with a trailer ,if not there is one on here for sale. Makes it a lot less expensive as far as winter storage and paying some one to haul it here. Pays for itself in a few years along with resale value if it ever comes to that. And a lot easier working in your driveway than driving to a marina and forgetting some tools etc. needed.

[Sea-IV]

45 minutes ago, Bozeman Bob said:

Crusaders are a chevy block with there bolt on parts ,like maybe the shape of the exhaust manifolds,type of carb / ignition system/ heat exchangers but the basic long block is Chevy. If there high hours but a closed cooling system I would not worry to much. The 350 blocks if properly maintained will go from 3,000 to ,yes I have seen it, 6000 hours. Long blocks [ complete with cylinder heads etc ] go for 2500 -3500 and are pretty much plug and play,not that hard to swap out. Good luck and report back your findings, hopefully it comes with a trailer ,if not there is one on here for sale. Makes it a lot less expensive as far as winter storage and paying some one to haul it here. Pays for itself in a few years along with resale value if it ever comes to that. And a lot easier working in your driveway than driving to a marina and forgetting some tools etc. needed.

Disregard my pm I just got what you were saying. There is a trailer available. I am good being without a trailer only because it will be in the barn on blocks so I can customize it more to my style over the winter. As for the hours he just got back to me, they are 350's in it and they have 1800 hours on each. Used more as a cruiser and just motoring out into the Long Island Sound to fish. 

[TileMan Dan]

Just as add, look boat over carefully. Yes saltwater is harder on boat versus freshwater but a lot has to do with how that boat has been maintained. All boats will have issues if little problems are allowed to become big. Carefully inspect all areas that are not readily visible. Are bilges clean. Is wiring neat and tidy. Look closely at installation of electronic add ons. If you are handy you can wind up with a great boat at a savings.


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[Xxx]

I am a owner of a salt water boat, but not a closed system, the boat was a Mr salty then put on Oneida. Then jack azz me comes along and   Saw this boat sitting with a for Sale sign on it, $4500.00 the owner a preacher man of God told me it was flushed everytime and has worked flawlessly for years on Oneida. Long story short, take it from a guy that paid out the azz for buying a saltwater boat even though it was used for years in fresh water. The marinia failed to properly winterize the motor so a new 350 was put in place of the 305 then the preachers buddy died and he lost interest and decided to sell the boat. Young and dumb thinking I knew everything the motor started up on muffs and ran for a hour heat guage stayed in the norm, I took a  heat tester and everything seemed fine. Talked the guy down to $3850.00 had a 93 trailer he bought new to take it to New York and home. Needless to say there wasn't one thing on the motor other than the components that were in oil useful including the intake manifold. The whole drive train is new including the outdrive. My suggestion to you is go over that boat with the best surveyer on planet earth!! Before you buy. I don't mean to put the fear of God "pun intended" since I bought the boat off a minister that lied through his teeth. I finally have a sound boat, but I could just  when I see the buys on here!! Best of luck approach with caution, let the surveyer do his job!!!

[Bozeman Bob]

^ Not winterizing a motor properly has nothing to do with salt water. Raw water cooling system rig that you bought tells it all , vs a closed system,cant compare apples to oranges  Now a aluminum outdrive sitting in salt would not be my first choice and I would figure that replacement cost right away in the purchase price. Inboards do not have that issue. Also do not think engine and outdrive problems are limited to salt , just look at some post from Fishing the FL and his nightmare fresh water boat and that's just one example. I am sure you will see a ton if you go through the post on this Old Boat Forum.

[Xxx]

Well that might be true Bob, being in the starter & alt. Buisness I surly can tell you that since they starter putting that salt brine down on the roads you wouldn't believe what a F&$(k it is to get units apart with out snapping somethings off and starter with aluminum DE housings are litterly gone. You might as well figure on new exhaust manifolds aluminum y pipes the the shutters in the exhauste unless it's through hull exhaust. I'm not arguing just stating what I went through. Buy the way, try and find a small block 2 barrel intake!! 4 barrels all over but mine has a 500 cfm Holley 2 barrel marine carb.

[Bozeman Bob]

The Tiara ,as all true inboards will have a through hull exhaust and as I noted in my first post the exhaust manifolds will more than likely have to be replaced.  I just googled your specific intake manifold for sale and a there is no shortage of them, which has nothing to do with the OPs question, but I thought I would look anyway !

[rolmops]

With all the state launches closed for probably the rest of the year, there are going to be a lot of boats for sale in the Lake Ontario basin. Boats that have never seen salt water. My guess is that there will be great boats for low prices by the beginning of August.

[Bozeman Bob]

^ Hardly, a fisherman isn't going to throw the towel in because the water level is high. Someone looking at a 27' is more than likely not looking at a boat that is launched on a weekly basis. I bet most of the guys with boats had to get the OK from the Mrs and isn't going to give it up because of water levels. Most of the slips that are useable are earmarked for Charter/fisherman boaters. They use more gas, bring people into town or the local eating places/tackle shops on site marina store etc.. I see that in Wilson/Olcott so I imagine its like that lake wide.Just my opinion...  HOW MANY GUYS ON HERE ARE THROWING IN THE TOWEL because the ramps are closed ?????  I bet zero....

[rolmops]

HOW MANY GUYS ON HERE ARE THROWING IN THE TOWEL because the ramps are closed ?????  I bet zero....

• I know a lot of people who do not want to make payments on toys that they cannot use and in quite a few cases it will be the straw that breaks the camel's back.

Edited July 5, 2017 by rolmops

[Bozeman Bob]

Whatever ... A true fisherman will make the most of what's presented to him. And with so many choices close by from the Finger Lakes/ Niagara River/Erie Canal/ St. Lawrence/Chautauqua to the 2 Great Lakes all within a stones throw for most of us they will find a launch ramp open. Its not like owning a snowmobile when there is no snow on the ground for two- three years in a row.. You can fish year round in WNY How many of your friends are actually selling there rigs because of the high water ? If anything not using them for a year will help them pay it off early. They don't have to buy any tackle, gas for towing or on the water , insurance ,maintenance for trailer and boat and the list goes on and on.

[PeltHunter]

^Like he said I don't think you're going to get into a 27' fishing boat "cheap because the launches are closed" most boats 27 and up are slipped and those guys aren't really affected.

Sea-IV I just bought a 10 Meter Trojan out of Cape Cod. Salt boat since new. If your crusaders are FWC you'll see a heat exchanger that looks like a big log at the rear of the engine up high if you can see that area in the pics you have. When I went down there I took a couple batteries and ran everything I could (or that would make me not want to buy a solid hull and 1 good low hour motor for the price) and picked through everything with a fine tooth comb. What I found with my boat is that where the engines and cooling system is what people generally worry about with salt boats but when you dig in further there's a lot of other things to consider. Any type of chrome accessory or trim piece on that boat (unless replaced) will be pitted from the salty air and open wiring connections are going to be corroded, the salt just takes its toll on everything. If I didn't A get the deal I did at my age and B have the time and ability to do the work myself to get this thing cleaned up I think that the money to find a nice clean Great Lakes boat is well worth it.


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[Tall Tails]

I bought a 36 Tiara that was in the salt environment for 4 years.  It showed little salt influence.  My experience boat shopping and looking and various boats up and down the coast was regional.  If the boat is north of Jersey it probably gets pulled between October and April much like our season.  South of Jersey they are used all year.  My boat was in Falmouth Mass and on the hard from Oct to April.  So Over 4 years the salt exposure was minimal.  It is very easy to look at a boat and know its exposure.  I would budget exhaust manifolds.  They are exposed to salt even with closed cooling because it handles your exhaust. Also raw water pumps and housings are exposed as well as oil coolers.  Not all are very expensive but good maintenance items to change.  I would interview the owner and try and get a feel for his use and time frames.   Good Luck with the decision and Tiara is a QUALITY boat! 

[Xxx]

15 hours ago, Bozeman Bob said:

The Tiara ,as all true inboards will have a through hull exhaust and as I noted in my first post the exhaust manifolds will more than likely have to be replaced.  I just googled your specific intake manifold for sale and a there is no shortage of them, which has nothing to do with the OPs question, but I thought I would look anyway !

 

Yes there are a few manifolds but mine has to be off a pre 70's and also so the linkages to be level with the rear afixed position the intake area that the carb sits on is raised higher than the many "you" found. My uncle has a speed shop, builds modifies for the dirt circle circuit. So it almost came down to a aluminum intake and a spacer plate he had, that was specially made for Baker 2bbl that flows 733 cfm, but that was resolved by a man who said he had a few manifolds above his garage he would look. The next day he called with the answer we were hoping for, late 60's 283 was marked on it and these manifolds the base sits higher like most 4bbl. Something else about the way the runners were designed was also. Plus no heat riser plate was in these intakes also. Just a thin gasket and 4 nuts.!!! IM NOT GOING TO GET THIS THREAD OFF OF ITS ORIGINAL TOPIC! WHICH IS SALTWATET!!