I am currently looking to buy a larger bow rider...(currently own a 2100SR)
I have found a nice boat that is everything that I am looking for, but, it currently lives in saltwater...
Are there any short range or long range concerns to buying a saltwater boat?
It has a 5.7 350 mag with a Bravo 3 outdrive...
Saltwater boats as I have recently found, are way more dependant on proper maintenance such as, was it kept in the water? Was it freshwater flushed after each use? The exhaust manifolds/risers/elbows take a massive beating as compared to freshwater, they seem to last double or more in the absence of salt, same with any of the cooling hoses or passages. I recently bought a boat that had 2 seasons of salt and the rest fresh (16 years) and I was amazed at the difference in mine VS people I know whose boats have never seen salt.
Assuming the boat has open cooling and not closed cooling and you plan to use it in fresh water going forward, correct. The exhaust may need to be replaced and the anodes need to be changed to magnesium.
As overboard asked was it kept in the water?
If in good shape it should provide a decent life going forward. A properly maintained sale water boat can go 1500-2000 hours.
Yes, From what I understand, The boat spent it's first 9 yrs in fresh water, then, the last 5 in salt water... (and yes, kept in the water) The boat, an 04, appears to be very clean, and from what I understand, well maintained... Maintenance records were kept, by both owners from the beginning... I figured, that the manifolds and risers would take more of a beating, but wasn't sure about, how salt water would affect the rest of the cooling system, or the anodes...
The cooling passages in the block will have rust and some scaling but I would not let that stop you as boats can live for decades in the salt environment.
I wouldn’t let that stop you, replace the exhaust, water pump impeller and check/change the bellows if they haven’t been done in the last 2 years and get on the water!!!
Is the block raw water cooled or closed cooling? That is what makes the biggest difference in my mind. You would need to flush a raw water cooled engine after each use.
Used saltwater boat
Linear Mode
