Worried about saltwater

texanaustinite

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Oct 9, 2007
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My wife wants to take our boat ('97 Regal 1700 LSR) out to the coast (Rockport, TX) this fall to tour around the bays. I like the idea, but I'm worried about the effects of salt water on the engine... not to mention the sand in the carpet and shallow water everywhere.

Our boat has only been in freshwater. I know I would have to flush the engine out after being in salt water, but is there anything else I would need to do?
 

Scaaty

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Re: Worried about saltwater

Go have fun...first out a solid flush with fresh will work ..(ALL motor, boat, trailer too!....(..I have a slip , and three boats...only one fits at a time..3 weeks tops on the trailered, and if the big boat aint in (prepped for 3 months in the slip))...its out for a Barnacle slaughter, and the funky backend after 2-3 months ..(on the big boat)..)..but salt is forever on metal that ya find years later..
 

tashasdaddy

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Re: Worried about saltwater

i keep my chris craft deckboat in the water for the month of August, in the keys. everyday after use, we hose down the top side. to get the spray off. it gets sticky, if left. then when we pull the boat we flush the engine. we do rinse the trailer everytime it is dunked, even tough it is aluminum.
 

F_R

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Re: Worried about saltwater

My wife wants to take our boat ('97 Regal 1700 LSR) out to the coast (Rockport, TX) this fall to tour around the bays. I like the idea, but I'm worried about the effects of salt water on the engine... not to mention the sand in the carpet and shallow water everywhere.

Our boat has only been in freshwater. I know I would have to flush the engine out after being in salt water, but is there anything else I would need to do?

Depends. How much do you love this boat and do you plan to keep it forever? All modern boats and motors will survive in salt water. For awhile. No amount of washing and rinsing will get ALL the salt out. You can expect to find screws and bolts hard to get out in the future once they have been salted.

As a salt water area mechanic, on the rare occasion that I got to work on a fresh-water-only motor it was such a pleasure I almost wanted to do it free.
 

texanaustinite

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Re: Worried about saltwater

Depends. How much do you love this boat and do you plan to keep it forever? All modern boats and motors will survive in salt water. For awhile. No amount of washing and rinsing will get ALL the salt out. You can expect to find screws and bolts hard to get out in the future once they have been salted.

As a salt water area mechanic, on the rare occasion that I got to work on a fresh-water-only motor it was such a pleasure I almost wanted to do it free.

I don't plan on keeping it forever, but I do want to take great care of it. It gives me a lot to think about.
 

Chris1956

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Re: Worried about saltwater

Texas..., A couple of days in salt water will have zero long term effect on your freshwater boat. As was suggested, hose it off at the end of the day and flush the motor when you pull it out. I think F-R is exaggerating about the effect of a few days use in saltwater. I had a boat with a inline six outboard that I used in salt water 10 days (at least) per year, for a decade or more. I flushed it after every use and never had a rusted bolt.
 

drewmitch44

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Re: Worried about saltwater

I agree with chris! Dont be afraid af the salt water. Its a boat. The only time that salt is bad is when you just use it and do nothing as far as flushing. You sound like you take pretty good care of the boat and motor. If you flush it with fresh water after and rinse everything down you will be fine! My uncle has a boat that he's used for 15+ years in the delaware bay and i dont think he ever rinsed anything off. He kinda brags about it that he never flushes the motor or nothing. He so far has had no problems. Im not saying to do this but just dont want people to scare you off of enjoying your boat. Go read the restoration forum, those guys will have you thinking that you must replace your stringers if it rains and you leave your boat uncovered 1 time.
 

SkeeterBro

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Re: Worried about saltwater

Great advice, flush the motor, wash the boat and trailer well....And your boat will be fine!

What you should be really concerned with is "shallow water everywhere!"
I've been out there ONCE, let's just say I have found some very shallow water........... in strange places! you know that felling you get when you look down at the depth finder and it reads 15 feet. Then you take a look around and check for boat traffic, look back down at the depth finder and it reads 2 feet!:eek: Man I hate that felling!
 

dingbat

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Re: Worried about saltwater

Texas..., A couple of days in salt water will have zero long term effect on your freshwater boat. As was suggested, hose it off at the end of the day and flush the motor when you pull it out. I think F-R is exaggerating about the effect of a few days use in saltwater. I had a boat with a inline six outboard that I used in salt water 10 days (at least) per year, for a decade or more. I flushed it after every use and never had a rusted bolt.

Long term I'd be more worried about the electrical systems than the motor.
You'll soon understand why SW boats use tinned wire and all the terminations are via screw lugs and not those silly slip lug connections.
As a precuationary action spray the back of your dash with Boeshield or similar product to minimize the effects of salt spray on your wiring.
 

Drowned Rat

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Re: Worried about saltwater

If you have a fresh water ramp nearby, dunk the thing in the lake on the way home. That's the best way to clean the boat and trailer.
 

mike176

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Re: Worried about saltwater

I dissagree with F_R. I boat salt and fresh, but when i do salt I stop at the do it yourself car wash to clean boat and trailer, when i get home i do a 20min flush on the muffs when i finish my flush i coat the powerhead with WD40 and there is not a single bolt on my motor thats hard to get off, some of my fishing buddys say i'm anal about my boat. Salt water is not gonna hurt your boat aslong as you clean it up when your done. I do a flush and wash after fresh water because some of the lakes around here leave a ring around the waterline and i can't stand a dirty boat.
 

Scaaty

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Re: Worried about saltwater

I dissagree with F_R. I boat salt and fresh, but when i do salt I stop at the do it yourself car wash to clean boat and trailer, when i get home i do a 20min flush on the muffs when i finish my flush i coat the powerhead with WD40 and there is not a single bolt on my motor thats hard to get off, some of my fishing buddys say i'm anal about my boat. Salt water is not gonna hurt your boat aslong as you clean it up when your done. I do a flush and wash after fresh water because some of the lakes around here leave a ring around the waterline and i can't stand a dirty boat.
RF has it nailed...you should see the INSIDE of that "looking good outside motor..run in salt...
 

mike176

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Re: Worried about saltwater

RF has it nailed...you should see the INSIDE of that "looking good outside motor..run in salt...

I would agree for I/O boats but not a 2stroke OB, Theres really not all that much to a 2stroke that a good coat of wd40 could not protect, but thats my opinion and my boat runs and looks good. I'm sure thats not gonna hurt the resale value.
 

F_R

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Re: Worried about saltwater

"RF has it nailed...you should see the INSIDE of that "looking good outside motor..run in salt..."
Thanks, Scaaty
The unseen demon is corrosion caused by dissimilar metals in an electrolyte (salt water). Slow and sneaky and always present. And if you think that anodes and grease and all that stuff will prevent it, well it may slow it down but not prevent it. Just try working on a salt water motor as compared to a fresh water one.
 

Scaaty

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Re: Worried about saltwater

"RF has it nailed...you should see the INSIDE of that "looking good outside motor..run in salt..."
Thanks, Scaaty
The unseen demon is corrosion caused by dissimilar metals in an electrolyte (salt water). Slow and sneaky and always present. And if you think that anodes and grease and all that stuff will prevent it, well it may slow it down but not prevent it. Just try working on a salt water motor as compared to a fresh water one.
I have a 61 5 1/2 Johnson that was used in both fresh and salt, and looks new, always flushed and washed down. Finally toasted a (what I believe anyway.... I replaced all the lower parts I could get to) a driveshaft seal. On these motors ya need to remove the powerhead to release the shift linkage screw. Few bolts, pretty simple. Only problem is the bolts under the motor never really got a good clean up when washed down. , but a good spray from running in salt. They are just about down to a round head from salt eating away at the bolt. I might have to get the torch out..and I bet the reason for the driveshaft seal going south is from salt water corroding the shaft just below the waterpump, which won't get a good flush with muffs, or worse, when not used between flushes (best to run small motors in a garbage can for a good flush)
A lower unit sitting in salt will have it creep into the bolt threads..real witch to get apart for an impeller change from corrosion on some.
That said, a few days in salt wont kill the boat, motor, and trailer with in the next month, but it will take a some life out them. Use it, hose it all down, WD what ya can, have fun...
 

Scaaty

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Re: Worried about saltwater

Just for kicks, heres a pic of two pencil anodes from my 350 big boat. Aluminum intake manifold.
First is only 6 weeks in salt, before I added a fresh water flush, and Saltaway, and the other is after 12 weeks with fresh and Saltaway..BIG diff
S5302341.jpg
 
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