New to the salt water...

[Part-time]

I just moved from northern Ontario to Vancouver Island and both my boats are raw water cooled.
One is an 18' Starcraft with a 140 mercruiser and the other is a 34' Chris craft with twin 230hp 327cid chevy blocks.
Both boats are still in Ontario at this time but I'm planing on bringing the Starcraft here this fall and the Cris craft is probably going to wait until spring.
The Chris craft I might just repower with a pair of diesels but I'm wondering how bad would the salt water be on the 140 mercruiser if I leave it raw water cooled and flush it real good after every outing???
Also is there anything other than the cooling that I have to worry about to run in the salt water?

 

[littlerayray]

Get a stainless prop and be sure to flush the motor after every outing religiously but definitely a stainless prop

 

[tpenfield]

A stainless prop would require more protection against galvanic corrosion for the outdrive, so I you may want to stay with aluminum, if that is what you have. Make sure you have new anodes on the outdrive. It sounds like you will be trailering the small boat. Flushing will help, but the salt will have its way after a while. The best thing to do is closed cooling, but that can be expensive. So, your call on if it is worth it.