buying a salt water boat

[MattFX4]

Looking for opinions on buying a Yamaha boat that has been used primarily in saltwater. Is this something I should stay away from? Not an old boat, maybe 30-40 hours on it. What would you look for when looking at a boat like this?

 

[njmr2fan]

From all that I've heard and all that I've read it comes down to the owner. You're best sizing them up in order to get a feel for how the boat was cared for. There seem to be lots of primary saltwater users, but they all say that they religiously flush with salt away after every ride, and not just a quick flush, but running upwards of 10 minutes of water through. If the boat is pristine, and you can tell that the owner washed the boat and cared for it by the looks of everything on and around it, you probably have nothing to worry about. If they emphasize how important it is to flush the motors (maybe they'll show you their salt away system or give it to you)Then you know you're dealing with a caring owner.
Ask a lot of maintenance questions. How do I protect the engines from salt water? How do I protect the cables? How can I protect the vinyl??? If you already have the answers and feign ignorance to see how the guy responds, you can learn a lot. If the owner cares, he will instruct you how to take care of everything because most likely he wants that boat to keep on living a good life, and he wants you to understand how to upkeep it.

 

[Wayloncle]

When I was searching for boats a few years ago in FL it was obvious who took care of them and who didn't.

I saw an '08 232 that was a 3 hour drive from me on Craigslist, I talked to the guy several times and he swore it was in great shape, no rips or sun damage to seats, everything works, blah blah...
I drive all the way over to look at it and as soon as I drove up I could tell it sucked, the Yamaha emblems on the side were all corroded, all the latches were corroded, seats were brittle on the tops and several had rips, radio didn't work....but he kept telling me he just spent $1000 on the trailer:-/

He lived right on the water, he had an '09 232 identical to the one he was selling, tied to the end of his dock, we went for a ride in it, it cavitated when I gave it some throttle and when I turned (I had to explain to him what cavitation was) the steering cables were very tight and when I mentioned it he told me the other boat was almost froze up you could barely turn the wheel, I don't think he even knew how to care for a boat, when one got to the point he didn't like it he just bought another one.

But others I saw you would never know it had ever been on salt water.

I wouldn't be scared to buy a salt water boat, as long as the owner was knowledgable and took care of it.
I spent 2 years boating in salt water only with my boat, if you look at my painted trailer you might notice, but other than that you can't.

 

[Murf'n'surf]

30-40 hours in the salt is nothing to worry about, the trailer probably has more signs of salt. Check all of the usual stuff and do a thorough water test.

 

[Speedling]

Bought my first boat, an exciter in Maryland. Had a good bit of corrosion but parts were cheap and just replaced stuff as i bought it with two blown motors. Was due to the oil lines coming off, not the corrosuon which was down the exhaust more.
Bought my current boat in Florida sight unseen and no test drive. Had to replace the thermostat but otherwise has looked great. That owner had beat it up some but i paid a lot less than other boats i was seeing. Runs great but seats have some small tears and hull some minor scratches. I have kids so not worried about stuff like that right now.

 

[ruztew]

My sx190 looks as good as new after its first year, running exclusively in salt water. After every use I flushed with salt-away and washed down the whole boat. Sprayed down the engine with silicone and wd40 the winch.... My old Waverunner was 10 years old and and was still in good condition after years of salt water unil I sold it.... It's really in the post use care that is required. The dealership I bought it from only sells them on galvanized trailers as well.... Stay away from a painted trailer with salt water

 

[Gym]

All good points made here @MattFX4. Checking out the owner is nearly as important as checking out the boat. As an owner of an SX230 used exclusively in salt water I can tell you that preventative maintenance is the key. It will be pretty obvious if a boat was not properly maintained whether it is a fresh or salt water boat. Just look beyond the Shiney paint.

You may also live near one of our members that may be willing to help you check it out. You can also take pictures of a prospective boat and post them for us to render an opinion on.

 

[robert843]

Do not let a salt water boat scare you. If it was stored in salt water for long periods it maybe a little rough. The signs of a boat not taken care in salt water will be pretty obvious as it happens pretty quick. A little corrosion on hose clamps can be expected but major corrosion on major parts shouldn't be there.

 

[MattFX4]

Thanks for the input guys. I have came across a few with low hours that have been used in saltwater, but not stored in the water. If I get to the point of actually looking at one of these boats I will use the input provided, and really check it out.