Looking for a favor in/near Key Largo

[JeffVans]

After doing some user map stalking, I see that @Danielmailin, @Wr3ckdiver, @COtoFLsurf are near Key Largo. If any of you, or anyone else for that matter, would like to do me a YUUUUGE favor and check out a boat for me at Riva, I'd be eternally grateful. Please shoot me a PM or post on here if you could help out.

I'm 99% sure that I'm going to go with this one, but I can see some rust on the hose clamps in the engine bay and it kinda makes me worry. The pictures posted are pretty crappy quality so I cant see much else in the pics. I'd just hate to drive 17 hours down there just to return home empty handed.

 

[Scottintexas]

depending on how old the boat is rusty hose clips are a given, my boat has never seen salt and the clips don't look good,

I'd be more concerned about how well or "if" the previous owner flushed the engines and that you'll never know. All the small passages in the exhaust that could get clogged, about the only easy thing you could do is ask them to pull the anode on the engine block.

As long as it performed well, hole shot and top speed I'd think you'd be ok as long as your willing to gamble the flushing aspect.

 

[JeffVans]

The boat is a 2016 and was a local trade-in bought from the same dealer, he said it was well cared for (as they all do), he said that they flush them every time they get taken out and that this hasn't been test driven since they took it in.

Speaking of the anodes, he said the water there is really salty and something about electricity too, I don't know anything about it, he said its normal to replace anodes twice a year there???

I wonder if there's anything you could do to clean the passages out, some sort of abrasive like borax or something to "scrub" the system, or if Salt away/Salt terminator does that as well. I've never operated in salt water so I'm new to all of this.

 

[blacksapphirez]

I want a ride if you get this

 

[JeffVans]

I want a ride if you get this

Will definitely do that... Hopefully at Bimini!!!

 

[Scottintexas]

I could believe the anodes but remember there are three different anodes, nozzle, intake grate and engine, this is from our FAQ tab about anodes
anodes
https://jetboaters.net/threads/anode-locations.979/

The flushing issues, it's the exhaust that I would be concerned with and they can't really check them until you take it all apart. We had a thread recently about a member who would let the salt away marinate over night but he thought that created another problem, I don't remember it for certain. I think 98% of the time it's not an issue as long as you do something rather than nothing.

 

[JeffVans]

@Ben Okopnik, and @Cobra Jet Steering LLC I was told you may have some insight on what to look for or how bad the salt could have hurt the boat I'm looking to get. Please feel free to chime in. I don't know much about salt water boating/maintenance... All I know is that it tastes horrible and makes my dog sh*t like a fire hose. hahahaha

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

I have posted my routine numerous times over the years for rinsing out jets in salt water I also add zinc anodes but how do you check the exhaust or the water passages without tearing things apart?? beats be, Life is a gamble so roll the dice and clean the thing after each use, I worry more about people revving up the engine out of water to BLOW out the exhaust I NEVER do that, I let it idle for 30 seconds and shut it off. You can look at the bolts on the front of the engine and at the pump , look at the bolt heads for corrosion I soak every thing in white lithium grease when I bring it home from the dealer I coat the plug boots with dielectric grease, I put never seize on the spark plug threads before it ever sees water. I do a lot of things right from the start , but everyone is different.

 

[JeffVans]

I have posted my routine numerous times over the years for rinsing out jets in salt water I also add zinc anodes but how do you check the exhaust or the water passages without tearing things apart?? beats be, Life is a gamble so roll the dice and clean the thing after each use, I worry more about people revving up the engine out of water to BLOW out the exhaust I NEVER do that, I let it idle for 30 seconds and shut it off. You can look at the bolts on the front of the engine and at the pump , look at the bolt heads for corrosion I soak every thing in white lithium grease when I bring it home from the dealer I coat the plug boots with dielectric grease, I put never seize on the spark plug threads before it ever sees water. I do a lot of things right from the start , but everyone is different.

Cool, thanks. Yeah I just didn't know if there were any "specific to salt water" wear/damage to be looking for. I have read up on the different anode locations I wish I could pull out the engine (water jacket) ones while I was there to take a look at them, but I don't think that will be possible.

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

one side effect of salt water is the pump liners swelling from corrosion under the stainless liner, this is seen as black lines or spots on the liner and a ringing when the engines are running out of the water on the trailer