in salt all the time, what propulsion option is best?

Richie89

Richie89

Active Member
Aug 20, 2012
599
Miami Beach, FL
Boat Info
450 Sundancer
Engines
Twin Cummins 480 Zeus
starting to seriously consider next boat. i will put in a slip on the ICW just out of a sound. planning to keep it there all the time with just occasional service pull outs. looking at a 350-40 sundancer. hearing that i need to stick with inboards, the v-drives. correct?
 
I would think in that size boat straight inboards is all that's offered. Meaning no I/O's. As to v-drives or straight drive would depend on the boat. Congrats and good luck in your search.
 
surprising to me, the 350's are I/O's for the most part it seems. looking at 2010 -2012. they are listed with the Axxius feature, but it looks like Bravo III's. am i correct?
 
You will be money and worries ahead if you spend the same money on a slightly older larger inboard or v-drive that fits your budget. It makes no sense at all to run 4 gear cases submerged in salt water, plus a BIII here on the Gulf coast requires a haul out and drive removal and service every 50 hours, plus you are looking at drive replacements every 5-6 years.
 
that's what i was thinking fwebster and hoping to hear. top on my list in the 2006-2008 380's with v-drives.
so what is the underwater maintenance on those?
 
Richie89 said:
that's what i was thinking fwebster and hoping to hear. top on my list in the 2006-2008 380's with v-drives.
so what is the underwater maintenance on those?
Click to expand...

Occasional Bottom scrape (diver job) unless you have the time, zincs, bottom job a little more often, etc.
 
I am in NW Florida in salt water 24/7/365, retired so we use the boat a good bit. I'm on the water about 5 days out of a week when we are at the beach. I use an ablative bottom paint and I don't get enough growth build up to use a diver simply because using the boat keeps the bottom and hardware clean. We do haul out every February for 2-3 days to check the bottom and pressure wash the hull……………and that is all the maintenance inboards require with this level of use and this environment. I've had boats here for 25 years so this isn't a short term look at maintenance needs.

I will also offer an opinion based on our experience when we began boating here: When you change from lake to coastal boating, the way you use your boat changes. There are more things to see and do on the water and more places to visit. Cruising was never in our vocabulary in Tennessee, but it is a big part of what we enjoy about boating on the coast. Learning coastal navigation and the equipment you use is both fun and challenging. If your budget can handle it, you will save yourself a future trade up if you will buy a diesel powered boat this time around. Even if you have to go back a few years, it is a wise move. For example, there is a 2000(?) 380DA with Cat diesels (250 hours) here that is for sale for $125K (list). And the Cat powered boat will use 1/2 the fuel the later 2006-2008 380DA with gas engines burns.
 
Richie, I know of a very nice 2005 360 that was just listed for sale. I just replaced the manifolds and many other items if interested.
 
Last year I moved from fresh water Virginia to coastal South Carolina. After much thought I dumped my dual BravoIII 300DA and bought a 400DB with diesels and straight drives. It was a good decision. Like Frank mentioned we changed from day anchor/raft-up boaters to destination cruise boaters. Plus due to the space of the boat and the comradery at our marina we will go live it at dock for days at a time.

Salt water maintenance for us is fairly straight forward:

Every two years bottom paint and cleaning of seawater cooled components (aftercooler, heat exchanger, transmission cooler) and regular monitoring and replacing of engine zincs and bottom/trim tab zincs. Our diver that keeps the bottom clean (monthly during warm weather) does the monitoring and changing of the bottom/trim tab zincs. The engine zincs are a simple do-it yourself for anyone. And the cleaning of the coolers is a do-it-yourself for the mechanically inclined, but certainly affordable if you hire it out.

We don't want to go back to fresh water. We love salt water coastal boating much better.
 
I had stern drives in salt water. Each year one got major work. Seems that is normal. Strait shaft in present boat. All we have done to the drive and steering system in 1800 hours and 9 years is change oil, grease mid shaft bearing, have shaft and rudder seals replaced. Boat get hauled in spring for zincs, wash, paint and I polish below rub rail. This winter we are storing it on hard as it costs about half what moorage does. If I was to but an other 38 footer I would get diesels 36 I might go with gas. We budget 5000 a year for boat work. 50% is haul out and paint other is oil, wax, new stuff and replace failed things.
Stern drives are more efficient I have been told as the thrust is strait out the back compared to shaft that is down ward thrust.
 
RUN from I/O in Salt...

I bought a NEW 38' EC (not SeaRay) off a show room floor and placed on Ohio River (planning to move to FL but not yet 'ready'). She had SeaCore Mercruisers and SeaCore Outdrives. I was advised it was MADE for SALT. Right. Don't know how or why but she had corrosion in the Ohio River (got 2 new outdrives after less than 4 months in the Ohio River....not even SALT yet...). Trucked her down to FL. Placed in 'Fresh Water' (as not yet 'ready' for SALT). After speaking with dealer, advised it was really OK to take her to SALT and told to 'go enjoy'....RIGHT (anyone remember Bill Cosby's NOAH?). Of course, in SALT, one must have a diver in warmer waters. After 3 wks in SALT, diver advised to 'do something' or the outdrives would be 'eaten up'. Contacted the dealer & manufacturer. Warranty would be voided if outdrives painted. What to do, I then asked as doing 'nothing' would also not be 'acceptable'. LIFT. Place her on a LIFT in SALT. RIGHT. She was SOLD and now I have my SeaRay 4200.
 
Frank- in reading your post, and thinking about my future plans and Florida - do you also think the Zues PODS on my 470 are not suited for sitting in the salt water at least 6 months?....don
 
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