Is Salt Water Really All that bad?

[97Searay175]

My 175 has spent it's entire 16 year life in brackish water as far as I know (there are no freshwater lakes within hours of me). But I don't think you could tell. Water is water.

Sure, after a day in rather choppy and rough water I'll have salt spray on everything and have to wash it, but on a 175, I could wash it in 10 minutes inside and out.

As others suggested, flush the engine for a few minutes after use and be sure to hose down the trailer real well too. The ramp I use has a freshwater faucet and hose right there to get everything done as soon as you pull it out.

This spring I need to replace the exhaust manifold and elbow...I'm guessing this is the first time this has been done in the 16 years. (Boat has around 350hrs on it now).

You'll be fine, you're boat won't melt and sink when it touches salt, as some would lead you to believe. :smt001

Do you have a Closed Cooling System on the 175? I can scrub/spray the boat all day. My major concern are the engine parts deteriorating with time, even after flushing.

 

[97Searay175]

On Another note, does anyone know of a good reference/place where I can download the Manual for the Mercruiser 3.0 Alpha One Engine?

 

[Bucit]

Do you have a Closed Cooling System on the 175? I can scrub/spray the boat all day. My major concern are the engine parts deteriorating with time, even after flushing.

My last boat was a 22' Aquasport with a 200HP Johnson (outboard). I bought the boat brand new and had it for 12 years (all salt water). THe motor had 1200+ hours on it
with nothing more than typical maintenance. I know that I/O's will require a little more work but if you keep it clean and do what is required anyway it doesn't matter where you boat. Don't beat yourself up and enjoy boating wherever it may be :smt038

 

[370Dancer]

55 years in salt water, 1 year in fresh water. Here's my take:
Salt, wash the boat if you're gettin spray. Fresh, wash the boat cause your'e gettin spider crap.
Salt, pay attention to the systems that water runs through. Fresh, pay attention to the systems that water runs through.
Salt, put your hand over the top of your drink when sitting in the water in case someone wakes you. Fresh, put your hand over the top of your drink when sitting in the water in case someone wakes you.

I truly think the only things that last longer in fresh than salt are hose clamps (very important), and bilge pump impellers.

 

[sbw1]

55 years in salt water, 1 year in fresh water. Here's my take:
Salt, wash the boat if you're gettin spray. Fresh, wash the boat cause your'e gettin spider crap.
Salt, pay attention to the systems that water runs through. Fresh, pay attention to the systems that water runs through.
Salt, put your hand over the top of your drink when sitting in the water in case someone wakes you. Fresh, put your hand over the top of your drink when sitting in the water in case someone wakes you.

I truly think the only things that last longer in fresh than salt are hose clamps (very important), and bilge pump impellers.

Risers last the life of the motor in fresh water. There are many early 80s boats on our lake that have never been checked because it's not an issue. Impellers last longer too unless you run the boat in heavily silted water. If you run on the Great Lakes and in clean rivers and lakes, the impellers last a long time. I changed mine last year for the first time in three years. They looked and felt like the ones that just came out of the box.