Salt Water Boats
 

Everything! :D

Seriously though, just like any boat, fresh or salt, it's all in the maintenance. Salt water requires more of it. You have to be super anal to keep a salt water boat looking good. And storing it high and dry indoors year round goes a long way towards that goal.

I pay dearly for that priveledge...but worth every penny. The fork lift drivers at my marina know my boat always goes to a work rack for a thorough wash down and flushing before it goes in the barn.

Any inboard salt water boat without a freshwater flush system hard plumbed on board is a BIG red flag. Muffs just don't do it.

Intakes are one of your biggest issues and can be the most costly, secondary only to exhaust and reversion. I second the maintenance comment... One good look in the engine compartment will tell you whether the guy take pride in his equipment or not.

T.

I just pulled the motors out of my 12 year old boat and i live on the coast. I bought it from the original owner whom is 60 years old . As far as i know it has been used for nothing but saltwater use . Needless to say i was pleasantly surpised at the condition of everything in the bilge. Dont get me wrong , i am going to change several things out , but overall everything looked pretty good. It looks like the motors have never been out either.
:drink:

Yep, I just came back to add that and close loop cooled engines are the shiznits. Love 'em.

And a good coat of wax is a must especially on transom hardware...your first place to look. Next is the bilge. A clean bilge is a good sign.

When its too rough to take my crew outside the inlet comfortably I take the opportunity to detail. I can honesty say my boat spent more time on the work rack last summer than the 20 hours it spent in the water. :(