I clean, flush, and use "salt away" religiously after every use. Even at poker runs I take her out in the evening, stay up till past midnight, wash, rinse etc. but I hate to have her sitting in the salt. Often I dunk the whole boat and trailer in a fresh water lake near by. I would NEVER buy a boat that had contact with " frost" or freezing temps. NEVER. No matter how well it's "winterized" there are always hair line cracks on the gel coat and fiberglass. To many issues with the motors also. Rubber cracks, impellers dry, gaskets shrink.. etc. I lived in Chicago for a long time and I know all about temperature issues. While salt is a nasty chit, I can always clean and wash it off. My 1994 Infinity never seen freezing temps and my Avanti been mostly in salt water and you couldn't tell. I'm pretty anal about maintenance and I use about a can of 10 W 40 or Teflon enriched silicone every time I go out spraying all the outdrive. It's worth it. Just my .02 But.. there is the "fresh water" boats in "all summer" states. Now you talking but you miss the ocean environment.

I was the same way until I came down and have lived it and saw how many fresh water boats (mostly very expensive) from up North and come down South 8-10 times a year and boat over the winter, then I got to see first hand what salt water doesn't do to a boat if it's cleaned and taken care of, I guess you just have to live it.

It just takes a lot more work to keep a salt water boat in GC, that's all, it's a PITA but I love living at (near) the beach so it's a trade off I'm willing to make. BTW: there is a reason outboards are so popular for salt water boats, they are much more corrosion resistant and super easy to flush and wash.

It just about cleaning and maintenance.. Yeah its harder to keep a boat in good condition in Florida but you also use it all year round unlike up north. The man reason boat's look like crap in florida is lazy people just like you see people that don't take care of there house or cars.

True dat !!!!!!!!!!!

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Agreed - the strongest anti salt guys are always guys that live 1000 miles away from it.

I would agree the older the boat, the cleaner the fresh water ones look but dunking a boat in salt isn't like dunking a car in salt water......Boats are made to get wet! The steel brackets go first ( like the support brackets for the trim pumps, motor mounts, the trim pumps themselves) and the heat/humidity adds to the corrosion so a little sitting water in the bilge makes for a nice sauna for the rust!

I wouldn't be afraid of a salt boat but I wouldn't pay the fresh water premium either (seems freshwater means a 140K boat new is 119,900 asking price 10 years/500 hours later ).

I've boated in salt water most of my life and moved to the upper Chesapeake a few years ago where it's mostly fresh water.

Salt water definitely has a profound affect on the boat and equipment, there's no denying it. However, it's not the end of the world and if you maintain your stuff like you're supposed to and take the extra precautions necessary you'll be ok.

When I lived in NJ I'd spend at least 30 minutes flushing the engines, washing the boat and lubricating the entire engine room with CRC after every single boat ride. Even if it was a short boat ride, the engines were flushed..

Now I pull onto my lift, pack our stuff and head up to the house. I don't have to do the salt water regiment anymore...

I'd buy a salt water boat again and will probably buy one in the future if it's well cared for.

My buddy wants to sell his 36 Outlaw SST ( it's not listed) and the people on the board once they hear it's in Miami they get turned off. I don't get it at all. If it's cared for, washed, waxed and taken care of and egines are closed cooling then there's no major issues like some people think. Do you have to be more anal ? yes But then again you shoukld be. I have my guy wash and wax my boat every 2 weeks doesn't matter if i use it or not, it still gets done. For the ones that have PMed me in ref to the Baja and have turned away, If they only knew the deal they are missing. Its the cheapest 03 you can fine with low hrs (130 or so )