Two things to consider about salt. Are they dipping in and out of salt? What I mean is a guy who doesn't live on the water and trailers the boat home/storage away from the salt. Or is it on a lift? The trailered home and rinsed boat, will be o.k. for the most part. The on lift just above salt water boats are the ones with problems. I know from experience leaving on a lift just above salt water 24/7 all spring and summer. Salt film will be on everything. I wouldn't buy a salt water lift boat. But would consider one that's run in salt and not stored near the ocean.

I keep mine in a warehouse and on trailer and it gets a very good in and out cleaning after very use.

Most prob wouldn't even know my boat is a "salt" run boat cause of basic care and storage. I would have zero problems buying one like mine in the future.

I had an 89 formula 242ss 330 I/O salt water cooled - always left in the water, traded for a new one in 2001. Engine was flushed after almost every use. It had over 1000 hours when traded and the next buyer used it at least 3 years or more with no issues. Never a drive or engine problem or anything go other than exhaust elbows which were replaced every 5 yrs & manifolds 10. It all depends on care.
The owner of my old boat wanted first right of refusal to my next boat !!

How do you know that the Previous owner flushed it ever time, its one thing to say you do but how can one prove it. The seller isnt going to let you take the engine apart to see what the coolant passages look like.

That being said if you find a good SW boat that you can clearly see it has been well taken care of I wouldnt hesitate to buy it.

Does not matter if you flush it every time or not. once the corrosion begins it is well on its way .Which was when you turned the key off and went up to the bar for 5 hours before you went home and flushed it

Pull an intake or thermostat housing apart on a brand new motor that has been run a few times with flushing after and get back with me.

I wouldn't worry with a SW boat like this. Its the boat in and over saltwater all the time that will have more problems.

Over here, the marina where I store my boat has a cleaning service available. It's laughable but here's what they do when they retrieve your boat after every use....

Retrieve boat back on trailer.
Flush all (3) engines, 10 minutes each.
Clean interior and check under hatch storage areas for water.
Clean exterior.
Dry everything and put the boat back inside storage shed.
Leave covers off for 1 day and all doors, hatches open, seat cushion lifted to make sure everything's dry.
Replace covers after a quick inspection.

Most of you guys probably do something like that anyway. I used to do that until the marina staff asked why I didn't get them to do it. Total cost for the service, this is the laughable part, 250 Thai baht. (About $7)

I no longer clean my own boat and it's always shiny, dry and salt free!

RR

Fresh water boats get bonus points as Salt Water is harder on all gear- but to rule out all 15 yr old salt use boats as unreliable is far fetched. There are plenty 10-20 year old salt water boats that have been well maintained that still look and run great. Just saying take all things into consideration....

It's just like anything else mechnical, how was it maintained? Granted with SW boats, this is ALOT more care required, but if said care is done, the SW boat will be in just a good of condition as a freshwater boat...... For example, I personally spray WD-40 on my engines ~ every other time we got out, and then wipe them down 24 hours later... Here's a SW engine with ~65 hours of SW running....

A lot of these million dollar go fast boats are all ran in salt water , you don't here these guy's *****ing about the salt , It's all in how you take care of it , just like Dean's motor :)
I drove 10 hours once to buy a lake boat that had more rust and pit then any of my salt water boats combined ," I turned around empty on that one " Most people don't understand that ALL water is corrosive fresh and salt , so the fresh water guy's don't spray and clean there motor's ect, properly because they think there safe from corrosion but there NOT , go look in person and have any boat you by surveyed and inspected