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Can you use any boat motor in salt water?
I am getting conflicting advice on this and probably still will here, but I am going to try anyway. I am looking into getting my second boat and am pretty interested in a 2001 four winns with a volvo penta inboard outboard engine for around $4000. So is there anything I need to know about if I plan on using this boat pretty much exclusively in salt water? Being as specific as possible would be greatly appreciated!!!!! Thanks in advance!!!!!
Volvo has a very good reputation when used in salt water. Read the owners manual and do the regular maintenance and you will get years of service out of this engine/drive. Check the condition of the zinc anodes. and the lower unit paint condition. Sounds like a good price. Good luck!
4 Responses to “Can you use any boat motor in salt water?”
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February 27th, 2010 at 10:06 am
Volvo has a very good reputation when used in salt water. Read the owners manual and do the regular maintenance and you will get years of service out of this engine/drive. Check the condition of the zinc anodes. and the lower unit paint condition. Sounds like a good price. Good luck!
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February 27th, 2010 at 10:17 am
fresh water flush..wd 40 on everything..and yes the anodes are very important. its a boat it don’t care salt or fresh..salt just means wash everything down when your done..spray wd 40 all over the engine and wires.. maintenance is key.
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February 27th, 2010 at 10:37 am
Tiffany,
I can only say, that if it was me, and I was looking for a boat for salt water use – I would not choose any make or model fresh water boat. I know this is not what you want to hear – but I have "been there and done that" so to speak… and it is not just the salt water – but the entire "salt water" environment that so quickly causes everything to disintegrate. So, unless I didn’t care if the boat lasted more then a season or two – I simply would not do it.
If… you plan to keep or use this boat on salt water for any extended period of time – then for an inboard, or inboard/outboard, you really need an "enclosed system". This means, your engine’s cooling system will use antifreeze (just like your car) and NOT draw in salt water – as is common with vessels built for fresh water use.
In addition, salt water manufactured boats generally have stronger, heavier, better, everything. ie: electrical wires and systems are better protected, screws, wires, cables are thicker, etc. etc.
For example: install a "non-marine" stereo inside the cabin of a salt water boat – and even though it never gets wet, or sprayed with water – it will stop working in just a few months. Why? Because just as much damage is done from the salt in the moist air, as by the sea itself. And you have no way of protecting your gear and equipment from this.
So, since you are still "looking to getting a second boat" – I suggest you look for one designed and built for salt water.
Furthermore, if you are docking or storing this boat "on or near" the salt water… it makes matters all the much worse. in this case, all the washing and WD40 in the world is not going to help much.
So, to answer your question… Yes you can, but I would not.
And in today’s market, you should be able to find a really nice comparable "salt water" boat near the same money.
Happy and Safe boating!
John
References :
http://boatwrights.org
February 27th, 2010 at 10:58 am
yes
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