Should I buy a 211 team edition that has seen salt water?

[Skiing-PT]

I am looking at buying a 2004 Air 211 team edition. It has seen the salt water some. No signs of rust on motor mounts and manifolds. It does have the salt water prep package (closed cooling system). The price is pretty good, but just wondering if I should shy away from it or not. It has spent the last 1 1/2 years in fresh water only.

[NautiqueJeff]

RE: Should I buy a 211 team edition that has seen salt water

Depends on the price.

[causewayskiier]

211

If it is a nice boat at a good price and the owner seems to be responsible I wouldn't hesitate to buy it. I just sold a MC that I used in brackish water for about 14 years, It was in good shape but I always flushed the motor and rinsed off the trailer and/or boat after each use. It did have some rust around the engine and motor mounts but it was mainly a cosmetic thing.

[tadelfio]

RE: 211

I agree, depends on the price and the condition of the boat. I think manifold condition would probably be the easiest sign. Pull the plugs on the manifolds after outside visual inspection.

[sodbuster88]

RE: 211

Make sure you inspect those hidden areas.... Pull the side panels out from around the engine and get your hand underneath the engine. Salt water condensation will most generally run or accumulate to the underside surfaces. Bolt heads, hardware, fittings, couplings, exposed surfaces that you can't see will show (or feel) gritty or corroded. If you find corrosion in those hard to see, underneath areas....beware. There might be corrosion in other areas (electrical connectors, machined surfaces, sealed joints, etc.....)

[jward]

RE: 211

i'm gonna say keep looking

[Skiing-PT]

RE: 211

They are asking $34000. I appreciate the input.

[steve-o]

RE: 211

Nothing wrong with a salt water boat. It just isn't worth as much as a fresh water one.

[causewayskiier]

211

I agree with sodbuster and steve-o. Just check out the engine compartment, see if the guy has made an attempt to keep rust at a minimum. Try to remove one of the spark plugs, that can be a problem area if not maintained well.

[sfjakey]

RE: 211

How many of you guys advising against salt water boats have ever owned and used a boat in salt water? I live on the water(salt) and have run ski boats here for over 20 years without a problem. Change your manifolds every 3-5 years and flush the motor and wash the boat after each use and they last as long as any other boat. Now with fresh water cooling and salt away, I don't know if I'll ever have to change anything. The trailer is what takes a beating in salt, not the boat. That is why my boats live on galvanized lifts.

[jward]

RE: 211

I had one, and that was enough for me. I did finally get it dialed in but I wish I had just kept shopping. Would have saved myself alot of time money and stress.

[AuMDLST]

RE: 211

IMO - I would never own a boat that had been run in salt - Salt is salt and no matter how good you clean it - it's still saltwater!!!
Maybe it's just because I have never seen a boat that has been in salt that was worth the potential trouble - I'm still looking for
that clean, worth every dollar as a fresh only boat, that has been maintained always after salt use??? Fresh boats do not replace risers/manifolds
every 3-5 years.

[bkhallpass]

RE: 211

We ran our boat in Salt water for 15 years. I'm sure there were some problems caused by the salt, but hey, that's where we lived. Many of our neighbors ran boats longer than that.

All things being equal, if I had no plans to run a boat in salt, then I would not want to buy a boat that has been run in salt. However, if all things aren't equal, that is, if I got a smoking deal on a boat that had been used in salt, then I would consider it, if the boat checked out and seemed to be in good repair. BKH

[Skiing-PT]

RE: 211

I also run across 2005 226 nautique with some salt water use. Once again has closed cooling system. Boat is loaded and has the ZR6 motor and galvanized trailer. Asking #34,900. What do you all think?