Saltwater SANTES

[OzEmu]

Gday gang,

Love the work in here. Other forums just don’t cut it.

I am gearing up to join the family and am super amped about it. My family has a house on a lake 2 hours away and we have the mighty Murray River not much farther. Everyone knows freshwater is best.

I live 5 minutes from a saltwater river that mouths into a sweet stretch of coast that is usually amazing to ski behind a few days a week in summer. With an outboard maintained properly our current boat has been doing this for nigh on 10 years.

If I were to purchase a SANTE, and chose to occasionally drop it in the bay because conditions are just too **** good to not do it, what issues should I expect to face in terms of the boat, mechanically, electrically and generally?

With respect to these issues, how could they be addressed to maximize maintenance and reduce damage?

A footnote, I am going to have to buy something between 99 and 06. This thread may have been dont to death, but isnt exhaustive.

[nauty220]

Shouldnt be a problem. Have a fresh water flush installed and hook up the house and flush after. There are some threads you can search for on the site discussing other maintenance in detail

[shag]

Flush EVERYTHING after you use it in Salt. And if you have a painted trailer, don't expect it to last long after the salt exposure. Salt gets everywhere. I would soak the motor with WD40 (easy to hose off, but still a good protectant.)

[nyryan2001]

I prob wouldn't use WD-40... I know it means water dispersant... But I would can spray and coat SILICONE ....everything in the engine compartment, tranny, Vdrive, bilge, latches, screws, battery terminals, electrical connectors in the bilge, exposed metal anywhere on boat or trailer etc... Anything that could rust or corrode.

understand everyone that comes in from the water wet is dripping salt water down onto your engine , tranny, electrical, etc... That's rough living for the boat.... But if I lived in such a gorgeous place I'd likely do it!

fresh water flush every time, and I'd certainly install the corrosion anodes on your underwater gear.

[OzEmu]

Flush EVERYTHING after you use it in Salt. And if you have a painted trailer, don't expect it to last long after the salt exposure. Salt gets everywhere. I would soak the motor with WD40 (easy to hose off, but still a good protectant.)

If you live in Aus and dont have a galvanised trailer there is something wrong with your brain. I think like 86 % of our measly 23 million people live on the coast - where salt air hangs about. If you dont have gal, you may as well have a wooden trailer!

Thanks for the info guys. Learning a stack in here...

[swc5150]

I have no doubt you've already considered this, but with great water so close, you may want to purchase a Coastal edition for added protection.

[JamesHawk101]

We have a G23 on a lift in saltwater. Everytime after we use it I spray the seats down and the whole outside of the boat and then dry everything off. Getting a flush kit if you don't get a coastal edition is extremely important. I spray Crc or something (don't remember the name, its a silicon lube) on the engine, transmission, pumps, etc... also.