2008-2011 era salt water boats

[Ryan1776]

Hello everyone, I've stumbled across SAN but has lived it's life in salt water. I don't know the exact hours yet, waiting to hear back.
The boat LOOKS great and clean. What would be areas to look at with a fine toothed comb?
I'm very mechanically inclined so even if it needs something it doesn't scare me, just want to know what I'm in for or what to look for come price haggling time!

Thanks everyone!

Ryan

[shag]

Look at bilge area real close. Corrosion on engine mounts? Is it closed water cooling or raw? I can tell you from experience that I used to live and ride in salt environment and salt will get EVERYWHERE... What matters is how detailed the owner was in cleaning and maintaining. I know that my boats were better than some fresh water boats I have seen, that said, a salt water boat will almost always command a lower value because of the obvious reluctance of people willing to buy a salt boat. My experience is that salt boat users often sell to another salt boat user.
Another thing is to check the trailer very close. Depending on year and trailer model, salt likes to pool in areas and rust from within...
My .02

[Ryan1776]

Shag, thank you very much for that. Your answer definitely makes sense.
I did a search and the main thing that came up was steering cable but that was about it.
What about the ballast pumps/impellers and the actual float levels in the hard tanks? I would believe that the float mechanism and the associated potentiometer for the gauge readout would be susceptible to salt as well. Bilge pumps too.

Thank you for the advice.

[shag]

I think some of the bilge pumps are pretty abusable, that said - they are cheap to replace. Same with blower. Ballast pumps are a little more expensive and they may need to be replaced simply from age. I bought a 2008 230 SAN last year that had the original pumps in it... One went bad so I replaced it and bought two more to replace the others this year. Salt would prob work to deteriorate them more. They should have composite impellers though. Again, it's going to depend on how good of care the previous owner did.

[Miljack]

Also check the exhaust manifolds, depending on the year (and where the boat was originally shipped after manufacture) some will have the "Catanium" catalyst exhaust systems. These manifolds were contained within the closed system, not 100% true in the engines which were "Salt series" engines from PCM. It gets a little cloudy because some of the earlier "SS" boats I've seen have Crusader branded engines, which are a little different than the PCM watersports engines.
That said, if you're not sure, pull an elbow off the manifold to inspect it, if a manifold has rust/rot in this area, it can fail which would allow water to enter back into the engine causing a "hydrolocked" failure. You DON'T want this...
Other than that, Shag outlined some good inspection points, and also have a good look at the cosmetic trim that's aluminum, the salt air can cause oxidation problems on these parts. Also have a good look at the electrical system for corrosion on terminals and such.

[Ryan1776]

Great info, both of you! Thank you very much. So it really doesn't seem as though I should be TOO afraid of a salt boat. Due diligence on the check ride.
Hydrolock is a bad deal! OK good deal on the trim check, that should be a good indication on the usage and how it was maintained.
Good call on the terminals as well.

Shag, how many hours on the boat when you had to replace the ballast pumps? I know it won't be an exact science. But if the boat has 600 hours compared to one with 200 I'm assuming it could be interpolated out. Just want to know if that will be an expense I need to think about.

[2000superdare]

My 2000 air has spent its whole life in salt, regular maintenance usually includes steering cable every 2-3 years, exhaust manifolds every 5-7(depends if they get drained), Ballast tank sensors if tanks have ever been filled with salt water. If the trailer has carpeting around it, it will hold the salt water and make even a galvanized trailer disintegrate.

[Ryan1776]

Superdare. Thank you for your input. I like the years as well. Gives me something to work against. How many hours, average, were you using it?
So is 2-3 years for you 100 hours? or 300? If I go for this boat and everything checks out I might try to negotiate a steering cable swap (if they can't prove when it was done) before offering.
How do the ballast tank sensors work? I'm assuming they're float, but I could be wrong. Maybe a hunt into google would help!
Thank you for the trailer info as well.

[2000superdare]

Cant speak for the newer boats as mine is a 2000 with hard tanks, but the sensors are available on nautiqueparts, I'd say 200 hours every 3 years is about right, but the hours have no effect on the steering cable, sensors or manifolds its just the corrosion from the salt water. Steering cables always stay nice and free all season its when it gets put away for winter that it tends to stiffen up. I've got the cable down to a science takes about an hour now and cost is cheap considering. My ballast pumps are original, 17 years going strong.