Fish n Ski in salt water or not?

[swick]

I bought a fish n ski for use in freshwater, there seems to be a debate over using in salt water or not. What do you think and why or why not?

 

[Les Robb]

Re: Fish n Ski in salt water or not?

What did you buy? Outboard inboard or whatever. Salt on the interior and exterior of boat and motor is worse than fresh for sure but it you give the boat a good fresh water hosing (don't forget the shammy) and run the engine on a muff to flush all the salt out of the interior it will have a minor effect on the overall life of your engine.

Enjoy both worlds ya'll

 

[Grant Brown]

Re: Fish n Ski in salt water or not?

Mine has never seen fresh water more than a couple of times in it's 15 year history. Salt kills. Just make sure you get it washed off.
Heck it's a boat, not a collector car! Use it!

 

[MRS]

Re: Fish n Ski in salt water or not?

You live in Florida and are worried about salt water use it and flush motor and clean boat with fresh water. I live in Calif. and have run my boat in the salton sea it is three times saltier than the ocean washed it flushed the motor with fresh water and it is a 1969 boat still running same motor and outdrive. Take care of it and have fun.

 

[swick]

Re: Fish n Ski in salt water or not?

It's not so much the salt that I'm concerned about, its whether or not a fish n ski is suitable for the choppy waters of the ocean. I personally think it will be fine but always open for other point of views. It's a 17' Sprint 277 f/s with a 120 hp force. It's primary use will be freshwater because we do live a stones throw from loxahatchee, but also about 15 min from the intercoastal.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Fish n Ski in salt water or not?

you can have a snap on bow cover made, buy any canvas company, with a center support pole. this work well if you hit inclement seas. also an auto/manual bilge pump.

 

[metriccrescentwrench]

Re: Fish n Ski in salt water or not?

Darn swick, you sure put a lot of faith in ask-the-audience lifelines. IMHO, be conservative and gradually ease into gaining experience when venturing into the ocean. Always stay on top of the weather forecasts. As one of my flight instructors used to say, "it's far better to be on the ground wishing you were up there than the other way around".

 

[dingbat]

Re: Fish n Ski in salt water or not?

With some caution you'll be OK. With that said, we average 2-3 open bow boats a year that get swamped in the Chesapeake Bay from passing boats.

The latest was a 20' bow ride with 5 passengers aboard. One of the passengers didn't make it. Never saw it coming or saw it too late. Wake from a freighter passing by almost 3 miles away.

Had 3 die a couple years back. Same situation. Clam day. 5 people out in a 19? boat. Wake from passing freighter flipped the boat. A passing charter boat picked up 2 of them but the others where not found until the following morning.

 

[swick]

Re: Fish n Ski in salt water or not?

metriccrescentwrench its not me putting faith in "ask the audience" its me trying to gain perspective from more experienced boaters. Like you said- better to be on the ground hoping to be in the air then vice versa. I try to make informed decisions and it seems that there is plenty of knowledge going around here on iboats. To my benefit I find people that have opposing opinions, but as I said, it gives me some other perspectives to consider. Thanks for your insights.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Fish n Ski in salt water or not?

swick, take a look at this, and plan on joining us. http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=316813

 

[ajgraz]

Re: Fish n Ski in salt water or not?

All good advice; depends on the weather and the water.

Chesapeake can be a killer, weather changes quickly and unexpectedly (I grew up in Newark DE/Elkton MD, so I know)

FL intracoastal probably not so bad as long as there's not a hurricane or torrential rain going on.

Here in San Diego, I have no issue taking my 15' open bow a mile or two out into the kelpbeds any time of year, so long as I know the weather's good and the tide is coming in. Signals, working kicker and VHF a must, of course. I am, as Tashasdaddy suggested, contemplating making a snap-on bow cover because I do take on water in the bow when cutting big wakes in the San Diego Bay.

 

[pinellas50]

Re: Fish n Ski in salt water or not?

oops

 

[lakeerieboater26]

Re: Fish n Ski in salt water or not?

spray and flush with salt away and it will be fine

 

[Fireman431]

Re: Fish n Ski in salt water or not?

When the weather is nice, it doesn't matter what body of water you're on. I've been 35 miles out in a 17' boat (I didn't say I was smart, I just said I did it) and there way no issues.

Start out on great weather days and just gou out the inlet for a quick ride. You'll feel more comfortable in no time. Just make sure that when you come back in the inlet, you follow the same trail that you took out. Returning against head-on seas can be tricky sometimes.

 

[cr2k]

Re: Fish n Ski in salt water or not?

Just make sure that you run on fresh water for as long as it takes to fully warm the engine up and open the thermo. or there will be no flushing.

Also if you are planning on salt water uses you might (one at a time) pull the lower drive bolts and coat the threads with gasket sealing compound (or aviation permatex) this will keep salt corrosion out and ensure ease of disassembly for service in the future. Basically wherever there is a bolt that will be exposed to salt water. Including the water pump bolts when you get to them for an impeller job.

And make sure your prop shaft splines are well greased. A corroded on prop is a real pain to pull off.

Other than that enjoy boating to the max!

 

[Parts Jimmy]

Re: Fish n Ski in salt water or not?

Use my Fish & Ski in the salt water all the time.

 

[Fireman431]

Re: Fish n Ski in salt water or not?

Why not combine both? Here's an image of us skiing from 21' Center Console fishing boat 6 miles out into the Atlantic.

Like I said, as long as the weather cooperates, it really doesn't matter what body of water you're on!

 

[CC Boat]

Re: Fish n Ski in salt water or not?

About four or five years ago some friends and I were out on a 22 or 23 foot Mako deep V and a storm blew in. We found ourselves in eights and tens at around 40 miles offshore near the Naval R-2 tower. (Georgia Coast). We took some damage but we made it back alive. I have spent a lot of time offshore and in smaller boats as well but that trip was almost a disaster. All that being said the weather was "supposed" to be good that day. I made a new offshore rule, if I have to think about if the boat is big enough of not for the trip it is not big enough. Don't push it and do not under estimate the ocean.

 

[GopherPride23]

Re: Fish n Ski in salt water or not?

here's a question on top of this question...

My boat is in fresh 90% of the time... Its a 1987 starcraft 19 foot with 4.3 omc cobra.

On vacation for a week I am taking my boat out in the salt. I was contemplating renting a slip for the week and leaving it in the harbor. Is it better or worse to leave the boat in the salt for seven days in a slip, or take it in and out everyday?