converting to salt water

[scotti]

I am realtively new to boating, with only 5 years under nautical belt. I have lived in Ontario, Canada all my life and enjoyed boating in only freshwater, Now I have been relocated to the Caribbean,permanently.( good for me,but not my boat)If I may ask the stupidest of stupid questions,,,what do I do first to convert it for salt water? I have a Chris Craft /Grew Scorpion with a Mercruiser 4.7 litre and a Merc stern drive. I always use Stainless props so I guess I am ok there,,but what about treating the aluminum for Salt water, and more important, where do I begin to install a heat exchanger. Is there a conversion kit I can buy?. What about my bidge pumps? Change them too? I am new to salt water boating. I hope one of you guys ( or gals)can help me out before I throw myself to the wolves at a local marina..thanks. Scotti

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: converting to salt water

Welcome to iboats If your boat is more than a year old or has more than 50 hours on it, it is to late to add a heat exchanger.....<br />Be sure to flush the engine/drive on muffs after every use.....<br />I'm sure that someone will have a link to some of the additives like salt away that will help remove salt while flushing....<br />Keep an eye on your zincs & get some spray on anti fouling stuff for the out drive.......JK

 

[Big-E]

Re: converting to salt water

Converting to saltwater = easy. Drop boat into saltwater and have fun. I live in florida and my boat goes into freshwater only a couple times a year. Only thing i do differnt when i pull out of saltwater is wash it down good and flush the motor. I wouldnt worry about a head exchanger. Just change out your manifolds every couple years along with water pumps. <br /><br />Alot of people are afraid of putting there boats in saltwater but its no big thing. Ive been doing it for the last 10 years and the only problems ive ran into due to salt water is low tide . <br /><br />Have fun, <br /><br />Big-E

 

[paulrfrancisco]

Re: converting to salt water

Use antifouling paint on the bottom of the boat to prevent or inhibit barnacle growth, and get the same for the drive, but there is special paint for the drive...

 

[scotti]

Re: converting to salt water

thanks guys, Haut, Big E and Paul; You guys made my day! I am calling up to Canada now to get them working on it, I have actually painted the hull with Anti fouling paint every year. In Lake Ontario we had a quite a problem wit " Zebra mussels",,Those little fellas hook on for life! na make a nice job of stern drives that sit in the water idle for weeks.My boat although a '91, only 140 hours on it. The motor froze one winter,and I bought it for a song from the discruntled negligent owner. I replaced the motor with something a little warmed over, and promptly took out the stern drive with an unmarked under water fence of all things. Allstate looked after that. Now I have about 30 hours on the new motor, and 25 on the stern drive.Well thanks again for all you insight,I am really enjoying this site, especailly now .

 

[Lou C]

Re: converting to salt water

I have had my FW in salt 6 months of the year,for 5 seasons so far, it is more work but worth it. You need to really keep up on the antifouling on the drive, and I bet you'll have to paint it more than once a season in Fla, the paints barely last from May to Oct here in LI

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: converting to salt water

you have not stated if it is moored or trailered. this is a big point. to me it is actually worth the hassle of trailering, so you can flush it, and wash it. PM is what makes them last.

 

[scotti]

Re: converting to salt water

More great advice..how can I thank the good folks at iboats enough. I had my boat moored for 4 seasons, but I have since purchased a good trailer that I will use . Seems from the good advice I am getting here . that if I trailer it , clean it well, flush everything out well, and keep it all painted , I should be OK. I have to tell you,,there was a guy in Canada who was really spinning a tale for me of things that were going to happen to my boat in salt water...coincidenatlly the same guy who wants to buy my boat. I think I 'll be telling him what he can do with his $5000 conversion he was offering me.

 

[Bondo]

Re: converting to salt water

Now I have about 30 hours on the new motor, and 25 on the stern drive.

I'd go ahead,+ Add a Full Closed-Cooling System to it,..... Now....<br /><br />San Jaun(sp), as well as others make Add-on kits that'll Save you abunch over time......

 

[paulrfrancisco]

Re: converting to salt water

If you will end up trailering it, and putting it in for only the time it will be used, and pulling after each use, then you wont need any paint whatsoever.. For instance... to the extent of dropping it in on a saturday and then cruising around to different ports and staying over night at each location and back on the trailer on the following weekend, then you most likely dont ever need to put any paint on the bottom or the drive. Barnacles need more time than a day of sitting still in a slip/mooring to take hold... the most you might have to do is rinse with a pressure washer in all the nooks and crannys around the drive... then rest will wash right off... IMHO

 

[paulrfrancisco]

Re: converting to salt water

To add something else, you might even consider eventually stripping the paint off the bottom altogher and polishing it out.. definately will improve the washdown, makes itlook a lot better, and will improve the performance ever so slightly.