Re: Salt water and a force O/B
When I bought my Manatee with a Force 125 it was an Atlantic salt water boat. It was a 1988 21 foot cuddy with an '88 Force 125. I paid 3800--a little more than I thought it was worth but I WANTED IT. The engine was well maintained and an anti corrosion coating was sprayed all over the block every season.
After the first season, I needed to replace the engine clamps, yoke and kingpin, and the power trim/tilt. This was due to corrosion. I replaced the engine with my 140 Chrysler in the avatar. However: the 125 is still running very well on my 14 foot flat bottom, doing around 60 MPH.
SO; while the engine block itself may be ok, expect to replace at least some of the other components even if the engine was meticulously maintained. The trim cylinder pin that goes through the clamps ALWAYS corrodes tight. Mounting bolts also tend to corrode the clamps and split them--that was the primary reason I removed my engine.
My engine was very heavy steering and the yoke and kingpin were corroded tight. If this engine steers easily, that's one problem you don't need to worry about--at least for the present.
So ultimately, expect some problems. If you don't mind spending a little more for repairs and if you don't mind doing them yourself then it may be worth it. If not, think twice. The real question is: will this be your primary boat, will it hurt to lay it up for a week or two, and will the 2300 hurt you if you do need to work on it and add more money into it?
I have so many junkers that replacing the parts mentioned did not cost anything--just my time. And that can make it a different story.
Oh, yeah! If you do decide to buy it the very first thing you should do is to remove the spool from the lower unit, lubricate it and replace it. This spool is the part behind the anode behind the prop. It separates the gearcase from the water intake. IF allowed to corrode--especially in salt water, it can expand enough to crack the gearcase.
