What kind of damage from an I/O in salt water for 2-3 years?

[Lou C]

Hm. Is this a bayliner specific thing, or are all glass boats not great after 15 years or so? That seems... not ideal. Like it's just not worth looking at a glass boat older than about 2010? I feel like there are a lot of 90s, 80s, even 70s boats running around out there. Should I be avoiding most or all of them? Thanks

All 'glass boats especially from the 80s and 90s before the change over to composite construction not using as much wood. Any boat I didn't know the history of that's of that vintage would be suspect to me. I would not buy it without taking it to my favorite fiberglass guy right here in Long Island, I'd gladly pay him to look at it.
If I were to buy a used 'glass boat, ideally it would be 5-7 years old, used but not used up. Most old 'glass + wood boats are used up, you just don't know it till the deck gets springy.

 

[airshot]

Someone is pulling a fast one on you. Not only the out drive will be corroded, probably the engine as well, especially the manifolds where salt water has set, eating away the insides. There is no way in he'll that bike is water free after sitting all that time, someone or something has removed the water to make it look better. Someone is trying to save disposal costs by selling at a cheap price. As others have mentioned, run, don't walk away !!

 

[Mc Tool]

Someone is pulling a fast one on you. Not only the out drive will be corroded, probably the engine as well, especially the manifolds where salt water has set, eating away the insides. There is no way in he'll that bike is water free after sitting all that time, someone or something has removed the water to make it look better. Someone is trying to save disposal costs by selling at a cheap price. As others have mentioned, run, don't walk away !!

Yeah airshot ,that was my feeling re the lack of water in the boat. Just doesnt stack up.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Part of me hopes the OP buys the boat.....the morbidly curious part

 

[RGrew176]

I don't know why a dry bilge is such a problem. Of the 13 or so boats I have owned all except one of them had dry bilges. The only one that had water in the bilge was my 1963 Chris Craft Constellation. It had a wooden planked hull and when first placed in the water there was water in the bilge. Once the hull swelled up even that bilge was bone dry.

So, why the big issue with a dry bilge.

Oh yeah, 5 of the boats I owned were Bayliners. Dry bilges in a Bayliner. Imagine that.

For clarification all my boats were freshwater boats as I have no experience with saltwater boats.

 

[tpenfield]

As stated . . .

(Bayliner) + (1991) + (I/O 2-3 years in salt water) = the concerns

You would not only want to verify the condition of the outdrive, but also the condition of the boat's structure. You mentioned that you did not want to get into a structural restoration project, just purely mechanical stuff. Make sure that is the case.

 

[Stinnett21]

If you're wanting a non-structural project I would look for something much newer that wasn't winterized right. Fiberglass wood encased boats that are 30 years old and have been sitting in the water is far too risky. Even though you do say it's been sitting in a covered slip...that's good...but it's now 34 years old. Too risky not knowing prior history IMO.

 

[Lou C]

Realize what rots wood core boats and rusts vehicles….moisture in the air….the integrity of the wood structure of a wood/glass boat is a Function of the wood used but mostly the quality of workmanship and the storage habits of the owner, as well as sealing any screw holes….

 

[airshot]

I don't know why a dry bilge is such a problem. Of the 13 or so boats I have owned all except one of them had dry bilges. The only one that had water in the bilge was my 1963 Chris Craft Constellation. It had a wooden planked hull and when first placed in the water there was water in the bilge. Once the hull swelled up even that bilge was bone dry.

So, why the big issue with a dry bilge.

Oh yeah, 5 of the boats I owned were Bayliners. Dry bilges in a Bayliner. Imagine that.

For clarification all my boats were freshwater boats as I have no experience with saltwater boats.

Sitting in the water for 2-3 years with O water in the bilge ?? No way, unless it didn't rain for 3 years !!

 

[briangcc]

Boat house?? I could see that happening. At least they're fairly prevalent up in the areas I frequent.