How Bad are Older Salt Water Boats?

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May I suggest that you and your mate put on dancen shoes... Of course, "Sperry Stop Sliders" preferred for dancen aboard "Trawlers!" lol

Then get ready to dance on A LOT of power boats. Because... the really good and inexpensive pleasure cruisers (i.e trawlers) are few and far between. But, they do exist!

If you well understand mid sized power boats then you can self-do inexpensive (virtually no-cost) pre surveys on each boat. If you don't then maybe find someone who does (a friend?) and for reasonable cost agrees to take "quick peak" at boat(s) you really like; to see if cost of marine surveyor and marine mechanic is warranted.

Be sure you know size, style, power source(s), speed, hull type, interior layout, Master stateroom accommodations necessary, galley location, # of heads and beds... etc before you really go looking. Having full knowledge of what you seek reduces stress, quickens the search and usually improves the outcome. :thumb:

Happy Boat Search Daze! - Art :socool:
 
Maintenance is going to cost, regardless.

img_251854_0_6d742de73fbec03054ef0b87af045870.jpg
 
RT Firefly said:
Greetings,
Mr. s. Boats/manufacturers of hulls prone to blistering will experience the problem more in fresh water because there is less water in salt water.
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But in the U.S. of A, the salt water tends to be warmer, often much warmer.
 
taime1 said:
This might be a dumb question but, why would the larger ones be in heated storage?

Maybe the owners have the cash for heat....but I think it's mostly that it's a better payoff in the comparison of winterizing cost/effort versus premium paid for heat. Bigger boat is a bigger PITA to prep for the freezing temps.


That's also true - I am open to other types, but not many seem to fit the layout that I want, particularily the exterior (walk around decks, easy boarding, good size aft deck, flybridge). I'm also on the fence as to the gas vs. diesel for many different reasons and have more researching to do on that - but that's for another post.

I'm looking out the window at a Carver 352...reasonable walkaround decks, nice aft deck, flybridge, huge interior volume for the exterior size...

Regarding dspeed, I was thinking in terms of getting from place to place on weekends. Seven knots sux if you want to venture around on the Lakes. Sell it and get a trawler when the kids are gone and life slows down.
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Like anything, there is good & bad in all. If you discount saltwater boats, you have decreased your choices by a significant percentage. In your area, there may be a lot of "freshwater" boats, but overall - the large majority of trawler style boats have been in salt water.

btw - How do you tell which is a fresh water boat?? .......... Condition! yes - that is what you should be looking at, rather than listening to what the salesman is telling you.
 
My boats have all been saltwater boats for all or at least most of their life. Be they glass or wood; 1960's to now! Taint the water type that really makes for a good boat. It is due to manufacturer quality and upkeep from previous owner(s).

That said - for first time in my boat owning life, for last five years, we have kept our 1977 glass Tollycraft in SF Delta fresh water. Man, it really does relieve much of the upkeep on bottom, water borne metal parts/equipment, and drive train in general.
 
A transient boat shared our dock with us for a few days last week. The owner had purchased the boat, an early 2000's vintage 40 foot Formula, in Florida and hauled it up to the Great Lakes. Beautiful boat that was cosmetically great. But he was having trouble with a solenoid in the starting circuit for one of the Cummins diesels. The part arrived overnite mail at the marina. He spent most of the next day cursing salt water boats as he fought corrosion in both the mounting bracketry and the wiring connectors (which virtually disintegrated). Ruined that guy's summer vacation.
 
taime1 said:
I guess my question can be boiled down to: is it reasonable to eliminate salt water boats from my list of potential boats?
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No.

But it will usually be less expensive to bring to your home port a boat purchased more locally. IOW, consider initial transportation as part of your acquisition costs.

FWIW, salt water content here on the Chesapeake (since you mention MD) is relatively benign compared to south Florida, etc.

-Chris
 
Vashon_Trawler said:
Early 2000's vintage? :)
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See number 3 below (Merriam-Webster) :)

1
a (1) : a season's yield of grapes or wine from a vineyard (2) : wine; especially : a usually superior wine all or most of which comes from a single year
b : a collection of contemporaneous and similar persons or things : crop
2
: the act or time of harvesting grapes or making wine

3
a : a period of origin or manufacture <a piano of 1845 vintage>
b : length of existence : age
 
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The point is, the water is supposed to stay on the outside of the boat so unless it has sunk, there should be very little difference,

The exception would be an I/O (stern drive) but few trawlers have these.
 
taime1, the original poster should do some research on importing a boat into Canada that was not built in North America.
I cannot keep up with tax laws and customs duty everywhere but I thought that a Canadian will have to pay import duties to bring a Taiwanese built boat into the country, no import duty for US built.
There may also be some cost in measurement to register the boat in Canada so research that also.
Yes boats in Florida are priced less after being baked by the tropical sun and you may get a great deal but the cost to get to Canada may not save a lot of money.
 
yachtbrokerguy said:
taime1, the original poster should do some research on importing a boat into Canada that was not built in North America.
I cannot keep up with tax laws and customs duty everywhere but I thought that a Canadian will have to pay import duties to bring a Taiwanese built boat into the country, no import duty for US built.
There may also be some cost in measurement to register the boat in Canada so research that also.
Yes boats in Florida are priced less after being baked by the tropical sun and you may get a great deal but the cost to get to Canada may not save a lot of money.
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For boats built outside the US, there is a duty of 9.5% of the purchase price. There is also about 14% in provincial and federal taxes - the provincial amount varies with the province of residence.

I also have to consider the difference in currency and the cost to convert the currency.

My last boat came from the US but was built in the US, is indeed a salty, and IIRC, the total cost differential, including the transportation fuel (just trailering overland myself), came to about 25%. I paid $17k US and it took a little over $21k CAN to get her home. The extra 9.5% duty might be a bit of a deal killer - depends on the boat, the deal and the "love factor" I guess.
 
Donsan said:
Salt laden air can be as much of a problem as salt water.
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Sort of True; in that salt laden air is corrosive/detrimental primarily only on the outside of air positioned equipment, paint etc!

Whereas salt water affects air positioned equipment it comes into contact with as well as inside salt water filled apparatus and under boat on salt water submerged paraphernalia and boat bottom paint.

But, heck, if your boat is in salt laden air... must be in salt water too, far as I can figure!

Happy Boat Care daze! - Art :thumb:
 
Salt air and salt water find its way into most parts of a boat that is used in salt water when there is high enough winds to create salt spray for sure...occasionally other times. If it doesn't you are one of the few that manage it well and do things to your boat that most don't bother with.

It's drawn into the engine room via vents and into any equipment blowing air like an alternator, inverter, battery charger (if they have fans).

Salt finds it's way in through your anchor rode /hawse, on your shoes, oil skins, blow in through open ports or doors if accidently open or being used.

Occasionally a leak in the engine room gets to the point where it gets thrown or sprayed around.

Salt water works it's way in eventually....every boat is different, used differently and taken care of differently...but it gets in.
 
I stand further expanded! Re salt and its nasty ways.

While living in Maine the salt applied onto roads in winter ate vehicles alive! That with coastal air made for much salty effects!
 
While living in Maine the salt applied onto roads in winter ate vehicles alive!

Cars are not designed or built for immersion in salt water boats are.

Tiny boars with OI suffer the most from having the drive gear immersed.

Any cruiser will have running gear built for being IN salt water.
 
Art said:
Sort of True; in that salt laden air is corrosive/detrimental primarily only on the outside of air positioned equipment, paint etc!

Whereas salt water affects air positioned equipment it comes into contact with as well as inside salt water filled apparatus and under boat on salt water submerged paraphernalia and boat bottom paint.

But, heck, if your boat is in salt laden air... must be in salt water too, far as I can figure!

Happy Boat Care daze! - Art :thumb:
Click to expand...

Have a look at the corrosion issues on an older seafront house. No direct salt water contact, but much faster corrosion of anything external, and often internal fittings as well.
 
During that long cold year that I was a Yacht broker, I was pushing everything from Bayliners to Oceans. (The only trawler I every saw was mine). The Bayliners, after a few years on the Jersey coast, were just toast and no amount of work would bring back their finishes or brightwork. You have to keep up these boats. They don't come back.

One Trojan I was trying to sell was a real dump. Fished every week by a bunch of guys. Big tuna tower, out to the canyon every weekend, fish guts all over everything, no winter cover. I told the owner that I might be able to sell it if he cleaned it up. I got a lead and so I went out to check the boat after the same guys had cleaned it up. WOW! Good expensive boats really clean up nice. Gel coat was gleaming, the brightwork gleamed, the engine room shone and the uphostery was soft, supple and even smelled nice. It was a different boat. It sold. I saw this over and over.

When I went to Montreal, we were invited to stay at the Royal Yacht Club. Pulling into the slip next to us was a mid 1960's Chris-Craft 40 something foot express with those chrome dashboards that look like they are from a 1958 Chrysler. I've seen many of them up and down in the backwaters of marinas in New Jersey. They all look like ass. Well this one looked like the brochure. It was perfect. This boat had never seen salt water, snow, hail or frankly sunshine. All the boats there looked like that.
 
alormaria said:
During that long cold year that I was a Yacht broker, I was pushing everything from Bayliners to Oceans. (The only trawler I every saw was mine). The Bayliners, after a few years on the Jersey coast, were just toast and no amount of work would bring back their finishes or brightwork. You have to keep up these boats. They don't come back.

One Trojan I was trying to sell was a real dump. Fished every week by a bunch of guys. Big tuna tower, out to the canyon every weekend, fish guts all over everything, no winter cover. I told the owner that I might be able to sell it if he cleaned it up. I got a lead and so I went out to check the boat after the same guys had cleaned it up. WOW! Good expensive boats really clean up nice. Gel coat was gleaming, the brightwork gleamed, the engine room shone and the uphostery was soft, supple and even smelled nice. It was a different boat. It sold. I saw this over and over.

When I went to Montreal, we were invited to stay at the Royal Yacht Club. Pulling into the slip next to us was a mid 1960's Chris-Craft 40 something foot express with those chrome dashboards that look like they are from a 1958 Chrysler. I've seen many of them up and down in the backwaters of marinas in New Jersey. They all look like ass. Well this one looked like the brochure. It was perfect. This boat had never seen salt water, snow, hail or frankly sunshine. All the boats there looked like that.
Click to expand...

Are you serious????

Being a Bayliner owner I've seen some Bayliner Bashing, but this one is a first! :) Good job! I'm impressed!

Bayliners finishes are more susceptible to salt water corrosion? No amount of work will bring a Bayliner finish back?

Your comments are so incorrect I do not know where to start!

I wish I could be offended by your demonstrated lack of knowledge of the subject matter at hand, but it is so outlandish that I'm laughing too hard to type properly!
 
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taime1 said:
For boats built outside the US, there is a duty of 9.5% of the purchase price. There is also about 14% in provincial and federal taxes - the provincial amount varies with the province of residence.
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Gee, there was a 1.5% U.S. import duty to bring my Chinese-built boat to California, and about an 8.5% use tax imposed by California. Shipping costs were about a one-third greater. Taxes and transportation were about one-fourth of the new boat's price, not counting import broker and insurance fees/costs.

First sea leg:

img_252399_0_d7ea175abf2b0c594eff7666879e76cb.jpg
 
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alormaria said:
During that long cold year that I was a Yacht broker, I was pushing everything from Bayliners to Oceans. (The only trawler I every saw was mine). The Bayliners, after a few years on the Jersey coast, were just toast and no amount of work would bring back their finishes or brightwork. You have to keep up these boats. They don't come back.

One Trojan I was trying to sell was a real dump. Fished every week by a bunch of guys. Big tuna tower, out to the canyon every weekend, fish guts all over everything, no winter cover. I told the owner that I might be able to sell it if he cleaned it up. I got a lead and so I went out to check the boat after the same guys had cleaned it up. WOW! Good expensive boats really clean up nice. Gel coat was gleaming, the brightwork gleamed, the engine room shone and the uphostery was soft, supple and even smelled nice. It was a different boat. It sold. I saw this over and over.

When I went to Montreal, we were invited to stay at the Royal Yacht Club. Pulling into the slip next to us was a mid 1960's Chris-Craft 40 something foot express with those chrome dashboards that look like they are from a 1958 Chrysler. I've seen many of them up and down in the backwaters of marinas in New Jersey. They all look like ass. Well this one looked like the brochure. It was perfect. This boat had never seen salt water, snow, hail or frankly sunshine. All the boats there looked like that.
Click to expand...

:popcorn: I think I take one more.. :popcorn:
 
ksanders said:
Are you serious????

Being a Bayliner owner I've seen some Bayliner Bashing, but this one is a first! :) Good job! I'm impressed!

Bayliners finishes are more susceptible to salt water corrosion? No amount of work will bring a Bayliner finish back?

Your comments are so incorrect I do not know where to start!

I wish I could be offended by your demonstrated lack of knowledge of the subject matter at hand, but it is so outlandish that I'm laughing too hard to type properly!
Click to expand...

You can't put anything on the Internet that's not true, right? ;)

A friend has a Sea Ray and I commented that it was a Bayliner with upgraded appliances and upholstery. He didn't take my comment too well, but in truth, that's what it was. Same engine, same drive, etc.

Going back to the original post, if a "freshwater boat" is better than a "saltwater boat" (as if those were real terms), then the best boat is a new boat that's never seen water, followed by one that's been stored out of the water and seldom or never used.

If I was afraid my boat would fall apart in salt water, I wouldn't even own one. Being afraid of salt water severely limits your cruising destinations.
 
A boat has less draft in saltwater as compared to freshwater. ;)
 
markpierce said:
Gee, there was a 1.5% U.S. import duty to bring my Chinese-built boat to California, and about an 8.5% use tax imposed by California. Shipping costs were about a one-third greater. Taxes and transportation were about one-fourth of the new boat's price, not counting import broker and insurance fees/costs.
img_252484_0_d7ea175abf2b0c594eff7666879e76cb.jpg
Click to expand...

Yeah, after calculating/estimating taxes and fees, I figure that importing a US boat would add about 45% on the purchase price. That's quite a bit and it doesn't include any costs related to travel (to look at the boat), surveys, shipping (very pricey and involves pilot house surgery if going by truck), etc... Lots to think about, beyond the salt vs. fresh water.

People often think that if you have a boat, you have alot of money. I correct them by explaining that I have no money because I have a boat.

;)
 
On the other hand, my Chinese-built boat cost about half of an equivalent U.S. boat.
 
From previous comments I gather the assumption among posters, as you did not specify, is that the hull material you're looking for is GRP (aka fiberglass). If by some chance you're thinking wood, salt water does not rot wood. It actually pickles wood, so the older the better. Your concern there would be the condition of the fasteners, the more noble the better. I drive a 1978 GRP boat that's been in salt water its entire life. No problems with the hull or running gear. My previous boat, a sloop, was built in timber in the UK with bronze fasteners. She is still going strong after 85 years. You may want to consider taking your surveyor/relative's future comments with a grain of salt.
 
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