Salt water!

Want some opinions , looking at a 2009 210 super air, boat was in salt water once a year for about 5-6 years, cant tell anything in side the boat the prop and key and nut that holds prop on is rusty and 0f course around the rudder. I think these are closed cooling . anything else i should look for? Has anyone ever bought one and had good luck and or bad luck?

Feel I am reasonably well qualified to comment on this one since I have worked with a 2011 230, 2013 G23 and own a 2011 210 that were all kept in salt for most of their lives. I am not sure they had the 'Coastal Edition' in 2009 but if it has the 6.0L it should at least have the closed cooling system. That is a big plus. I can't imagine you are going to have too many issues if the boat was used here and there in salt, especially if it was regularly run in fresh water afterwards. The rust you describe sounds pretty minor. I know with the Coastal Edition boats there are a couple of extra anodes (heat exchanger, rudder, shaft) that protect from the salt but not a great deal beyond that. I have noticed the corrosion most on the powder coating on the tower, head of the drive shaft and other smaller bits and pieces throughout the boat. If the boat has a closed loop and you are only seeing rust where you describe I would think that it should be quite safe. My boat sits on a lift in brackish water and (500hrs now) and I have learnt to live with some of the corrosion but it isn't progressing as fast as I expected. Salt is just a lot more maintenance!

Thinks for the input im just going off pics and a video the seller sent me , im going to look at it in person this weekend so if i have any more questions ill pm you

I have friends who have used a non-salt water boat with closed cooling in salt on a few occasions during family vacations and such. In my experience, the things to look for are as follows:

(1) look at the stereo components - amps and such - and see if there is ANY visible sign of corrosion or rust. It only takes one time for salt water to get sprayed, splashed, soaked (from a wet towel, etc.) onto non-salt specific electrical components for problems to occur. I had a friend who lost two amps after a beach vacation due to corrosion. People threw wet jackets into the OB compartment and salt water splashed on his amp board.

(2) look at the area around the alternator and starter. While a boat may be closed cooling, that just protects areas inside the block itself. Water is still going to enter and exit the manifolds and can get all over various external engine components. If the alternator and starter look bad (rusty connections, etc.) then they have had salt water splashed, dripped or sprayed on them. Rust and corrosion can indicate a potential shorter life span for the components. If there is a bunch of rust or corrosion on top of the engine, it could be from salt water dripping through the sunpad, or could be from water getting slung up from the bilge via the serpentine belt.

(3) running salt water through manifolds will begin the process of internal corrosion. Flushing will help, but it is my understanding that once the process starts, it will decrease the life of the manifolds. Someone with more experience than me can probably chime in here on what to look for and/or to expect.

(4) look at trim pieces, bolts, screws for superficial rust.

(5) look closely at the gel on the boat. Even if a boat has been used only a handful of times in heavy salt, if left tied to a dock for a week, salt/sand can take a toll on a boat's gel surfaces.

Also in my experience...... if the seller says it was used in salt once a year for the last 5-6 years ...... What he really means is it was used in salt more than half of its life and its a great way to sugar coat the truth... Not always the case, but pretty general

If it was really used in salt once a year over the last 5-6 years and properly cared for after wards, I would bet you would not really be able to tell...

I put about 300 hours on my boat last year, about 50 so far this year, just about all of it in Salt Water bays along the gulf coast and I've only noticed one spot, basically a crome piece of trim that has a little rust on it. I've got a Nautique G21 Coastal. That said, the boat storage company I use lifts it out, rinses and thoroughly cleans it after each use which I think helps significantly. I've also seen some fairly new boats that look terrible from salt water, to me I think it all comes down to how it's cared for, if your seller is OCD about keeping it cleaned, rinsed and flushed like I am you should be fine....if not, it's a gamble.....my two cents

Grew up with boats in saltwater in Hawaii, and as everyone has mentioned above, it requires a lot more maintenance. And I agree with Diggs completely! So if there's signs of rust, it means the previous owner(s) didn't really take GREAT care of it (soap wash or use salt away on the boat every time, inside and out, flush the motor (even if closed cooling), etc). So I would be hesitant, but the best way to know if it's in good running shape will be to run it & have it inspected by a marine mechanic for their opinion.

Thanks for all the input if we decide to get her ill post pics up!