First time boat owner with questions

[Jordon]

Hello everyone,

first time boat owner here. Used to go out fishing And hunting with my dad a lot on his Jon boat on lakes and rivers here in PA. So I just recently bought a 1998 Sea Ray 180 bowrider with a mercruiser 3.0 L engine. I’ve got lots of questions but not sure who or where to go with them. Anyone willing to help me out ? Thanks in advance

 

[Dizzy]

Just post them here and people are more than glad to help!

 

[Jordon]

Well first off the boat will mostly be used in PA in freshwater. But I have an opportunity to take it into the bay in ocean city Maryland when down on vacation. Condo provides a slip and boat launch that can be used. I know the motor should be flushed after sea water use. How often should this be done? After every use? It is feasible to do once I return home to PA and can do it more conveniently with my own supplies at home? I don’t wanna trash the thing in the first month of owning it.

 

[Carpediem44DB]

Ramps usually have fresh water rinse water available. Pack a hose and a wash out assembly to at least do a fresh water rinse as soon as you pull out and then when you get home you can do a more thorough flush and treat with a salt neutralizer.
CD

 

[Jordon]

Ramps usually have fresh water rinse water available. Pack a hose and a wash out assembly to at least do a fresh water rinse as soon as you pull out and then when you get home you can do a more thorough flush and treat with a salt neutralizer.
CD[/QUOTE

thanks for the info, that’s kind of what I’m worried about if there’s no water access for me. So it wouldn’t need to have the motor flushed after everytime I use it? I’ll only be down for a week so maybe 5 days use tops.

 

[Chip S]

When I had a sterndrive I would flush it after every use in salt water. If you have access to a garden hose, hook the garden hose to flushing muffs, raise the outdrive, put the flushing muffs over the water intakes, turn the water on, lower the outdrive, start the engine, run the engine for 10 - 15 minutes, turn off the engine, reverse the process. Even though the outdrive will be in salt water it will be ingesting fresh water from the garden hose. That way the engine will be sitting with fresh water in it, which is much better for the engine than sitting with salt water.

 

[Jordon]

When I had a sterndrive I would flush it after every use in salt water. If you have access to a garden hose, hook the garden hose to flushing muffs, raise the outdrive, put the flushing muffs over the water intakes, turn the water on, lower the outdrive, start the engine, run the engine for 10 - 15 minutes, turn off the engine, reverse the process. Even though the outdrive will be in salt water it will be ingesting fresh water from the garden hose. That way the engine will be sitting with fresh water in it, which is much better for the engine than sitting with salt water.

and this can be done and easily accessible while the boat is in water?

 

[Chip S]

Yes. You should be able to reach the outdrive water inlets from the boat's swim platform when you raise the outdrive to the up position.

 

[Golfman25]

I would flush after every use. I would wash the topsides after every use. Salt bad.