Salted or UnSalted?

Steve in Minneapolis

Steve in Minneapolis

Active Member
Jul 20, 2020
248
Minnetonka
Boat Info
2021 290 SDX
350 HP Mercruiser
Metallic blue with Sand (bar) interior
Engines
350 Mercruiser with Bravo III
I'm looking at a used 290 SDX. We live in Minnesota, so it's all lake boating. Well, I reached out to the dealer with a question about warranty transfer on the used boat, and he mentioned that he knows that boat and he thinks it was in Florida last year for the winter. Which would mean it's been used and likely stored in salt water for at least a season.

Should I run away from the deal? Or is the dealer being an alarmist?
 
was likely on a lift or in a dry stack - is it bottom painted? - boats don't dissolve in salt water
 
What year? If fresh water cooled no issues with 1 year in salt.
 
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If it were me, I would look for a fresh water boat. You will likely have some salt issues to deal with, not serious ones but still they are issues. Most likely there will be hidden electrical corrosion on terminals that are not readily accessible. You may also have some cosmetic corrosion to fix, which can be pricey.
 
Good questions.

It is a 2018 and I don’t know if it was on a lift or if he regularly washed or flushed it to remove salt. I still need to talk with him about it.

No, it is not freshwater cooled, it is cooled by water from the lake or ocean. And, it is not bottom painted.

It has some scratches and other wear, so I am not confident he would have been diligent about taking care of it. His reason for selling is that he wants a larger boat, with outboards.
 
Steve in Minneapolis said:
Good questions.

It is a 2018 and I don’t know if it was on a lift or if he regularly washed or flushed it to remove salt. I still need to talk with him about it.

No, it is not freshwater cooled, it is cooled by water from the lake or ocean. And, it is not bottom painted.

It has some scratches and other wear, so I am not confident he would have been diligent about taking care of it. His reason for selling is that he wants a larger boat, with outboards.
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Make a big deal about the salt. Low ball the price. Enjoy the boat.
 
I grew up in Sou Fla. I owned a 240 and kept it wet slipped. I HATE SALT WATER USED BOATS. Owned several boats both in salt and fresh. No comparison. I want nothing to do with a used salt water boat. I'm buying new or 1 or two season fresh water to bring down to Fla.
Did I mention I hate used salt water boats?
 
El Capitan said:
I grew up in Sou Fla. I owned a 240 and kept it wet slipped. I HATE SALT WATER USED BOATS. Owned several boats both in salt and fresh. No comparison. I want nothing to do with a used salt water boat. I'm buying new or 1 or two season fresh water to bring down to Fla.
Did I mention I hate used salt water boats?
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So your going to buy a new boat and run it in salt water. Wouldn't that make it a used salt water boat after the first trip?
 
My dealer told me that if the boat has been run in salt water, it decreases the value by at least 20%, even if the boat is clean. It sounds like you all are agreeing... so if the boat has been run in salt water, I think I'm running away from the deal, no matter how good. I am not into boating for the hassles... there are enough of those with a good boat!
 
Steve in Minneapolis said:
My dealer told me that if the boat has been run in salt water, it decreases the value by at least 20%, even if the boat is clean. It sounds like you all are agreeing... so if the boat has been run in salt water, I think I'm running away from the deal, no matter how good. I am not into boating for the hassles... there are enough of those with a good boat!
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Dude, there are literally thousands of boats running around in salt water. It isn't a death sentence. A quality boat that spent one winter in Florida isn't going to start falling apart. Take a look at it. If it looks good and well maintained, then decide what to do.
 
I was going to try and sway you, but it would be a logical argument to what is fundamentally an emotional reaction, so it’s not worth either of our time. I will say I have boated most of my life in salt water. I don’t recall any of them melting away.

All boat purchases should be made on actual observation of the boat, not the perceived notion of what might have happened. It’s unfortunate you didn’t get to see it first.

I also hope your broker is accurate in that he “thinks” the boat spent the winter in Florida. Personally a salesman who tries to unsell me something after having sold it in the first place always seems to set off alarms.
 
Steve in Minneapolis said:
My dealer told me that if the boat has been run in salt water, it decreases the value by at least 20%, even if the boat is clean. It sounds like you all are agreeing... so if the boat has been run in salt water, I think I'm running away from the deal, no matter how good. I am not into boating for the hassles... there are enough of those with a good boat!
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Most people that talk like your dealer live a thousand miles from the ocean and are clueless. Consider the source when getting opinions.

OMG a winter in Florida....run dude run
 
I haven't decided, but wanted to get some opinions. My concerns were about corrosion you can't see causing issues, like someone mentioned on wiring, and corrosion you can see, which will appear when I have a survey done. Rust that comes from salt would be visible later, so when I eventually sell, it will be known, if that's the case.

If that truly affects value, and it will be obvious later, then I need to negotiate the right way up front. I have seen the boat, and it looks and runs as expected. What I still need to do is ask him about it, and look a little more closely to see if there are any obvious signs. I'll report back when that happens in a day or two.
 
I’m baffled by how many people are scared about salt water and their boats.

But I primarily boat in the beautiful Puget Sound and have fresh water cooling in both boats. Wouldn’t have it any other way.
 
1 season in salt will not reduce the value by 20%. thats crazy talk from your broker
'
I would say on a 20 year old boat, maybe? i hear 10-15%, depending on care.... if its closed cooling, really not deal breaker in my eyes....
 
scoflaw said:
Corrosion you can't see...hmm. Deal breaker right there.
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Good grief...

I suppose you think there is only corrosion on visible surfaces? I'm asking to learn and to gut-check what the dealer said. I'm smart enough to know that salt air can affect the boat in ways you can't see. But, I came to ask people with experience to see if it's a big deal or not.

What I hear is a very mixed bag of responses.
 
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