Back "Home" after 1 year

**Ididntdoit** · 09-19-2012, 09:21 AM

xxx

**Russ Calasant** · 09-19-2012, 09:25 AM

Welcome home!

**ZZ13** · 09-19-2012, 10:06 AM

Originally Posted by Ididntdoit

The boat was on vacation in Merritt Island, FL for 1 full year - we made it down a total of 6 weeks (3 separate trips) and enjoyed exploring the east coast. We have mixed feelings as there was a lot more we wanted to do, but we really missed the boat up here too. We will once again "winter" in Newport Harbor and be ready for more adventures come spring....

So are you back to wet slipping in salt water 24-7? If so, you are my hero as I am trying to convince myself to do that in two years rather than trade for a v-drive boat.

**Ididntdoit** · 09-19-2012, 11:13 AM

Originally Posted by ZZ13

So are you back to wet slipping in salt water 24-7? If so, you are my hero as I am trying to convince myself to do that in two years rather than trade for a v-drive boat.

xxx

**ZZ13** · 09-19-2012, 11:54 AM

Originally Posted by Ididntdoit

Yes - and my drives are still 100% corrosion free - the boat will be in the water from now until mid may - it will then be hauled for a few weeks - while out, the drives will be pulled and inspected (I do this every 2 years) and the bottom will be touched up as needed. I will fully admit that it takes time and $$$ (I do all my own work except pulling/pressure testing the drives) but we love our boat and the economy/handeling/performance the outdrives give us. Really, it all works out in the end, I don't need a diver (boat power washed 2x/yr when hauled - one short haul just to change zinks and blow it off - the other when its blocked for a week or so). My engines are MUCH easier to service (impellars, oil changes, etc). I can do other service (buff, paint, etc) while its out......Again, somthing people told me I'm nuts to do, but with proper planing and the right maintenance schedule, its been great.

Carry on the fight! Interestingly, I am in polluted Potomac River and my Sea Ray mechanic that services my drives (and the engine things I can't do) says he thinks this environment is actually worse for the drives than salt water. I have my drives pulled and inspected annually (vs. the 2 years you do). Drives repainted every year and bottom repainted every 2 years. I have been doing anodes every 6 months but they really look good enough at 6 months to last a full year.

Manifolds/risers/elbows (I have the 6 inch risers) are my biggest knowledge gap. I really don't know what to do with those. In current fresh water they seem to last a long time (mechanic says he really never has to replace them around here). In salt water, I guess just put new ones one every 5 years (???) whether they need it or not?

I, too, love the performance, the economy, the boat size/layout. So I'd really like to keep it. And dry stacking is not an option. That's not how I want to use this boat.

**Ididntdoit** · 09-19-2012, 12:13 PM

Originally Posted by ZZ13

Carry on the fight! Interestingly, I am in polluted Potomac River and my Sea Ray mechanic that services my drives (and the engine things I can't do) says he thinks this environment is actually worse for the drives than salt water. I have my drives pulled and inspected annually (vs. the 2 years you do). Drives repainted every year and bottom repainted every 2 years. I have been doing anodes every 6 months but they really look good enough at 6 months to last a full year.

Manifolds/risers/elbows (I have the 6 inch risers) are my biggest knowledge gap. I really don't know what to do with those. In current fresh water they seem to last a long time (mechanic says he really never has to replace them around here). In salt water, I guess just put new ones one every 5 years (???) whether they need it or not?

I, too, love the performance, the economy, the boat size/layout. So I'd really like to keep it. And dry stacking is not an option. That's not how I want to use this boat.

Doing my mannis/risers over the winter....you could also convert to closed cooling before moving the boat to salt water either way manifold and riser service intervals are the same as a v-drive boat. mine still look good after 7years - the dry joint system took away the most common point of failure.

**ZZ13** · 09-19-2012, 12:44 PM

Originally Posted by Ididntdoit

Doing my mannis/risers over the winter....you could also convert to closed cooling before moving the boat to salt water either way manifold and riser service intervals are the same as a v-drive boat. mine still look good after 7years - the dry joint system took away the most common point of failure.

Thanks. I take it with your seacock seawater conversion you also have a flush "T" in there to easily flush with a salt neutralizer after every outing. I will definitely do that mod before I go south to the Low Country.