Is it OK to buy a saltwater yacht?

Question

I'm from MI and a salesman up here is telling me to buy new and avoid used saltwater boats like the plague. Problem is, I could knock a couple hundred grand off the boat I'm looking for if I buy it in FL. I'm looking at a 2005 Meridian 459 with about 50 hours on diesel engines.

I'm wondering if I'm just being paranoid here about saltwater boats being awful compared to freshwater. For my purposes, I don't need the boat to last 20 years and frankly, I'm probably going to move down to FL in a couple years anyway.

Any advice would be very appreciated.

Thank you,
Tim

I absolutely intend on getting her fully inspected before moving forward.

Interesting about the cooling system - so if it's set up for salt water and I bring it to fresh water, I'll have issues? If so, what kind and how much time and effort is it to convert it to a fresh water cooling system and back to salt if, say, I move to FL in a couple years?

Thanks,
Tim

Answer 1

You will not have problems bringing a boat from salt to fresh or fresh to salt water. Manufacturers do not make different cooling systems based on what type of water you will be in. All outboards are cooled directly by the water they are operated in. Some gas inboards or inboard outboards are cooled by the same way, whatever type of water they are in is circulated thru the engine. This is an open cooling system. All these engines have sacrificial zincs that are eaten up (on purpose) by electrolysis, this protects the engine from damage. Usually electrolysis is worse in saltwater but is handled by these zincs. Zincs are replaced during annual maintenance, sometimes more often if required. Many gas inboards and inboard outboards and all diesel engines (except diesel outboards) have a closed cooling system. This means they have freshwater (usually a mix of water and antifreeze) circulating in the engine block. This water is then cooled in a heat exchanger by saltwater which is then dumped overboard thru the exhaust pipe. Again, these engines have sacrificial zincs for control of electrolysis.
50 hours is nothing on the diesels, and with regular care you should get many years of service from them.
Good luck with your purchase. Don't forget to have a marine surveyor check out the boat and all its systems. You will most likely need it for the insurance company anyway. BoatUS is a good one.

Answer 2

Buying ANY boat is risky, unless it's been propely maintained. You should ask if the logbook is up to date and when the last servicing took place. Have an expert check the hull and fittings and another expert check the engine. It's not unlike buying a used car....