Ocean ready or not

Chad

Happy to see the new sight.  I was having withdraws.  Anyway, I currently own a 2002 232 BR which is kept down at the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri.  I am facing a possible move for my job to Charleston SC.  Not sure if I should sell the boat before we move or take it with me.  Can a 232 with the 5.0 efi/mpi (can't remember which) actually function with saltwater in it or will it destroy the motor?  Will there need to be modifications?  It wouldn't sit in the saltwater, it would be pulled out, flushed with muffs and stored.  Sure a 23.5FT would be small for the ocean, possibly even dangerous.  what are everybody's thoughts?

Babyboomer

One thing for sure The Anodes
http://www.defender.com/html/zincs_info.html

Dream_Inn

I believe flushing would be fine.  I've had boats in brackish water for more than a dozen years & up until now they were raw water cooled.  As boomer said, change the anodes.  Charleston is a beautiful area!  I'm betting once you get there, the 2 foot-itis will hit.  BTW, my boat came from LOTO, you may have seen it there.

Chad

Thanks for the info.  I have looked at the anode link, very helpful. 

As far as what the boat can do in an ocean setting, obviously it won't handle anything much more than very calm waters.  Not sure if I could make a simple run from Charleston to Hilton Head, staying very close to shore or if there is really any value in having the boat there.  There are a couple lakes around there but seems to be a good number of reports of gator issues in those lakes, so I don't see it as a good "floating behind the boat" lake.  So I guess if there is value in taking it with me, value defined as being able to run up and down the coast, then it seems that the boat can technically handle saltwater, with some simple mods.  But if I would be stuck to small inter-coastal areas, then I don't know if there is much value there.

TikiHut2

If saltwater were a real problem, there wouldn't a bazillion boats in Florida. I rarely go anywhere that isn't saltwater and all you'll need is a good regimen of keeping it flushed(along with different anodes). 99% of the stories about the issues of a saltwater boat are based on cases of neglect (which can kill a boat anywhere). Treat your boat right and it'll return the favor.

If you'll be trailering, get a galvanized or aluminum trailer. A steel trailer would just be sacrificed to the Gods of the ocean after a year at best. Keep your springs and shackles lightly covered in recycled oil from a 3gal sprayer to add years to the trailers crucial parts. SS disc brakes and buddy bearing caps are a plus too. If it's dry storage watch them the first few times to insure that they do a though job cleaning the boat and rinsing the engine before it's racked.

The one thing I've noticed in saltwater is that the boat is noticeably more responsive, gets slightly better mileage and has more perk. On the other hand I love the ease of just packing it away when we occasionally hit an in-land river.

Because we prefer the boat at our home it takes us about a full hour to load and then thoroughly flush the motor/genset/ac and trailer on our much larger FV270. Just make sure you run the motor long enough to reach normal operating temps and don't rev it hard or it'll suck the rinse/flush hose flat. It's some work but oh the things you'll see out on the deep blue sea.

You'll love the area, I'm sure. Good luck and welcome to the forum. Mike

Capt_Steve

Chad...as someone who has boated on Lake of the Ozarks and all around the Charleston area, definitely keep the boat. As far as that boat being iffy in a coastal environment, as long as you use your obviously excellent judgment, you won't find it too much different than a busy Saturday on LOTO when the waves start kicking off the rocky bluffs. And there are so many interesting ins and outs along the Intracoastal around Charleston that you will never get bored. 

BoatAway

Rinkers are built to be used in fresh or salt water. Meaning that the materials used will stand up to the harsher elements. Now, how much work you put into delaying the effects of the salt water on your boat is up to you (e.g. cleaning, flushing, putting on a lift).

Plenty of guys take their 232 FAR in the caribian. I mean FAR. I've even known cases where 232s go from Florida to Bahamas!

 

keep the boat

212rowboat

I just picked up an '05 212 w/ extended swim platform, 190hp 4.3 mercruiser... I run it exclusively in the sounds of eastern NC, which isn't that much different than Charleston and surrounding area....

I flush the hades out of it after every run, and I keep a soft bristled brush and small bottle of dish washing soap on board to clean her up as well.. I call it a ritual that's gotta happen.. it gives an opportunity to inspect ALL of the boat after every use, in hopes there will be no surprises for the next use...

there are a metric ton of things to do out there, especially in the southern east coast.. diving is superb if wrecks are your flavor.. dive fishing goes along with that.. if you're not certified, DO IT.. it is a lot of fun, and fun the entire family can enjoy.... anchoring off a sand bar, unloading a few chairs, a cooler, maybe some beach games, and you'll have your very own private beach.... that is certainly a good gig around me, where beach space is at a premium for non-boaters in terms of access and hassles... skiing, boarding, any sports of those flavors, all rock.. A little thing I really dig on hugely, is a simple run to Morehead City or Beaufort, down the ICW- for dinner and drinks, and cruising back up to my home docks with friends..... it makes a simple dinner a thing to remember..

I've been 20 miles offshore on a floggin' jetski before.. given, we were running in tandem with radios.. I've seen the ocean as calm as can be, where you can see your reflection off the water... It can change quickly, though- so you gotta be mindful of conditions... which is nothing a radio can't solve... I won't hesitate to run the rinker out to some of the sunkin dive spots within 30 miles, on a calm day and after careful scrutiny of a satellite feed..

the biggest concern I have, I share with most local boaters: sand bars.... they can sneak up on you.. if you're out of a channel, I highly recommend you are below wake speeds and paying close attention to the depth gauge.. it also pays to have charts available.. I ain't one to tell you what to do in that regard, but i will share this: I chunked my chart plotter for an app available on the android market place, called MX Mariner.. I got one of those little suction-cup-to-the-window flexible mounting brackets for it, and mounted it where my windshield meets my bulkhead (near the charger and headset)- and it is just as good at tracking and plotting as anything out there.. the charts are updated as necessary, which, again, is important when navigating ever moving sands that like to sneak up on you..

anyhow- enough baloney... keep your dang boat... even if you decide you don't need it, you'll find it easier to sell, more than likely, in a region where saltwater is in everyone's blood..