Taking my boat out in Salt Water...?

[blueplastic]

Guys, I'm thinking of taking my Epic 22 to the Florida Keys last week of February.

The boat has never seen salt water. It's only been in fresh water lakes.

How bad is a day in salt water for my boat?

What do I need to do to make sure I don't damage it?

I've heard that I need to thoroughly flush the engine with fresh water... How do I do this?

What other tips do you recommend?

[phenom_1819]

I've heard that as long as you don't leave it sitting in salt water and flush the engine out after each use with fresh water, it actually won't hurt it.  But I wouldn't do it with my boat.

Toyota made a fresh-water cooling system for the boat, and I don't think it's all that expensive (a few hundred $ or so).  Having a closed-loop cooling system is the only way I'd even consider it -- then I probably still wouldn't do it because our trailers aren't galvanized.

BTW, sweet pic Blue! 

[toyotafreak]

There's more to it than engine innards - salt water's bad for lots of boat stuff. If you do go, just wash the crap out of the whole boat inside and out when you're done.

Mine won't go in salt, mainly because I know I'm gonna own this thing for many years, that the cleanliness of it can only go downhill from here and whatever I can do to keep it nice now will be good later on.

I'm SURE that a weekend in the Keys would be an AWESOME thing to do in your Epic, though. Just be safe, and wash the crap out of it when you're done.

[cyclone]

DON"T DO IT. Not an aluminum V8. 

You need closed loop cooling for that.

I
I'd rent a boat. Coupla hundred is cheaper than 16K. I'd probably go deep sea fishing, actually. The boat comes with that

[festivus]

I'm with Pete, just walk away.  Our little Epics (and they are little for ocean standards) swamp relatively easily, as with most other inboards.  It wouldn't take much of a windstorm on the ocean to brew up a nice little sweel for you to fall into.  You can sell tickets to the first Toyota Epic scuba diving attraction.  I'm sure the fish and sea creatures would love it.

[lesman01]

I'd go with Pete on this one. I'd never take mine. Here's a thread on wakeboardatlanta that addresses the general "inboard in salt water" topic.

http://www.wakeboardatlanta.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=5225

[blueplastic]

Wow guys.. thanks for all the comments. I'm going to reconsider taking my immaculate Epic 22 out in salt water now.

It costs $150 to rent a 18 foot fishing boat for 4 hours. That sounds like a better deal that all the hassle that will go with putting my boat into salt water for a day.

Here's what the wakeworld people had to say:

http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/3183/211895.html?1108408893

[cyclone]

I remember talking to a pal of mine who was an MC salesman, he was amazed that our boats did not have closed loop cooling, even in fresh water. He said that MC had a lot of galvanic corrosion trouble with whatever all aluminum  V8 they were testing at the time (2002) and wouldn't release one without closed loop cooling. I dunno what Toyota did differently, different alloys I guess, but they hold up better than other aluminum engines out there. Still, I wouldn't put it in salt water.

[slalom21]

Hey Everybody this reply is late...but you can do it!!!!

I've taken my 21 down and skied the intercoaster (part salt, part fresh) lots of times.  The boat is fine but you want a galvanized trailer if you do it a lot.  I was fortunate enough to have the Toyota guys loan me one when I was in Florida.  Some of the best long runs skiing are in the intercoastals.

Be careful to:

Go slow in designated areas
Don't barefoot in there the cops have radar on the boats (I speak from experience)
If large boats are coming get at 90 degree angle to wake with bow first to avoid getting swamped.
Watch inlets...currents are swift  and don't ski anywhere near an inlet

RINSE, RINSE, RINSE, threw motor and hose everything down with fresh water and run your boat in fresh water as soon as you get home.  Don't forget to rinse your trailer.

REMEMBER...you own your boat, not visa versa so use it unless you are collecting a museum piece.

Thanks and great skiing

Bill

[festivus]

Bill is right,
You think you have something irreplaceable? 
You can also wot through whitecaps and beach her on the "sand" too.