Boats and salt water?

Question

I have a seahog hunter with a 40hp yamaha autolube, which I wash out with fresh water when we have been out....my question is.........some boats stay in the water .....how do they wash engine out or dont they and how come......

Answer 1

boats that remain in the water cannot be flushed, some have onboard fresh water cooling just like you car. saltwater overboard cooling is very corrosive and shortens the life of the cooling system. great care must be taken to regularly insspect the manifolds for signs of rust. if a leak occurs in the manifold system, water can enter the valves and destroy the engine.

Answer 2

Them just use it spray with lube an on the next haul out then flush>?

Answer 3

Why are people obsessed with flushing?

I've always flushed my motors just once, before I winterise them. Salt water doesn't hurt outboards, neglect and abuse is what kills them.

Answer 4

The seals and packing are different on boats designed to be moored for longer periods. Of course the periodic maintenance on those is much more extensive and expensive than on your o/b.

Answer 5

They are fresh water cooled, a "heat exchanger' runs the fresh water through closed tubes with the sea water cooling the tubes, the inside of the engine never see's salt water. If "Raw water" is used for cooling on an outboard (like mine) "Rabbit ears" to a garden hose is used, some inboard engines that use raw water for cooling have a flushing port with a valve that connects to a Garden hose.