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VLX in salt water


Orange&MaliBlue

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I have a 2004 Wakesetter VLX. Its never been in salt water, and is garage kept. The CFO and kids want to take the boat on our upcoming spring break trip to the southwest coast of Florida, to cruise around the intracoastal (salt water). If we take the boat, my guess is that the boat will be in the water 2 full days, no more.

Is this a bad idea? Am I woriied for nothing due to the limited amount of time it will spend in the water? What should I do to prevent any corrosion issues? Any tips from the board to keep my boat in top shape? TIA for any help.

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I've done it twice, I live in St. Louis and pulled my sportster and one of my VLX's to Florida (Destin area) and we took it all over the bay, intercoastal, and out in the gulf for a bit - all salt water. Did a week each time and with each boat. The first time with the sproty we just found a carwash and hosed it down - completely every day it went in the water. We also found a auto shop that let us borrow their hose so we could flush the motor each time as well. You can add a flush kit or get one of those "fake a lake" things that go under your boat. I literally let it run till I couldn't taste any salt in the water coming out of the exhaust, yes that was fun! When we took the VLX we stayed at a condo that had a hose in the front, so we would just bring it back to the condo every time and flush the motor/hose the entire thing out. I was pretty anal about cleaning it after each use. But I could still find signs of being in the salt water months later. Little things like small rust spots on some parts, nothing major and nothing that I feel wasn't worth the experience. I also used a lot of WD-40 on the engine, sprayed it all down before/after each day. But to drive around with dolphins jumping off the bow and surfing the wake of your boat is something amazing that I could never experience in Missouri so it was well worth it in my mind! Biggrin.gif

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as aneal said, wash the he$$ out of it when you take it out. i leave mine on a lift in saltwater environment, and you just need to constantly be on it. i few days will not do long term damage.

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I used to take my Cobalt in the ocean all the time. I would do your very best to make sure saltwater doesn't enter the engine compartment from the top (sun pad) Anal cleaning works for the boat, but if you don't have a galvanized trailer you are starting the beginning of the end of the trailer IMO.

I have a great saltwater lagoon 5 minutes from my house that I want to use, but haven't saved up the money for the replacement trailer.

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My first bu (a 99 VLX) was in the saltwater a couple times with no problems. Just clean it well and flush it when you're done. On both occasions, it sat in the water for about a week, and then I just did a good job cleaning it when it came out. Also, wash down your trailer immediately after launching / retrieving your boat. I haven't taken any of my subsequent Bu's in the salt water, but if I needed to, I probably would.

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I use my boat frequently in the Intercoatal waterway, merely becuase there are no good lakes within a reasonable distance from my house... I second what everyone has said. Be anal about cleaning the boat... VERY anal. Malibu definitely did not have salt water in mind when they designed and built these boats. I have had my 2005 just over one year, and despite a rediculous amount of time spent scrubbing and cleaning and flushing, all the little chrome bits, (billet logos, steering wheel, wakeboard racks, etc.) are starting to show signs of corrosion - this is mostly a testament to Malibu's poor chroming job, but also a testament to the fact that salt water is just as corrosive as it gets. That being said, my engine compartment still looks like it just left the factory floor. I have the closed cooling system, and still flush religiously (like Tony said, until you can no longer taste the salt water - and then some)! In the end, it is DEFINITELY worth it though for me. I don't know what I'd do without my VLX, and I sure as hell am not driving hours away every time I want to go wakeboarding :)

ALL THAT SAID, there are TONS of boat rental places in FL. If you want to spare yourself the effort of towing the boat down and having to go through all the rigamarole of cleaning and everything, just rent a boat. I guaranty it won't be as nice as a Malibu, but then you don't have to worry about ANYTHING.

JZ

PS. It is REALLY sweet to be strapping on your baord and have a pod of dolphins swim up to the platform to check out your new board and bindings :)

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I've done it twice, I live in St. Louis and pulled my sportster and one of my VLX's to Florida (Destin area) and we took it all over the bay, intercoastal, and out in the gulf for a bit - all salt water. Did a week each time and with each boat. The first time with the sproty we just found a carwash and hosed it down - completely every day it went in the water. We also found a auto shop that let us borrow their hose so we could flush the motor each time as well. You can add a flush kit or get one of those "fake a lake" things that go under your boat. I literally let it run till I couldn't taste any salt in the water coming out of the exhaust, yes that was fun! When we took the VLX we stayed at a condo that had a hose in the front, so we would just bring it back to the condo every time and flush the motor/hose the entire thing out. I was pretty anal about cleaning it after each use. But I could still find signs of being in the salt water months later. Little things like small rust spots on some parts, nothing major and nothing that I feel wasn't worth the experience. I also used a lot of WD-40 on the engine, sprayed it all down before/after each day. But to drive around with dolphins jumping off the bow and surfing the wake of your boat is something amazing that I could never experience in Missouri so it was well worth it in my mind! Biggrin.gif

That would be way neato !! I'm there!

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Every time I take a boat out in the salt/brackish water I coat the polished aluminum, chrome, stainless and exterior of the motor with WD-40 and then wipe with a clean rag to help prevent corrosion.

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I grew up on salt water, and my trick has been, lots of wax above the water line and heavy hose downs, even the trailer and wheel areas. My boat and trailer are 36 years old. Seats have been replaced, but the rest of boat and trailer(x/tires) are all original. It was the first 100% f-glass boat ever made. The Bu. don't see salt water(yet).

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