RECOGNIZING SALT WATER DAMAGE

[Ward Niffenegger]

I pulled my just purchased 1988 h23 from the east coast to the midwest. It spent its life in salt water and I'm wondering what to look for in the way of damage or corrosion due to salt water.Here is what I've done/seen so far:1. Removed the entire interior and exterior teak. Sanded and oiled. The teak was very dried out but cleaned up like new. No visible damage2. Inspected keel bolts in bilge. Shiny, dry and no discoloration in bilge of any kind.3. Scraped some rust spots on the keel. Just minor surface rust and certainly no apparent damage (my gosh it's solid cast iron so it sure isn't gonna rust away)4. Inspected every square inch of hull on the outside. No cracks in the gel coat and it is smooth and has a high gloss. The bottom is a flat blue bottom paint. Powdery, but smooth and no blisters or anything.5. All deck hardware is shiny all standing rigging is tight and no visible corrosion. All winches work freely and blocks etc show no signs of wear or corrosion.In summary, this boat looks no different than what I would expect of a well maintained boat in fresh water. What am I missing? I have read ALL the archives (WOW what a task) and seen lots of cautions concerning salt water vessels.ThanksPS.. I am new to sailing so don't assume I know something

 

[Been there]

Salt water is not all bad

Salt water is hard on metals and canvass. Look for rust on the standing rigging, and for anyplace on the mast or other metal parts where different metals are in contact. Stainless screws in aluminum corrode the aluminum and become impossible to remove. Look at the wiring. (Not much on that boat.) Check the gudgeons and their bolts. Look for corrosion or rust on any other metal parts.Salt water is GOOD for wood. It acts as a preservative. It is fresh water that causes rot. People who sail wood boats on lakes sometimes put a block of salt in the bilge, so that the rain that gets in is made salty. I have read that fresh water is also more likely to cause fiberglass to blister. This makes sense, if you remember the chemistry of osmotic pressure But there are so many factors here, that I doubt it makes that much difference.In any case, it is mostly the metal parts that you should worry about. Sea air is hell on metals.

 

[Ward]

Thanks..... been there

Thanks a lot for the information. As far as I can tell after looking at all the things you mentioned, there isn't much wear and tear on this boat.