Fresh to Salt

That's an expensive conversion. You're looking at around $2k just in parts, and a lot of labor on top of it. Can't live without it down here, though.

As to your boat, it appears that you have a steel hull, so the only thing I can tell you is to try to keep your bilges as dry as possible, and resign yourself to the fact that you will need plating periodically. The areas around your thru-hulls and the weld lines on the chines will be the first areas to go.

Also, when you get here, have a marina spot-weld extra zincs on each side of the keel every few feet. Saltwater breeds a lot of electrolysis, which will corrode the hull faster than real corrosion, and the Zincs really help with that.

Also, be prepared to paint every few years. A paintjob on a steel boat in saltwater is lucky to last 5 years. Rust forms in the screwholes, tiny stress cracks in the paint, and any microscopic pitting. Even though it isn't structural, it will start leaving rust streaks on the boat that won't come off, thus requiring repainting.

So just be aware of this, and you're set. Plating is not that expensive, and neither is painting unless you want it to be boat-show quality. Otherwise, enjoy your boat and your new home!

I am up in the Mid/Northern Potomac where it is brackish, mostly fresh. Any tips for that sort of water conditions? Currently Raw water cooled, steel hull 1963 36-ft.

There are charts available for salinity on the Potomac...google 'em up. Kinda depends where you are, but in any case I would not own a boat that wasn't running antifreeze-based coolant through the engine. Do you pull the boat at the end of the season or are you running it year-round.

Raw water cooled. It has not been winterized for a few seasons now. Just now acquiring the boat. It has been left in the water for the past 2-3 years without use. It was properly scraped primed and painted when it first got here from Ohio, and again a few months ago.

My Marinette is fresh water cooled and has anti-freeze. No problems there.

I run my boats year round and often stay the weekdn on them. I have a covered slip so this makes it quite easy. This Roamer, however, was sitting in an outside slip for the past few years. No freezing damage and no bad signs of corrosion (including when it was recently pulled for paint).

Planning on installing a couple of flushing kits so that I can flush it in the water after use. Had those on my Monterey and they worked great!

Salt Water / Fresh Water?? differences??

am I to understand that CC would make some roamers for salt water and some for fresh...

Would that account for the closed circuit cooling system on some engines?

main closed circuit cooling system used antaifreeze and this system was kept cool by open circuit system ( heat exchanger)


so unless the engine had closed circuit.. it was intended for fresh water..????

would the name riviera suggest that these were all fresh water boats??

many thanks..