LouC wrote:
Here is what you'd need for I/Os to work moored in salt:
1. Anti fouling paint for aluminum that WORKS!
2. Same, for rubber bellows and trim hoses so they don't get cut by barnacles (yes, had that happen)
3. Standard full closed cooling with stainless steel risers.
4.A starter that doesn't get trashed just from getting wet.
1. Yes, they are as much use as a chocolate fireguard . Apparently some of the anti mite/ tic treatments for pets are deadly for barnacles ! Domestic paint plus rabbit tic treatment is cheap !
2. Rubber, primitive . A thermoplastic pulyurethane (TPU) would sort that out, but it would be 50% more expensive and last forever, so why would an OEM make it ? But why not really?
3, Yes, I'm part way there, but don't those new fangled cat exhausts have closed cooling, anodes and are made of stainless steel ? ( take the platinum core out, sell it, buy a few nice beers and a load of fuel with the proceeds and there you go, perfect as boat emissions are not checked every year like for cars ! !)
4, Well, I don't know. Mine have never got wet; as I shield them when I drain the exhaust manifolds; but castrate the engine designers that design the exhaust manifold drains so they dump water on the starters, so we don't get any more of them. Almost like natural selection in operation !
Those saily boat snobs were very condescending when the marina first opened. We were the 3rd boat there, they said we'd be very irresponsible to go round the headlands with the tidal races in our 225 Sundowner; no problem in reality ( and a damn sight faster than in their yachts !) !!