buying a boat for salt water fishing

Question
I am thinking of buying a boat that has only been used in fresh water. I want the boat to use it in salt water but I dont know if it is going to affect the hull or the motor. Do you think it is going to affect it?. Also, which material is better for the boat (alluminum or fiber glass)?.

Answer
Hello Adrian,
I fished saltwater in the 70's, and at that time had a 20' Whaler, with a 100 hp Evinrude.

The salt does a bad job on motors.  They must be flushed thuroughly after use.  Also, there is an adnode (think that is what it is called) that is supposed to take away most of the salt corrosion from the remainder of the motor.  In most cases this is the tap adjustment plate, just under the planing plate on the outboard.  In the freshwater, especially if we have hydrofoil devices, they are sometimes removed by boaters.

I would go with fiberglass.  A good line is the Ranger Blue Water series, but as with all Rangers they are expensive.

Don't forget the Whaler, as they are an old and very dependable name in saltwater use.

Hope I've helped answer you question, or at least steered you in a direction, which will be beneficial to your search.

If you have any other questions, about this or anything else, just drop me a line.

Good luck with your search and purchase.

Best of fishing,
Dan