If you are going to keep the boat in the water then you need to bottom
paint. As others have pointed out being up north will help you some in the
winter because the water is cold.

You will get various opinions on the closed cooling system. The biggest
wear item on an inboard engine is the exhaust system. Most of the exhaust
components are cast iron and rely on just being thick to keep them from
rusting through. In salt water they corrode faster and have to be replaced
more often. Many closed cooling systems do not include the exhaust
components anyway so if you go that route make sure the exhaust manifold is
also cooled by the closed portion of the system. No closed system will
include the exhaust riser. It just has to be replaced more often in salt
water. But we're still talking about average life expectancy of 5 years or
so for these exhaust components in salt water. And as others have also
pointed out that 4 cylinder engine will last a long long time even in salt
water with a raw water cooling system. A closed cooling system also reduces
corrosion in other parts such as the water pump, thermostat, etc. But if I
were in your situation I would not bother with it for the expense. Your
boat is a entry level boat and you will not get it back on resale.

Another issue is that i/o drives are not a very good choice for sitting in
salt water. But that's wat you have so you'll have to live with it.
Complete inboards or outboards that are capable of tilting out of the water
are the best propulsion methods for a boat that lives in salt water all it's
life.

Lastly bayliners are entry level boats. As such they tend to have more
aluminum than stainless steel and less attention paid to using materials
that will stand up to the harsh salt environment of the ocean. Keep things
waxed and keep mooring cover on the boat whe it is moored. That will help
you keep it looking nice for as long as possible.

"Melandre" wrote in message
...
Thank you all for the great feedback. A bit of explanation regarding
why we don't trailer the boat very much. We have a small cabin that
is boat-access only (we went to the cabin almost every weekend this
summer with my old boat). Our house is 1/2 hour from the marina and
the marina is a 20 minute ride from the cabin. So quite often we
simply go for short period (an afternoon or even weekdays leaving
after work for an evening dinner at the cabin). There are obviously
some challenges to mooring this type of smaller boat but it is SO MUCH
more convenient for us given our particular situation.

I am getting my new boat tomorrow (friday) and it won't be moored
before April 1, 2006 (therefore kept in my garage and flushed after
each use). I will probably use it 4 -5 times in October, 2 -3 times
in November and I am not sure if it will be used at all in Dec-Jan and
Feb.

Given this schedule of use, is it absolutely critical to do the
freshwater cooling and bottom painting now? My wallet could certainly
use the break for 1/2 year!

I am still undecided regarding the extended warranty. The coverage
seems pretty good. The warranty is called the Bayliner Extended
Protection plan: "Protect your investment and enjoy years of
worry-free boating with the most comprehensive mechanical breakdown
coverage available in the marine industry".


It includes engine, transmission, drive shaft housing, intermediate
housing, stern drive lower unit, V-drive, Colling system, steering,
fuel system, electrical, power trim and controls. $25 deductible and
cover "all the labor charges associated with a covered mechanical
breakdown".

Andre, Vancouver, BC