I have been working on my first boat purchase for a year. started fishing in texas about 2 years ago. ya'll been very helpfull in recommendations, suggestions and advise.

I am very close to buying that first boat. (14 ft aluminum craft 30 hp suzuiki side console. It is less than 3000, everything works, motor is in great shape, have tested boat on lake dunlap did fine. It is used so shows use but not abuse. I have one concern. Seats have no ware on them. The trailor has some major rust in places. I am going to use this boat in bays and fresh water. Should I be concerned about the rust, what can I do, and what will it cost?

Any boat and trailer that isn't made for salt water will fail!!! Every electrical connection and piece of hardware on the boat will fall to pieces.

I used one of my boats in the brackish water around New Orleans for a few years. The trailer started showing a few rust spots so I took it to a boat trailer company to get it sanded out and repainted. He took a screw driver and shoved it through the trailer in several places.

He stated that once a painted trailer has been used in salt or brackish water starts to show rust it is usually rusted through and the paint is holding it together.

So I would check the trailer out completely before you bought it. Take a screw driver and hit the rust spots and places near the rust. If the screw driver penetrates then the trailer is dangerous to use.

He also stated that if you are going to use a boat in salt or brackish water it needs to be unpainted galvanized steel.

I washed the boat and trailer after every use and ran the motor with water hooked up to it. But the salt still got under the paint and destroyed the trailer.

Can you list what boat and motors are made solely for saltwater?

I agree a painted trailer is not going to hold up. They're only painted on the outside, so once backed down a ramp and exposed to saltwater, they rust from the inside out.

However, when it comes to boats (fiberglass and aluminium) the only distinction in weather a boat is made for saltwater vs freshwater is the hull design of the boat. And as for wiring on the boats, again, most boat builders don't do anything to the electrical, unless its a boat made for the deep sea.

So, when I ask the question what specific model boat and motors you are referring to that are made for saltwater specifically, I'm asking what or how are they made for the harshness of saltwater?

Check out assorted center console bay boats etc for salt water. Stainless fittings. Sealed wiring etc