Volvo Penta has had an OXI option that helps protect I/O in salt water. It includes active galvanic protection, sensors in the outdrive for water in gear oil or bellows and closed cooling and a super paint job for the outdrive.Yeah, closed cooling is great and I feel any I/O that operates in salt water should have it, but then there are costs that manufacturers don't want to deal with. I had one boat many decades ago a new 1987 Sea Ray Midcabin, Ironically it was a budget Sea Ray midcabin but to me it was the coolest boat in the world at my age and after all it was a SeaRay that I bought myself new from the dealer... and it had closed cooling. I loved the concept and all I had to do is after a fresh water flush open a peacock on the heat exchanger to drain the water if I am remembering correctly.
Weather update, to give you an idea of how crazy the weather can get here, this isn't an every year thing by any means but a reason I prepare in Oct since we don't use the boat now anyway, tonight we will be colder (though not sure if we will hit 32) than where my daughter just texted me from in a major mountain pass of the White Mountains in New Hampshire! Her forecast calls for a low of 41 mine is calling for 36 in South Carolina we are 1000 miles more south of her! Being we are 15 miles from the forecast area I would not be surprised to see 32 though its still early for that so I doubt it but close enough that I would be worried even this early and certainly by the end of the month I would freak out of fear.
Next year we will be boating in Salt Water and my fear is it will eat this 2008 Chaparral engine up alive but maybe not, will see.
And a easy to flush port.
But the newer I/Os have a catalytic converter. In my engine it's between the exhaust manifold and riser. The riser is sea water cooled and expensive x 2. And heat exchanger is obviously sea water cooled. So after awhile they need to be replaced.
My boat is on rack storage so at least it's not sitting in salt water 24x7.
