4.3 Mercruiser won't start

Hi All,
Here is my problem: Battery is fully charged (haven't done a load test yet) when I turn on the ignition i only get a load CLICK but no turn-over. A little history; late last summer I did the unthinkable, launched the boat took off in the lake only to be bogged down (I forgot to put the plug in) water was almost at floor level not sure if the starter & solenoid were under. Jumped in the water quick and installed the plug, turned off motor and let the bilge pump work. Everything was fine for the rest of the day, and I did use the boat a few more times (without problems) before winterizing it and putting it away for the winter.
Any ideas about the starter and solenoid being in storage for 6 months after possibly being in water?

Your advice is greatly appreciated.

On the starter motor, there is a large red wire attached to the large stud on the solenoid, the wire is coming from the battery.
There should be a smaller but large red wire going to the solenoid also (large 1/4-20 terminal) and a similar sized yellow with red stripe wire going to the other large 1/4-20 solenoid terminal.

Depending on what model/year boat motor you have

The same solenoid has a small (16 guage) small stud maybe two but only one has the yellow with red wire,(10-32 size) connected to it. it should be Yellow with red, jump from the large red on the solenoid to the small yellow with red and see if the starter turns the motor over, if it does then the slave solenoid may be at fault, Mercs have two solenoids. follow the large yellow with red wire backward and you will find it.

ONLY If it does not you can (carefully) jump across the red to yellow with red (two larger solenoid posts) this by passes the starter mounted solenoid and will power the starter directly bypassing the solenoid. CAUTION!!!!! ***********THIS IS A VERY HIGH AMPERAGE SITUATION AND WILL CAUSE SPARKS**************

if this works but nothing else did then solenoid is issue.

if nothing works then starter is issue.

Before going thru all that, make sure the connections to the battery are clean, not corroded, and TIGHT. If you are using the thumbnut connections, ditch the thumbnuts for plain stainless nuts with lock washers DO NOT USE NYLOKS!!!

Thanks for the input guys, all of the battery connections are tight and clean. I remove the battery every winter and store it in a warm dry place and give it a couple of trickle charges during the winter.
I will try and use jumper cables from my truck to see if that works (if this friggen rain ever lets up), if it does than maybe do a load test on the battery.
Again, thanks for the info.

Trying to hook up your truck by way of jumper is not the way I would go about it.......

Wait to load test the battery first.........or swap batteries.........