Looking to buy 1985 SN 2001

Hello! I am new to the board and have been soaking up as much information as possible. I found a very well kept 1985 SN 2001 with 850 hours. All the gel coat is in great shape, the floor seems solid and engine well maintained. My greatest concern are the stringers. I am going to have a pre purchase inspection done. Even with a professional eye giving it a clear bill of health, what are the chances there is still going to be stringer rot with this old of a boat? Is it even possible for there to be no rot at all? Thanks in advance!

Greg

Greg,
Good luck on the purchase. If it goes through, make sure you get us pictures.

I agree with Chris that the chance of having no rot is pretty slim. I also agree that it's very possible you can get some years out of it before a stringer job is needed.

Fill us in on what the surveyor has to say after he's done the pre purchase. Personally I don't feel it's worth the money. I can't remember one member who has ever done it. BTW, if he doesn't check the alignment, he's not a qualified surveyor. Hopefully he will bring a hammer with him and do some tapping on the glass on the stringers.   

Don't pay someone to look at it unless you can't go and see it before buying . Don't know about a hammer if someone was comming to look at my boat with a hammer might tell them to go somewhere else. turn the lag bolts should be tight to turn 1/4 turn max don't strip , take the back seat out and reach back to the end of the stringers there under the gas tank it is exposed. i have the same year and mine had some rot here not bad and the only place I could find. I think people go over board with stringer worry. But i do not let my boat sit out in the rain for the foam to get drenched. Warm the engine for compression check should be within 10% of each other hopefully about 120 I think mine had about 130-140 with 1000 hours hope this helps I like the delux interior. love the boat ...

malibud wrote: turn the lag bolts should be tight to turn 1/4 turn max don't strip ,

This is one of the least informative ways to tell if you have a stringer rot problem. It's too localized and doesn't go deep enough into the stringer. Tapping with a hammer or just the handle of a screwdriver has been discussed many times. In fact, Tim Morfoot even made a video of the process.

Thanks for all the help:) I ended up having it inspected by a reputable boat shop. They couldn't believe how great of condition the boat was so I pulled the trigger for $6500. I will post pics soon. I want to change the oil and impeller. I think I got the oil change down, but I am having a hard time finding a good thread for an impeller change. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks again.