Looking for a SS or considering Saltare

[homer]

Hey everybody, greetings. I've been looking and researching this forum for a while now and totally want a Supra versus any other inboard now. I've got some considerations and a couple questions real quick. My main purpose for an inboard is wakeboarding so I really want a Sunsport. I would consider the Saltare too, but what kind of gas-guzzling goes down in that 454? (with gas prices always going up, I want the 351 of a Sunsport)
I've done all the reading on floors/stringers I think I can and am going to check what I can and keep my fingers crossed. Are the stringers in these boats just a matter of time before they rot or is there anything I can do to prevent it after I get a boat?
Last question - I found a 1986 SS with 1200+ hours on it. Is that a lot for these boats or not so much? I've seen others around 500-700 or so.

Thanks all for your input - much appreciated!

[cadunkle]

My '89 Saltare with 454 burns ~ 6 GPH at 21 MPH. Not sure what the Sunsport guys are getting. If you can afford to put gas in a boat it doesn't really matter if it's a 351 or 454, you can afford it. Lets say a 351w Sunsport gets 5 GPH and a 454 Saltare gets 6 GPH, I highly doubt the Sunsport really does that well, it'll likely be 5.x GPH. Regardless, 89 octane here in NJ is about $3.80/gal. So the Sunsport costs $19/hr and the Saltare costs $22.80/hr.

For a 6 hour day of riding that's $114 vs $136, a $22 difference. or only 16%. Not sure on ramp fees but it costs $15 to use a ramp here and I probably burn another $30+ in the truck to get to the water and back. So a day in the Saltare costs minimum of $181, placing $22 down to an even lower 12% of my costs. Realistically I'd expect the actual savings to be 1/3 to 1/2 of the $22 per 6 hour day we figured here... But I'll wait until someone with a Sunsport chimes in with real fuel consumption numbers.

Basically my point is, fuel costs aren't much different. Look at both Sunsport and Saltare and in a given price range, go with whichever is in better condition or you personally like better.

Stringers will rot out eventually as the factory quality was quite poor. What seems to do them in is the leaky exhaust through the transom allowing water in and the foam holding it in. If your stringers are solid just do your best to keep the boat dry and you should get quite a few years before they need done. I'd imagine removing the foam would help lengthen life drastically, but at that point you'd probably find some small rotted sections anyhow and would be in for the full job.

[sydneyACE]

As cadunkle said, don't worry too much about the engine size. There is a difference, but not too much. Depending on how you boat, and how far you need to motor from the dock, etc. you might not even notice the difference. My boat just sips the gas until you start motoring across the lake, then it guzzles it down. (84 Rider w/a Chevy 400 Small-block.)
As for the stringers, it's hit and miss. If they haven't been re-done recently (within 10 years or so), you would be safe to assume that they are bad. There are some rare ones out there that have lived in a shed or garage all their life that might be good. If you want to avoid the gamble all-together, you can look for 1991 and-up. (I think the exact date varies based on model.) This is the year Supra started using composite stringers, so there will be way less wood to worry about rotting.
Hours on a boat is pretty subjective. Some guys are hard on their stuff, some guys aren't.

Set a price range for yourself, then find the boat within that range that will need the least amount of work. Cheers and good luck!

[Jetlink]

I'll echo what the guys have already said. I have a comp with the 351 in it. When I fully sac out my boat and load up the friends to go riding, I use around 6 GPH depending on how much starting and stopping I am doing. You'll probably find that the 454 will do better under load than the 351 in regards to gas use due to the additional HP and torque available. I will add the caveat that I motor out to where I plan to ride and then fill up ballast and then empty as soon as I am done before I head home so my fuel numbers might be a little off compared to others.

[crystal waters]

http://spokane.craigslist.org/boa/2930518093.html

here is Soltaire for 10,000 in Spokane Washington

[crystal waters]

http://spokane.craigslist.org/boa/2947275924.html

or here is a nice Pirata -same city! asking16500.00