Looking for a SS or considering Saltare

[homer]

I've found several boats that supposedly have had the floors replaced. I find myself asking why they did the floor and not the stringers. Does that raise a red flag to anyone else? I guess I could ask the shop that did it and see if they sound like they know what they're doing. Plenty of Sunsports I've found for $6,000 - $6,000 and Saltares around $6K-$8,500. Also, do you guys think 1400 hours is a LOT for an '87 Saltare?

[cadunkle]

With regard to hours I treat boats just like cars... I don't care because it's irrelevant. The main things affected by hours are the things that are cheap and easy... Engine, transmission, driveline. On a car if the body and frame are solid that's the main thing I care about (floor and stringers on a boat), as that's a lot more time consuming and expensive to repair. Use high hours as a negotiating point if the seller is foolish enough to consider hours important though. For comparison I'd say an average hours for someone who actually uses the thing would be 75-100/year.

Anyhow, if my ballpark numbers are to be believed typical use of that boat for 25 years old would be 1875-2500 hours... So 1400 hours is a little light but not far off considering for many of us life and weather both get in the way of boat use. Farther south you'll see higher hours since the season is longer and farther north (where you are), a bit less. I also tend to believe things that are used frequently are generally not neglected so much. How amny people have you seen at the ramp with some dirty banged up shitbox they drop in, won't start, won't go into gear, drive doesn't tilt, etc. and tie up the ramp forever because they're obnoxious selfish pricks? If my area is anything like the rest of the country, a lot. Those people use their boats a few times a year at most. Typically major holidays that I avoid the river for the sake of sanity, safety, and flat water.