[dcobbett]

Turfdogg,

Others here have more experience than me, but key things to look at are the transom, the deck and the fuel tank. Obviously, the seller has to be willing to let you do some of these things.

Look for obvious cracks in and around the transom. Tilt the engine up and put it in the lock position. Have a friend drape himself over the lower unit and bounce up and down while you stand to the side and look for flex in the transom. If there are fastenings in the transom, remove some of them and look for water/moisture. While they are out, roll up some thin sticks of blotter paper and stick them in the holes for a few seconds/minutes and see what they look like when you take them out.

The deck is fairly easy. Take your shoes of and walk all over it trying to feel soft spots.

The tank is another matter; not much you can do unless you take it out and look at it.