considering purchase...1973 SeaCraft

[rikmoor]

Earlier this summer I was very interested in a SeaCraft that I found for sale online - it was a 1973 with a 2002 Yamaha on it. Loved the hull from the pics but it is about a 6 hour drive to see it - and I wasn't quite ready financially to buy so I didn't want to make the drive. Subsequently, before I could get to look at it, the posting was deleted. I assumed it was bought. Well, I have since found it online again with the same seller - now with a reduced price. And I am ready to buy a boat - maybe not this one, but a boat.

This boat is a restored 1973 20' CC - meaning rewired, painted, new leaning post, etc - don't know what if any structural restoration has been done at this point - if I make the drive to look at it, assuming it is the boat for me, I want to be pulling it home - not driving back another day to get it. If I want to do this, I know that I will not be able to have it surveyed. So questions are, specific to the 1973 year hulls, are there any problem areas I need to be looking at more closely than the others? Should I be patient, make the extra drive if necessary and have it surveyed? I'm not looking for a restoration project - don't mind weekend warrior stuff, but I am looking for a boat that is water-ready.

I have owned boats for 25+ years so feel fairly confident in my ability to spot trouble areas, but want to know if there are any common trouble spots on these hulls. Seems like I have read of transom problems - how do these appear first? Spider crack at the outboard mounting plate? Or should I be looking more at the transom/gunwale connection points? Also, what is the best way to inspect a fuel tank? If this is the original tank, I expect it is in need of replacement or will be soon. Any ideas what size fuel tank the 20' CC came with? Trying to get an idea of range with a 150 Yamaha HPDI.

Any tips or ideas would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance! And if a link to some good online reading is more appropriate than a long written response to this post, I'm more than happy to do that.

[Old'sCool]

I drove further than that. I inspected, test drove, and then made the decision to have a survey. The purchase being contingent on a satisfactory survey or mutually agreed repairs/price adjustment.