save the money the lawyer will cost to put into the boat. even if you win a judgement against seller, that is all it is...a judgement. the court won't turn him upside down and shake him till the money falls out of his pockets. which stringer, right or left side? left is worse, engine pulls up on that side. right side it is pushing down.

Left side has a small crack, the right side is MUCH worse.

Anybody ever use that Rot Doctor CPES? I am planning on pulling the engine at the end of the season, as long as the cracks don't get worse. I will cut the glass off the engine mount pads and asses from there.

If the stringers are bad, hows the transom???

As far as I can tell it's ok. I pulled everything off the back when I bought the boat and everywhere I looked it was solid.

I agree that paying a lawyer to fight this for you will cost more than just fixing the boat.

I just didn't plan on doing sooooo much work to this boat.

Did you think buying a 26 year old boat was going to be perfect and have no issues?? (that would be like finding a 26 year old virgin stripper!!!!)

Its a USED boat. If you want a perfect boat and something that has zero issues buy a 2014 boat not a 1988.

Go buy a 1988 yugo, and see what has more problems

I know. I know. I just hate when a guy looks you in the eyes and says....it's a solid boat.

If I had an 88 Yugo I'd pull my 512 BBC out of my Camaro and install it in that POS and enter a wheelie contest!

start tapping on the stringers/transom with a plastic hammer listen for different sounds, if the stringers have dud sounds and transom is ok, get GitRot, drill holes all along where bad area's are found, when you drill end you can tell what condition the wood is in, start filling with the gitrot in sections when full paint over and ride..it will be fine for a boat like that...

Git rot huh?

Gonna have to look into that!!