The SR1 is a good hull but you need a survey before you plop down any money. A rotten transom or stringers can get expensive fast.

The TRS is a stout drive and you'll have a hard time damaging them with what sounds like stock 454's (330HP ?). Just keep oil in them and make sure you don't suck in water from the shaft seal. You'll know you did if when reserviour level goes up after the boat cools down. As far as parts go there are plenty still available, in fact I'll give you a great deal on some complete used drives, I have a few.

Keep fluid in the trannies too and make sure they don't get water in either. The coolers can leak and suck water in which will shorten the life.

$15k with a $15k back will get you through your 1st year, then you'll spend some real money. This is a deep pocket sport and there is no way around it.

Get a marine survey for sure.
Read this http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/d...-pictures.html

"It has twin 454 with low hours, built to Mercury marine race specs." That could mean just about anything. There are dozens of different 454 builds. What is more important is who built them and how well were they done.

Well said, it's a hard lesson to learn that not all engine builders are the same and just because the guy has built thousands of racing motors doesn't mean that he'll be able to build a marine motor that will last longer than 15 minutes. Crate motors that have been "marinized" generally won't last much longer.

As my engine builder put it "imagine driving your car coast to coast with 4 flat tires and only having 2nd gear"

Welcome to the OSO board!

i agree with all of you but it is also a crapshoot at best.....i have seen people that beat the crap out of their boats and do the very least maintence to get by but for some unknown reason their boats run year after year, on the other hand i have seen people who are eccentric about their boat and the maintenence but cannot keep their boat running......if you are paying cash for the boat, the worst that can happen is it breaks and your down until you have the cash to fix it, but if you are financing you will be very pissed when it breaks, you dont have the cash to fix it and you still have to make the payments........

I'd stay away from the TRS drives, you'll have a tough time finding parts and someone to fix them. I'd stick to boats with regular bravo drives. The trs can be replaced by a Konrad drive but I think the cost of that would be more than your boat is worth.

Survey, Survey, Survey. Worth every penny when buying a boat. Then remember the rules of boat maintenance:

B.O.A.T. it is an acronym for Break Out Another Thousand.

Unlike the motorcycles, when something broke, you could expect a min. $100 repair now you will find the $1000 min. because even if it is small....chances are you have to replace 2!

Owning a performance boat is like filling a big hole in the ground with money and then throwing a match on it. The only way to put out the fire is to smother it with more money. When the fire is out, it is time to sell the hole and dig another one.

If this is a 1988 with TRS, 15K ??? I would think about it hard, their are some great deals out there, that are not 20 years old. If you have 15K cash, can come up with say another 5K, I would make some offers on boats like these, you will spend the extra 5 the first time you need to do anything to a 20 year old boat.
Just my 2 cents

Sincerely

WILL

Here are some examples,
Formula http://www.boattrader.com/listing/19...80-SS-93154661

Baja
http://www.boattrader.com/listing/19...-BOSS-94026695

Donzi
http://www.boattrader.com/listing/19...ZI-ZX-93801615