Buying or selling I wouldn't run it without first draining the tank and changing the filters.

looks like a nicely set up boat and in pretty good condition. I loved my 88 34 Scarab, very comfortable overnighting especially if slide in panels to make the benches into one big bed, I left mine in all the time. Looks like the motors have some nice hardware on them mine had the original Merc Mags and ran well. If it ever needs a transom move the X dim two inches while your at it, turned my Scarab into a completly different boat. It was super happy and reacted to drive trim extremly well, so well it seemed to never need tabs for anything. I really liked long weekends on that boat, heck when I was single I'd spend a week on it no prob lol


dollar wise that sounds about where id start on a S/3 that well equipped but if I was buying I would want to be in the high teens maybe twenty.

My plan of attack now is to call up the bank and insurance company to ask how much they would loan on this boat and how much it could be insured for. Then if they come back lower than his value i have some bargaining room with using the bank and insurance as a scapegoat since i don't think he wants to come much more off his price. Originally he was looking for $30,000 and i told him i wasn't even interested in looking at it unless we were talking $25,000 or lower. Once i get a price that is agreed upon by both parties i will make it contingent upon a sea trial and having my friend who is a mechanic that has worked on the boat in the past look over it and give it the ok.

I think the guy put a lot of time and money into rebuilding the motors and he is just trying to get out as much as he can to recoup some loses.

I wouldn't worry about draining fuel. I bought a boat with 454mpi's that sat for 5 years and I just ran as much out as possible not running it hard, filled it with fresh and never had an issue

Make sure your mechanic carries a moisture meter or has a good ear to verify no wood rot in sub structure.

Some people go to Vegas and win, too.

I would not have the balls for that. I see too many problems within a year. Cars included.

Edit in: We do have extreme temperature changes throughout the year and humidity too. So we have more to contend with with just octane loss.

Below 0°F common in winter. Over 90°F common in summer. Lots of days with high humidity. If boat is outside, the rise and fall of the fuel level will pull lots of moisture in thru the vents.

Or a small hammer to tap around lightly, but like ICU said there is a very distinctive noise to listen for. I paid dearly to learn the sound you don't want to hear!

GET GOOD SURVEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i recently had to replace transom and stringers,,,on my 38 .....after surveyor said all was good.
i owned a 85 scarab III for 5 yrs,,,

If you are relying on a bank loan it probably won't happen on a 27/28 year old boat........

All good information. At first glance stringers etc look good but i have yet to actually get down in there and tap around to hear for rot. That will definitely happen prior to purchasing by myself and my mechanic. It could be a slow go draining all of the fuel but motors aren't cheap. As for the bank loaning money, i am using that as more of a talking point to say hey they will only give this much so that is all i can offer. I have extra money i can throw in but would need somewhat of a loan to buy it in the end. There are other items i currently own outright that could be used as collateral if needed though i would rather not do that necessarily.