Great info Jmackin...thanks.
Have you heard of anyone having a good experience with a '98 or '99 hull that was fixed?

Agreed...go and look...water test...work a deal with owner for a survey.

"Need4
Correct me if I'm wrong but those are HP500's in the picture or am I missing something. I realize I need to see them...what should I be looking for?"

I'm just overly suspicious...why it's not being advertised with HP500's. Are the bottom ends original? Check for the wire 'seals' on the crank bolts, should be seals on the back corner intake bolts too.

I looked for almost a year until I found mine...and love it. I have overhauled the engines $$$ after I got it but knew the hours going in and have no regrets. I got the engines I wanted and majority of options too. The hull is immaculate so what's some coin to redo the mills.

Just go in with both eyes open

"Scott" seems happy with his 98. Some are worse than others. Just drive the thing as much as possible in different conditions if you can. Loved the boat itself and think they are well built overall. Mine never was any faster than a straight bottom 38 but had many handling issues. I might get another 38 PQ some day but most likely will be a 96 or 97.

Thanks for all of the great information. Going to look at the boat next week and hope the weather cooperates for a splash. If not...I'm going to try to postpone.

Any suggestion for someone to do a mechanical and/or survey on this boat in the Northwest Dallas area (Decatur)?

Yea me.

Send mine back to the factory in 2000. They redid the bottom removing 30 inches of the outside strake. Blue printed the bottom at the same time. I am running 500 efi's with Lab 30's. Boat will run 82mph on the GPS with 2 people and 1/4 tank of fuel. Hope this helps.

Wildman...thanks for the feed back. Was
Beginning to wonder if anyone had a good experience with a 99. Did the strake fix take care of the bow steering issue alone or did it take new props to get the bow out of the water.

Yes it did. I think they got the x demension to high or I got to much cup in my props. I can only trim out to 2 1/2 on the trim indicators before blowing the props out. The boat did settle down in the back and I got a better ride but I still think the boat runs to flat. I have been thinking about 1 inch spacers on the drives but haven't done it yet. As I have gotten older speed doesn't matter as much any more as looking good does. I rather have a full load of blondes on the boat then going fast now if you get my drift. In the picture posted we were only running about 3500 rpm that day on Ky Lake because we went all the way to Tenn and back to Ky. It was about a 100 mile run and the channel on the lake is very narrow.

Thanks again Wildman. I hear you in regards age and the blondes...priorities change. From what I can tell, low 80's on that hull with 500's is good. The attitude in the pic looks pretty good for 3500 rmp. How much hook did your hull have before it was blueprinted?

Captain, my 99 is just fine, I had bow steer issues with 4 blades, but once I bought 5 blades for it no problems at all. I love the boat and have had no issues with it, other then motor stuff but that is what you get with bigger power. I say go drive it and see what you think. If the bottom has been worked I strongly suggest you buy a set of 5 blades and run them, to me the whole boat ran better at take off (planned better) mid range and WOT. Boat looks good I say go for it but I am a fan of these boats.