I've been looking at a killer deal on an 01 Baja 33 OL coming out of Florida, but I'm very apprehensive due to the horror stories of owners who bought boats out of salt. The boat has 496HO's so the salt isn't running through the blocks or anything. What I am most concerned about is the integrity of the fiberglass. Without doing a full hull xray....is there anything else that can be done to make sure salt hasn't gotten into the gel? Any other suggestions of what to look for?

The texas boat repos boat? Already a thread on it

I would be more afraid of anything with 1000 hours coming out of Texas Repos than salt water touching the fiberglass!

Think about it, most of the worlds most expensive yachts sit salt water, no trailer/no rack. 24/7 salt exposure.

My sport fish stays in the water365 days a year pulled twice a year to clean and put on zinks Never had a problem.JOHN SR

Its all in how it was taken care of, but I bet that one from Texas repo is going to be rough or they would be asking much more for it.

I don't think the salt hurts the fiberglass at all, it is all of the metal fittings, and the trailer that you need to look at closely.
Especially the trailer. If it is aluminum that is good, if it is rectangular tubing, figure you will have to buy a new trailer soon. If it is made out of construction channel iron then that isn't too bad.

The salt doesn't do anything to the fiberglass/gelcoat. Salt is hard on metal parts. Salt water still runs through the heat exchangers and exhaust on 496's.
It really depends on how well it was taken of. Being repoed, I would guess not too well, at least for the last year or so.

Am I completely off base thinking that salt can get into the glass through the rub rail and start eating away?

yes, The problem with salt boats is corrosion, If not properly cared for It easts all the drives, tabs, and everything else metal.

Salt water does not do any more damage to the hull than fresh water does. Its the water that causes hull damage, not the salt.