Going to look at a 98 Baja Boss 232 again today with an experienced boating friend this time. I found a few issues last time. The main one of which is that the right/back passenger seat leg has penetrated the floor. It appears that someone fell and popped the hole. However, after hearing some horror stories on here I'd like to see what you all suggest for checking the rigidity of the boat. It's only got 150hrs logged and the exterior looks new. The interior has seen better days, but I can handle that. I just do not want to put stringers and a floor in this thing. Pointers??

Seat leg threw the floor=me running out the door!!

Well, some pictures would sure help so that we could visualize what you are describing a bit better. If the seat base was punched through due to an impact, that is one thing, but if there is evidence of softness in the area, then So2fast might have the right idea. There's no heartache like a rotten boat!

Hire a surveyor if you really like it. I could've saved myself a lot of money that I'm now throwing into rebuilding my transom and engine stringers....

If the exterior looks new and the interior has seen better days, the boat has been dolled up. One rarely sees a boat that's been well cared for with one or the other in need of serious work. So my first assumption would be that the one in worse condition (the interior in this case) is representative of the true overall condition of the boat.

Second, it would be pretty rare for a seat support to get pounded through the floor and not have a rot problem that was the real cause.

If it was me, I'd have a Marine Surveyor look the boat over. They're pretty good at seeing past a quick buffer job to determine the real condition of a boat.

the wood under the floor is rotted from the hole where seat bolted down I would bet, if it has foam under that will be soaked as well, the only area you can ck the stringers is in the engine area with out ripping out the floor which will have to be done....not a terrible job, crap shoot on the stringers and even a surveyor won't be able to ck them under the floor, on a positive note, most stringer rot will be in the engine room area...take a plastic hammer and tap all around them...if you hear a way different sound you found a wet area....good luck..Rob