Looking at 1988 26 foot sport fisher

[Uncle Dan]

We are looking at a 1988 26-foot "sportfisher" (dealer's words). Are there any items or issues we shoulld be particularly aware of in our assessment?
Many thanks.
Uncle Dan

[thataway]

This is one of the "not normal" C Dory commercial models made in the late 1980's. Tom Elliott has one and can give you a much better rundown. The boat you are looking at was probably used as a good 6 pack charter boat out of Elfin Cove AK. So it would have. been used a lot for a short season each year. It may have been left out in freezing weather and that makes it a bit more susceptible to delamination and core issues in the deck and possibly in the hull/stringers. Keep that in mind when you have the survey. One of our members I believe ran this boat during the charter season.

It may have started life as a stern drive boat. The 200 hp outboard is on a bracket. The add says the "power Head was replace recently" That does not give much information--there may have been 1000 hours since replacement. What are the hours on the new block? The price is right! Some of these have been fixed up very well. Look carefully at the fuel tank. There is probably a "hold" where fish would have been kept--and an inboard engine with I/O drive originally there. If you look at the photos of the stern, there is considerable dead rise--and the boat will handle chop better than the flat bottom boats. Also it will use more hp, and not be quite as fuel efficient. However it is a good trade off. It would make an excellent fishing boat.