[hitlin]

Jeff,

Thanks for that information. You do raise a good point about a boat that has been raced has probably been more likely to have been adequately maintained to perform that task. I know this from racing Thistles, and just didn''t reapply that knowledge. That is really helpful to think about.

The only point I made about original hardware was that the deck was not drilled and re-drilled as hardware was upgraded and hastily replaced over the years. I have seen several know that owners didn''t even seal the deck after slapping a new robe clutch to the deck over the old holes. It''s only good to me in tha fact that if I am the one to replace the hardware, I know that I am doing it right.

We are certainly not tied to this boat, but the price and location caught our eye. Generally speaking I am looking for a performance cruising boat for coastal/bay cruising. Maybe the occassional fun race, but nothing serious. It will just be my wife and I, bhot short, so 5''10" headroom is actually enough for us. The frac. rig is appealing and a large 30'' to 33'' is the range we are looking in.

I echo your comments about the lack of good clean boats on the market, I have seen a lot listed for top dollar that has been very poorly maintained.

Again, thanks for your advice.
--Charlie