Bozeman Bob

To fill in the crack in the doghouse gutter you could use some bondo like they use on cars or maybe some gel coat that you can buy in toothpaste type containers. Or just take a small, thin if possible, [ clear/black ] 1/4- 5/16 diameter hose and cut a slit in it and glue that on the lower/offending edge of doghouse. It may just sit there with no glue if you want to try that first. If you use a thick hose or similar material it may not close tight depending on how much clearance you have. You should not be getting any water through your outdrive whether its on land or in the drink.

Yes the around the house gutters looks to be designed well. Sometimes boats leak around the rubrail , cleats and other above water line through hull/deck fittings/bilge pump hoses not properly looped. Either have a friend water down everything with the nozzle off the hose and then with it on as you crawl into every nook and cranny with a flashlight or consider it Holy Fish Water and a gift from the Fish Gods, haha. Maybe put some newspaper around the engine compartments floor and gutter area and spray with water, obviously after closing dog house.

If you do not have a lip on the cockpit floor that goes around the doghouse you may want to make one after verifying that is how it is getting in.Is the floor factory finished there or is there a rough cut in the deck. If you have room between the doghouse and where the lip should be you might be able to get something like a fridge door sealer, tape on one side and closed cell foam on the other,that would crate a pathway for the water to run to the sides and stern area.

Might tick some Searay owners off but the Tiara is twice the boat of a Ray. I have a different make so it doesn't matter to me and if your set on that model keep searching. I understand the 31 might be more than you want for various reasons.

Don't be afraid to give the dealers name out if they lied to you. How many hours were you told and how many were actual ? What systems were not operational ? What did the rest of the survey say about the overall condition? Could of been worse, at least you didn't fly down there ,get a room,rent a car, and meet up with the surveyor and then pay him. Still it sucks were deceived by a dealer. I paid for two surveys last year and saved myself the headache of buying the first boat along with the travel involved to "pre- inspect" it. Something will pop up and make it all worth while !

Patience Grasshopper , took us 8 months before we found the right one. Don't rush it and just settle on one because your tired of looking, which should be 1/2 the fun of it anyway. iboats/yachttrader/boattrader/google/craigs. [which I used to search from New England to Chicago, Detroit had some decent boats last year.]..something will pop up in your price range.

I have seen fresh water engines come apart just as quickly as salt water do. All the surveyors I have dealt with inspect everything but the engine. They leave that to mechanics at your expense to look it over. There is no guarantee they can find everything ,its a educated crapshoot. Who is to say a timing chain isn't on its last breath or a piston ring isn't ready to grenade ? If your searching for the ultimate deal make sure you have saved enough on the deal to be able to replace the engine in the near future and if you don't your more ahead of the curve. Sorry to hear some have had bad results with saltys but I see a whole lot of them being used as charter boats.

I would say your only issue is that you probably will be replacing the engine in a few years unless itis a newer one that was designed for salt water use and it was religiously flushed after every use. I would not be worried about the wiring, trim tabs or actual hull. What size/ make of boat and engine ???? To some of the post above, most salt inboards are closed cooling and the actual block is fine running in salt, the exhaust manifolds are replaced every 5 years or so vs 15-20 on fresh water. If it is a open system expect to replace the engine. I bought a salty last year and have had no issues and was about 17,000-20,000 less than what I would of paid if it was a freshy. I could replace both drivelines all the wiring and still be ahead. I would do it again and it was surveyed.

Have you considered the Trojan F32 listed on here. The price point is there, fresh engines , fully rigged and room for your family to spend weekends on. Yes its a older boat but fresh water all its life and the gel coat may be in very good condition, hard to tell from the pictures. Sure would leave you with gas and storage money being way under budget. Don't think your going to find anything [ Tiara-Amberjack] in the 2000's with your budget. Just a thought and it can't hurt to take a look at it.

I know a guy that keeps his 31 Tiara in Erie Pa. and is selling it. Boat was set up and kept on Ontario until he moved it two years ago to be closer to his home. Has not posted it for sale anywhere that I am aware of,not in a hurry to move it. PM me if you want his info