Posted: September 25 2007 at 22:47 | IP Logged

Rem - I owned a 1985 381 for five years and had an absolute love affair with the boat that transcends the 500 Connie I now own.  Like most mid-80's CC's she a wet boat in a quartering sea and a handful in a following sea.  BUT....she'll handle a lot of rough water.  Make sure your surveyor meters and sounds the decks well.  YOU should attend the survey and ask questions but be mindful of the surveyors need to concentrate on the task at hand.  I recommend taking a pad and pen and write down your questions and pose them at an opportune time.  These boats vary in blistering but were not prone to them.  I had about five in the first two years.  I ground them out, filled them with West System and they never came back.  Other than routine maintenance and fair wear and tear replacement of items, these are wonderful 38' motoryachts with the space of a 41 footer.