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wrote:
I know that this is a really, really broad question about engine hours
(that is below), but since I'm new here, I'll naively ask it anyway.

Having been a life-long sailor, I now have 4 kids and am in the power
boat mode. So, I am searching for a nice 1960's wooden cabin cruiser
in the 33'-38' foot range. Give or take a little if it's the right
boat. I don't want to spend a ton of money, either. Let's say my
budget is $12,000-$20,000.

I have seen a wide variety of these boats on the internet in a wide
variety of conditions. What I am interested in is a good, reliable boat
that I can take the family on weekend outings in the San Joaquin delta
or maybe SF Bay. The boat doesn't have too look factory new, but I
don't want it to look like its on its last legs either. Just solid and
presentable.

I've been around boats all of my life and I don't mind quaint, 40 year
old ways of doing things. That's part of the charm.

So here's the question: what is a reasonable number of hours that one
can expect from average type use on one of this type of boats? (see, I
told you it was a broad question).

Let's say a typical family owwner who doesn't push the boat that hard
that often and uses it a reasonable amount each year. With typical
maintenance what's reasonable? I see boats with 300 hours (good) and
1,600 hours (bad?) and I've read somewhere that about 1,000 is typical
(that's about 60,000 miles in auto speak if I drive 60 mph and get to
1,000 hours.

What can I use as a guide?

Thanks!

The engine's age in years is about the only thing really reliable.

Needless to say be very wary of seller claims about this & that service
& be especially careful of any boat broker's claims:-)

You can have it surveyed to confirm they're still "serviceable" at the
time of purchase & haven't already suffered a death experience:-)
however even that won't tell you how much longer the motor has to live.

Most petrol engines are raw water cooled (seawater runs directly through
the block, heads, exhaust manifolds & any exhaust risers). This means
they very rarely actually "wear" out in pleasure craft use (Some say 100
hrs per year but it's more like 50 so 1000 hours would take well over 10
years or the equiv of about 50-60K miles in a car)

The engines mostly die when water gets into then from a leaky manifold
&/or riser also they suffer significant corrosion in the block/head(s)
again eventually water gets in from say a corrosion effected head gasket
then the engine can be outright dead in as little as 2 turns of the
crankshaft.

If the choice is available try for a boat with twins so you won't be
"stuck" if one dies. Use them, regular usage is OK as said you're
unlikely to wear them out before the have an accident.

Some people replace things like risers regularly & this is a good idea
but in the end the costs are probably similar.

K