If it's clean and in good running condition, it has to be worth $1500,
or close enough to $1500 that you have no serious risk. How much could
you possibly overpay? The answer would have to be a lot less than
$1500, and that's a lot lower risk of overpayment than 99% of boat
buyers assume.


If you can find an NADA value on a 28-year-old boat it's going to be
meaningless. The average 1978 Bayliner is not going to be in the
condition your post implies for the boat you're considering- but that
price will reflect the "average" selling price (of several hundred
dollars) for a normally pretty clapped out rig.

Looking in our local paper is likewise impractical. First, you will
find few boats of that same year, make, and model being advertised at
any given time- and second the difference in *condition* on a boat of
that age can easily double, triple, or quintuple the price of a junker.

I'd suggest you spend $100 before shelling out the $1500, and get an
hour or so of a competant mechanic's time to evaluate the basic
condition of the running gear. Your "sis" might even credit you with
this at closing.