1987 Celebrity 19.5 Cuddy-Comments??

[Todtc]

Hi All,

I am looking at a 1987 Celebrity 19.5 Cuddy with a Chevy 350 Mercruiser that has 800 hours on it. The current owner has installed every option known to man including wrap-around canvas, a windlass, chain locker, GPS, fish finder, etc, etc. He is asking $5,500 and I'm thinking making a 3.5 hr drive to have a look. What should I be looking at on this boat as potential issues aside from the engine. I really don't know anything about these boats but this one has everything I'm looking for. I will use it to make weekly trips across the Sac River to a duck club I own as well as numerous fishing trips, day trips with the family, etc. Any known issues with these boats?? Thank you!!

 

[IVAZ]

Re: 1987 Celebrity 19.5 Cuddy-Comments??

I can't comment on the cuddy but I have a 1988 celebrity bowrider. It?s a well made boat. All the hardware is stainless steel. Inside the hull the fiberglass lay up is well done with very few rough areas. There?s not any rattles thru the chop either. I have been in a Bayliner and Winner of that vintage and they weren?t as well built as the celebrity.
The biggest issue is the age. You need to really check well for rot. The asking price seems high for a boat that age.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: 1987 Celebrity 19.5 Cuddy-Comments??

What brand is the drive? 87' is pretty old. Your primary concern is rot. Check carefully for soft spots on the deck and make sure it has a solid transom. In good shape it certainly sounds like a nice boat.

 

[Todtc]

Re: 1987 Celebrity 19.5 Cuddy-Comments??

What brand is the drive? 87' is pretty old. Your primary concern is rot. Check carefully for soft spots on the deck and make sure it has a solid transom. In good shape it certainly sounds like a nice boat.

Thank you for the reply. Aside from a rigorous visual and physical inspection (pushing, pulling, etc) are there inspection hatches on these boats or any other way to check for internal rotting?

 

[Jeff-in-PA]

Re: 1987 Celebrity 19.5 Cuddy-Comments??

Thank you for the reply. Aside from a rigorous visual and physical inspection (pushing, pulling, etc) are there inspection hatches on these boats or any other way to check for internal rotting?

Owner of a 1989 Celebrity 181 open bow with a 4.3L V-6 merc. I purchased the boat in '91 and still have it.

Take the toe of your foot and push around the inside edges of the deck to see if there are soft spots. Most likely to happen close to the stern. An orange size spot is a minor concern but bigger spots will require replacement.

I replaced some of the rear deck in my boat and wasn't aware of very minor stringer rot until I had the floor up and the gas tank out. I used marine grade plywood and to fab new stringer sections and fiberglassed them in as the factory did.