We have a
Cabo Rico 38.
There are few things that you can point to on a Cabo Rico as problematic as they are almost all customized to some degree. Like any boat of that age you should look for wet decks. The forepeak around the
bowsprit is often not good due to the bolts that go through the
bowsprit and into the
deck, allowing moisture to enter. I would not buy a CR (or any other boat) with a
teak deck.
The chain plates should have been replaced by now - there was some issues with the original ones. We did this ourselves with new ones we had fabricated. Maybe a couple hundred for the plates and bolts.
Almost all westerbekes that old (we have an 87) have
oil leaks and may have
lost some
compression. We are delaying replacing ours because it just keeps going. We periodically add
oil and wipe oil from the
bilge. The actual block is either a Mitsubishi or a Perkins depending on the age. Both have a wide dealer
network. I will not lie - the parts are generally expensive.
We are probably over due for a
cleaning or replacement of the
fuel injectors and a valve job.
When we do finally set off over the horizon we are likely to change the engine out for a
Beta Marine. That would set us back about $15K USD or so.
Besides that you will find the same issues with all old boats - fridge
insulation being bad, hoses needing replacing, port holes crazed or delaminating, etc..