My wife and i are looking at used houseboats. We have rented them on Lake Cumberland several times over the past few years and really enjoy it. We are not rich though and will be looking at some older boats and not that large. I am currently talking to the owner of a 14' X 47' Harbor Master. I know that my question is premature because I haven't even looked at the boat in person yet but it's about a 6 hour drive one way and I thought that maybe I could at least get some opinions before doing so. This is a Harbor Master boat and seems to be pretty well built. It is a 1980 model but you wouldn't know it by looking as it really is in fantastic cosmetic condition. I realize though that some people care more about the cosmetics than they do the drivetrains. The boat has twin 454 engines. I have no idea if they are Mercruiser, Crusaders, or what. I do know though that they have just over 1200 hours on them and that concerns me. Of course I will have them surveyed if I decide to take it to that step but assuming that the engines have never been rebuilt, am I correct in feeling that even if they have been properly maintained that they will need work probably in the near future? If that is the case, what kind of money am I looking at? $3,000 - $5,000 or is it even more than that? I am fairly mechanical in that I have done a couple of auto type engine swaps, my own tuneups, clutch changes, etc. I've rebuilt a few carbs in my day. Small things. But if it came down to an engine rebuild, that is out of my league.