Aside from the hours on the boat or taking it for a test drive, are there any tricks or tips for being able to tell the condition of a used boat? Something along the lines of checking if bolts spin freely to see if stringers are rotted. Are there any tricks for newer boats where the stringers aren't wood?
check all the fluids, look at the prop/underside of the boat, check trailer tires for age if applicable, ask lots of questions, stringers-if wood check for rot in floor and engine mount, if at all possible have a compression test done.