Thanks again for your input, everybody. At this point, I need more information about her condition before I make any kind of decision. I think she'll probably end up being more of a project than my wallet and I are up to, but I'll give her a look anyway.
I tend to be a hopeless optimist when it comes to things of this nature, so I'm glad you good folks are here to talk me back down out of the clouds.
Wayfarer, you have just had a whole heap of sound cautionary advice dumped on you, rather like a cold shower - and every one was right - up to a point.
However...if I could refer you back to my post 23 on P2 of this thread, for a minute…I would have to say, I'm rather glad I actually bought my boat way before I ever joined any forum. Because if I had just received all that 'great' advice you just did back then, I probably would have been scared witless and run a mile, and not have bought my present boat, because she was a sort of 'project' boat. As it was, however, I bought her because I was able to afford her, pay cash, and not have to borrow. I'd therefore rather call her a 'labour of love' boat.
Why..? Because I've enjoyed (nearly) every minute of the time I have spent bring her back to being, well, really nice. I am now about to move on as family demands mean more travel, so she is on the market. But you know, if I'm honest, when she is sold, the thing I suspect I will almost miss most is driving off down to the marina 20 minutes away to 'do' something to her which would improve her.
I think in a way I enjoyed working on her as even/nearly more than cruising her. Well, maybe about equally…and if I hadn't bought her then, I might have fussed around for ages trying to find a better one I could afford, and I would have missed out on a whole heap of enjoyment, and so would the family…get what I'm saying..?