i be from joisey. thanks fer the help, i emailed wellcraft already. yes, i recieved a title, which also says 1979, but the guy listed and spoke of the boat as a '73. i didn't want to tell him the boat was six years newer than he thought, i figure it's "caveat venditor", dig. hull physically good, the motor runs pretty strong, outdrive seems ok (needs prop, but marina is taking care of that while they have the boat) and i paid only a grand, so i figure i owe the boat some money. i'm going to tune her up (it's like a car motor, right? ;)), replace whatever's obvious, detail and teak her out, and catch fish. i also ended up with a free outdrive with prop out of his shed. i think it's early-mid seventies according to the #'s on it, but don't think it'd fit. the prop might, i'll recon it and use it as backup.