I'm looking to purchase a used boat 5 years or newer.
What would you consider is "a lot" of hours on a boat that is 5 yrs old or even newer.

80-100 is average for a fairly serious fishing boat.

I am less worried about the hours and more about the condition and how it was used. Someone may have 50 hours on the boat, never really learned to use it well and the hull is ruined from full contact docking. Then take a guy that puts a couple hundred on it and is always careful and cautious and babies it. You have to examine every detail to determine the overall condition.

Truth there.
Way more problems from a five year old motor with 50 hours than same year with 500.

A 5 year old boat could have from 100-500 hours depending on owner usage. Think about it--on the low side, if a person goes out once a month on a small lake he prolly only puts 15-25 hours per year on the motor. The typical avid bass tournament angler may put 100 or more per year. I've seen some that have 300-400 and only a year or two old. A boat used by a guide will have very high hours cause he's on the water near daily. For this reason many guides and pros get a new boat annually. Breakdowns cost these guys money. On occasion you can find one that has just had a powerhead replaced with low hours. For some, it's hard to keep a boat after the motor has been rebuilt or replaced. It's a mental thing that some, myself included, have so they sell it instead of worrying about the motor every time it hits the water. Boats up in the colder states will usually have much lower hours simply because of their seasonal location. Personally I would not buy "Any" boat that has been used by a guide or pro or even from an avid tournament angler. The time on these boats is usually pretty rough and the motors have high hours. I've spent several days on the water with a few Elite Pros and I can tell you for a fact these boats are abused beyond belief. I have a friend that bought one of Mike Iconelli's boats a few years back. The hull was cracked all over the place and had to spend several weeks at the factory to have it repaired (Basscat Lifetime Hull Warranty). If your not familiar with boats or motors take someone along with you to check it out before you buy. Request a printout of the motor. It will tell you the hours and at what RPMs it has been operated. Have the boat and especially the motor checked out at a reputable shop before buying!! BE PATIENT and do a lot of shopping before buying!!!

Good Luck!!

I disagree with Bulletman. Guides are never gonna get rich and they take great care of their gear to keep it running. Many of us keep our boats for 5-10 years and then sell them. With a guide, if he has no boat, he has no income, so many/most of us take especially great care of our gear.

Now pros. Most of their contracts with sponsors have a clause that requires them to have a new boat annually. Depending on the level of sponsorship, they get a free boat or they buy and sell after one year and the sponsor pays the difference so that the Pro is never out any cash on the boat. But when you know that the boat only has to last 364 days until the next new one comes, you drive it like you stole it!

I sell my used boats and I typically have 200 plus days of use a year on my boats and they are in great shape when they next to the next user. But every boat buyer must do his/her research on a used boat. Pay for a mechanic of your choosing to check it out. Might cost a few hundred, but beats losing a few thousand.

How a motor was cared for is way more important than how much time is on it.

I was with Champion from '84 until 2001. New boat every year, and took meticulous care of them, good fuel, good oil, and put between 450-550 hours on each motor a year. I don't know where every boat is, but I know where quite a few are, and every single one of those is still running. I truly believe the first two hours of use will dictate how it's going to live the rest of it's life. I broke every motor in hard and fast, and every one of those are running with well over 3,000 hours.

I've had more trouble out of my current 90 yamaha that had less than twenty hours on it, I've replaced every piece of ignition and electronics, every seal, every gasket, and every pump on it, simply from not ever being used.

So, long story...don't be afraid of hours, be afraid of upkeep.

Id say about 50 for me.