Ask to take a peak inside.
Take a picture if possible of the mast tube/step and post it here for comments.
A reinforced mast step isn't a bad thing, especially on an older boat
I have a question about inspection ports. See how, on this boat, there is one just in front of the mast......does this mean there has been a mast problem or the mast has been reinforced? If it has been reinforced does anyone have a picture of the inside of their boat so I can see what a reinforced mast step looks like? If I buy this boat I want to know what the mast step "should" look like.
Picture's worth a 1000 words as they say + that's pretty much true for this sort of stuff.
Let us all know how it turns out if you can - - after a couple of posts n all you've got us kinda rooting for you + your son.
This is a picture of an untouched mast step on a 1978 Laser