You will still have to deal with CG issues either way to some degree. Spend your money building the deck light and moving the batteries forward. The 10" bracket won't be an issue considering you will be getting rid of the weight of the giant engine well. A big set of tabs will fix anything else underway and provide additional planing surface area that is adjustable as well.

I thought about that too but in retrospect you only have to fool with it until it is right and then never mess with it again. If it was a flats boat that would be a different story but for the 23's you can only get so much blood from a turnip.

Moose, can you tilt your motor all the way up with that short splashwell gate?

Yes but not to horizontal, I have to set the limiter but I can tilt it up where the foot is above the bottom of the hull and it's a 30 inch motor. I'll try and get some better pics of the set up.

I had a Hermco bracket installed on my 1978 23' CC 300hp etec, last winter by Don. It is the best thing I have done to the boat by far. I have been down in the Keys for the past week and the boat rides better then ever and it makes it so much easier to get on the boat with our dive gear on.

I am also using Capt.Chuck's boat as a model for mine. I had an opportunity to ride on his boat and loved everything about it. I should of bought it when I had the chance.


Thanks,
MIke

Mike, A good case of "ya snooze, ya loose" on Chuck's boat. :)

whats the hermco bracket gonna cost me on my next 23 . a early I/0,changed to an outboard, needs a lot...I'm in NY and will do the install.

Here is a link to Don's web site.


http://www.hermco.com/brackets/

Looks like he has a hiccup bracket for sale too!

23 does well with a bracket. Hermit and I made one a few years ago (2009) for his 23 (42" wide if I remember correctly) . . . performance is great. It's a little tricky getting the height dialed in. I'm probably going to make one for my 23 this winter remove the splashwell. I'm tired of pumping out the baitwell. I'm either going to seal it off baitwell or enclose the transom, build a bracket and reclaim the deck space.

http://www.wellcraftv20.com/gallery/..._013.sized.jpg