The 30 inch is a great move and while they are back there I would seriously consider modifying the engine well. Mine was removed and replaced with a much more space saving layout. The room you gain from removing the well is priceless and greatly reduces the clutter.

Here is an old before pic of mine.

Here is what it looks like now with all that room recovered...

No way all that blood is from one fish!!!!

Had a couple of schoolies hit the deck as well.

Are you in the Keys yet? We should be seeing some blood on your deck soon...

Getting there!
 

Turning out pretty good!

One more

Hey Kmoose! I like the modification to the stern. I really like the set up in the stern on my 78. Do you still have a livewell back there? Can't wait to put some blood on the deck but not as much as that! Did you gaff your foot or something!!!!

Leaving Saturday. You guys still heading to Bimini?

I'm hoping for a year more like 2014, not so much a wimpy repeat of last year. In '14 we had everything from 40 - 45 pound dolphin down to so many obnoxious peanuts you had to put the boat on plane to get away from them. I told the not too happy family members fishing with me the "peanut rule", if you have to measure more than three fish out of a school we are leaving them. They got over it.

Transom is now 30' !!! Getting there!

I'm going to doing my transom on my '79 ,23' cc after the 4th.. I have to do it from the outside in too. Please post more pics! I will do the same. There's safety in numbers... I hope.