transom on 23's
 

Looking for a couple answers.I have noticed some transoms on the older 23's are straight across.Others drop down where the engine is located. I believe the boats with 2 engines are straight across. Single engine boats drop down.Did these older 23's come stock with notched transoms or are they reworked to accommodate 25" motor. I'm looking at one with 2 motors .I assume to go to a single I would have to look for 30" motor.Is this correct?Thanks

Factory notched transoms on all outboard models. Crowned transoms on the inboard models or someone has rebuilt transom

Better off w a 30" on a bracket. Motor will b that much higher out of water

No. The notch is to allow a single 25" motor to reach below the keelson. The higher portions to either side allow for twin 25" motors without having them extend too far below the planing surface.

My memory isn't perfect, but here's a scenario which I think explains what you've observed: I think all OB's were 20" in 73 when the first 23's came out, and the biggest motors available were the Merc I-6 150 and OMC V-4 135, so most early OB models would have been sold with twins, and the boats may have been set up for 20" twins with a straight cut. The more powerful V-6 motors came out in the late 70's. If the 25" option came out with the V-6, they may have raised the cutout to 25" for twins, but then I think you'd need a notch for a 25" single.

These boats are old enough that many may have had the transom redone by now. The 30" motor is a relatively recent development, so you'd have to measure to check what length motor the transom was set up for. A redone transom might be set up for either 25 or 30" motors depending on when it was done.

If you are talking about the second notch inside of the main motor notch:

My 1973 23' sf has the notched down area inside of the well cut out across both motors. It had twin 20" motors. I could use a single 25" but on mine I am going to close the transom in and make a bracket for a single 30". The single 30" brackets provides more flotation and keeps the power head up out of the water better.

Edit: Went back and looked at mine last night. It doesn't look original. Looks like someone maybe redone the transom set it up to be a twin 25" height at one time. Then at some point someone cut it back down to put twin 20" motors back on it. That may explain the notched down area in my transom.

23 transom
 

The boat I'm looking at with 2 motors is a 1984. I thought for sure they were 25 ". I have to go see it again.As far as putting a bracket, that's more than I want to tackle.Besides that I'm one of those guys who like to keep my toys stock.I've owned my present 1970 twenty footer for 30 years. Won't be easy to part with it. Just need a little more boat for future plans.( FL) Thanks for everyone's input

1984 may have twin 25''s. Not sure what the newer year model's have.

If the transom was for twin 20" you could run a single 25" if you wanted but if you ever needed to replaced the transom I would raise it to 30".

on my '78 I had twin 150's then switched to a V8 rude, don't really know the shaft length frankly - the V8 weighed 650 and I had no problems with the splashwell or scuppers as it was big anyway - that boat also carried twin 200 Mercs @ 415 each

-Older hulls up to mid/late 80's have the wide straight transom...used twin 20" motors or one single 25"
mid/late 80's I believe used notched transoms for single 25"
I could be wrong..just going on ones I have seen for sale
-Fred