[bmaj319]

I too have the same boat, only a year older. I have the LOW cut transom (20"), with a Suzuki 140 hp four stroke on it that weighs a little over 400 pounds. The real question is how/when/why is the water getting into your boat?

When I back into ANY slop at all (even 6" ripples when launching), green water comes pouring in, unless I have the splash board up (I don't have the splash well, which takes up an awful lot of room all the time). Of course you have to remember to drop it before you tilt the motor, or you'll hear a nasty crunching sound.

The other situation where I ship water is when running fairly hard into 2-3' seas. Every once in a while the boat meets a wave just right, and a sheet of water comes right at me, and winds up in the bildge.

I moved to St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands a couple of months ago, and had a problem with my bilge pump (brand new automatic Rule 1200 gph) last weekend. That experience convinced me that an old fashioned, manual bilge pump is the next thing on the "to do" list.

Good luck, and hang in there, I don't think you'll find a sweeter riding 18 with any other nameplate on it!