[1bayouboy]

Thanks for the replies....On the HIN the question was more are the number ranges and formats used documented anyplace. Since these were pre digital era I suppose tracker through out all the old paper....might be interesting to doc the member boats and compare HINs to see if they used a pattern.

The boat has a bracket already, but I won't be able to really survey it for a couple of weeks to see what I'll need to do. I'm primarily going to be using it to fish offshore out of Charleston SC...where the run out to the gulfstream is 50 miles one way. My current boat is just too rough...it's a 23 WAC I/O with 18 degree deadrise. It's a rare day out of CHS when you can do better than 30 on the ocean. I was checking the performance archive and looks like twin 115s / twin 140s or a 225/250 are the nor and get about 40 WOT and 30 cruise......I have a merc now with the smartcraft gauges and and I could have those on a pair of Opti's or (ouch..$$$...verados). I like the power/weight for the E-Tecs and those seem to be getting good reviews. I'll have to see what has to be done to the boat first. The documented project boats here and on classicmako are really amazing.