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I have a question regarding the deck. As you can see from the pics in my first post above, the boat sits a little above the red waterline stripe. With the rear seats and bilge access hatches removed I ran a level from the existing deck to the transom and discovered that the deck level is currently 1/2" above the red stripe, so maybe I only have to raise the deck level 1 or 1 1/2" to drain the cockpit though the transom.
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Personally, I'd err on the side of caution and go at least 1.5", probably 2" – 2.5”. You never know how your weight will be distributed when you're on the boat, and it’s nice to never have to worry about your boat's self bailing capabilities. Are you planning on replacing the deck or just raising your old one?
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Also, I had originally planned to close the transom and put a bracket on the back, but I'm having second thoughts due to some performance questions I've seen raised and finances.
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Couple thoughts here. First, are you planning on getting a new engine? Typically, if you enclose your transom and add a bracket, you'll need a 25" shaft and it looks like you've got a 20" shaft.
Second, general sentiment is that the pros of a bracket outweigh the cons. I am just finishing my 20 and I added a bracket. Friday, I'll see for the first time how it sits in the water and in two Fridays I'll be able to run the boat for the first time with the bracket. To say I'm anxious to see its performance is an understatement. The bracket allowed me to add hatches and a transom livewell, in addition to the extra deck space. I dive a fair amount as well, and getting in and out of water with a bracket is much easier.
Brackets have been debated many times on this board, as I’m sure you’ve seen. PM me in a couple weeks if you’d like to know how it turned out for me. By then, I will have run the boat and should have a good idea.