thanks for pointing out my error since this was a factor did not consider!
If i had a 30" shaft, in my case I prob have wrong bracket then. i measured and ran out of holes for 5" of room from my current 25" shaft and bracket. so thus the bracket i have cannot handle the 30" shaft without being moved up which would compromise floation. Anyway this is all dreaming For Me based on paranoia of seeing the engine sit a little low when coming off plane. the engine tech said no worries.
If money no object and buying from scratch do 30" shaft and glass bracket that can handle that. Engine is then as far out of Salt as possible when it sits that near 3 feet back. I am running a 25" shaft verado 250 and armstrong bracket-i half dreamt about extending the shaft with a spacer kit, and then realized would need to move this bracket up to handle, and now realize it is prob the wrong bracket or would compromise floation. Its not worth the cost for reward, at least right now, in my situation. But if going from scratch it would be diff. And this is really about that last <5% of compulsive disorder
-J