looking for advise

[oldfielder]

I love my I/o for the ride. You definitely have your head in the engine compartment a little more than you'd like at times. The think rides like a tank-think about how much further forward that 900 pounds is-my guess is that it has some impact on the hull's ride.
I think my transom is a little wet, but I have a feeling it's from other places. My guess is that the i/o stresses the transom a lot less than an o/b because of the setup of the transom assembly. There's also a pretty serious seal there if the thing is installed correctly.
I've looked into repower just for curiosity and it looks like I can get my merc 250 hp for about six when the conditions are right-add a few more grand for a new outdrive if you need one.
Everything has its tradeoffs, but so far I've been very happy with this rig.
Good luck.
That Jersey boat looks nice.