I don't think I want to "start over" at this point (a lot of work for the conversion) versus just putting together what I have. The only reason I would do it is for reliability and peace of mind. We could tune the engines down, but why? That's no fun. I don't want to be the guy that always says "xxx horsepower, BUT, de-tuned to XXX" it gets annoying. It's like the guy with the cousin who has a 300 mph Camaro (IROC Z), who cares.

I was also told the 6's are the best way to go for these boats. I could not stomach the $50K+ for the equipment, plus labor. At that point, you have to start looking into a newer boat that's more efficient. I just don;t want to be stuck with this thing for another 5+years, I already hate it, can't imagine how I'm going to feel when I have to start fixing stuff. Almost every single part on this boat is brand new, and a few people here can imagine what that costs. I've dumped too much into an old slow boat, shame on me.

ICED - misery loves company.

I feel your pain, I did the same thing with my 91 Topgun. Now I'm in over my head, but everything is new in the engine compartment plus Kondrads on transom .

Think everyone who has done a true rebuild of a older boat knows what your talking about. Spent double or more what the boat is worth. In the end you have a new boat. Lots of people say "you could
have bought this" but let's be honest how many newer boats have been bought and 10k+ has been dropped in them from motors drives and what ever else? The late model boats is all we really have unless you have a big budget to buy one of the new newer boats out there.

I'll be upside down in the end with redone TRS wishing I had bravos or Konrads with shortys. But can't swing the extra after all the unseen problems. Live and Learn, but I'll be driving the hell out of the old/new boat knowing what's been done to it and how it was build.

I think you are making the right move with the conrads at this point . Before I rigged my flat deck i considered a set of arnesons ( not the bravo conversion) for my boat.
I had a long chat with KVOGT ( great guy) and he educated me that although the end result would be fantastic the pain to get there could be huge. So I stuck with completeing the notch instalation in my boat and then rigged with NO. 5 drives . I am now a year and a half latter running it and begining the dialing in process. Stay with it the gain is worth the pain. The fact is it was never about the money , if it was you wouldnt have the boat in the first place, none of us would have .
RG.

Funny you made a notch in your flat deck and the other guy filled his notch to fit arnesons.

I am receptive to buying an old boat with tons of money dropped into it for a discount

Hogie I think when we buy these boats our intelligence factor gets reduced some how. I thought it would be easier to put a notch in my boat than pay for standoff boxes. It was alot of work but i am pleased with the result so far and the fact that I didn't spend 10 grand on the boxes and related parts helped ease the pain. The proof now will be to see it the efforts were worth it . The learning experience ceratinly was . Also the pride of a job well done. Frick hang in there buddy , that first blast on the water will earase al the pain .
RG.

Who filled the notch? With the #7M's there is no need to fill the notch.

Rik I was thinking the same thing . Is the #7 the only asd drive that will work with a notch ?
RG.

Just because its Newer- doesn't mean you wont need to drop a Chit load of $$ into it. Buy me a Beer and I will tell you a LONG and $$$$ Story lol

No, the ASD8's will also on a normal side by side.

Chris Voght did an amazing job on his boat but he did it the harder way. He purchased an old set of 1600's off a cat in FL and then began the process of putting things together in his boat. Would the #7M's been easier and less complicated, of course, but Chris did what he had the budget for and his boat looks amazing.

If he had to do it all over again he would even admit the #7M's are what he'd do too.

Mike Burt in NJ has the 38' Cig with the Kurt's Marine 840 hp that runs over 100. Kolor Craft did a 38' Cig that runs over 100 as well. The handling is better, the docking is easier and the boat is plane an simple faster than an I/O. I know there are people out there that won't believe it but everyone who has done it agree's.

The notch is only a concern for a stagger application and even then the entire notch is not of concern, rather only the are where the drives are mounted is of concern and typically this is only 2-3" of height by the width of the standoff box.