If going with the checkmate look for a 283 with a single engine. Better ride and more cockpit space. I know of a few that can be bought in the 20-25k range with good power (blue motors or better) near us. I was on a nice one last week. I had a 253 and it was a great boat but did have "the hop" at slow speeds if you didn't know how to adjust the trim for it. It was and is a very solid boat, glass and mold work is way better than my hustler and among the best I have seen. There wasn't 1 ripple or wave in the side of that boat and it was solid. Same goes for my 16' which I still have.

Interesting. A friend has a 253 and has never touched the tabs. They're all the way up all the time. If it starts to porpoise you just trim the drive down a bit. I've ran the boat to 82mph and it's the easiest boat I have ever driven.

Yeah, that is not the one. So it the one the OP posted very well could be the boat I thought it was... I can't tell in the listing if the one the OP posted had a purple aluminum swim platform. The ine I am thinking if had the purple platform.

Exactly, you don't need to adjust the tabs just run the trim all the way down and bump it up for hhalf a second if you are running slow (in the 30s). If you are running faster than that its a non issue. A 502 mag would be the smallest engine I would look at in that boat as well.

I leave my port tab halfway down and starboard all the way up. Necessary to counteract prop torque. I am running a 30 pitch bravo prop. Other than this I typically don't use my tabs much.

I have been running this boat for about a year now and have never had a problem with "porpoise". Not saying it isn't there just that i haven't encountered it.