Offshoreonly.com - Stellings Extensions, Drive Height and Shorty lower units

All,

I have a 2001 Formula 382. It had Stellings extension boxes added by the previous owner (long story. :)) The engines are at the stock height for no boxes. The boxes are currently in their lowest setting. The boat has the stock bravo transom plates preventing the boxes from being raised without either cutting the top of the driveshaft hoop out of the bravo plate, or replacing the plate with a stellings transom plate.

From pictures I've found of 382's w/ stellings boxes installed, most have the bottom of the box about 3" top 4" above the transom notch. On my boat, they are only 1" above the transom notch.

I'm up to the challenge of doing some transom plate mod's with a good saw. But, the best I can do after fixing the plate is raise the drives 2" which probably still puts them lower in the water than a lot fo boats have them.

My question is, does it make sense to try some shorty lower units first, and then raise the boxes? Do the IMCO shorty lower units offer any reduced water resistance, besides eliminating 2" of exposed unit to the water flow? IOW, would 2" shorty IMCO's offer any advantage over just raising teh current drives up 2" with the boxes?

Are IMCO units the way to go, or are the XR Sportmaster's better?

The boat has Bravo 1 drives now, not XR's.

Thanks,
Garrett