I just removed the nose cone from my Bravo that has been giving me so much trouble over the years. It was added on by the previous owner who had big power and I heard he went 101 in a radar run back in 2001. (251 Checkmate)

Anyway I have sucked up everything and anything from the bottom of the Potomac river over the years and finally decided to yank it off. On one side a crack had started in the epoxy that held it on, so it was time. I wacked it a few times with a sludge and followed the cracks with a body grinder.

Now I'm not sure what a low water pick-up Bravo is supposed to look like but I'm guessing not like this. Was the top hole cut and drilled or are there supposed to be two big holes? The top hole looks big but the passage is the same size as the lower one (aout the size of my index finger) There are four 1/4" size holes below the bottom hole that are filled in with epoxy.
Anyone have a picture of what this is supposed to look like? Do I have to plug the top hole and clean out the four smaller ones on the bottom? Can I leave it the way it is?
I have already sanded all the epoxy off and I'm going to paint it with some flat black for now.


A pic of the nose cone after removal

looks like you are going to need serious welding or a new lower...