Should I cut the transom down or just
adjust the bolt?

I just started a thread about this the other day. What I was told is that you have to cut and re weld the cavitation plate or possible buy a new one and weld it on. Call go devil. thats what I am going to do next week.

Hmmm, Ok. A neighbor who used to have one said you can tweak with the bolt, but you won't have as much reach. I don't really want to cut the cav plate off the shaft, so I might just cut the transom down. I was really wondering what would be the main problem with having it setup this way. Thanks.

I wouldn't cut the transom. Cut it and you cant go back that easily. I would just move the cavitation plate. I will know in the next week or two what you have to do exactly because like I said I am fixing to have the same issue. Picking up my Aucoin 18x48 on tuesday.

You want the cavitation plate running this direction in the water ____ so it is easy to lift up and down.

If you use a tall transom boat and a short transom longtail, the cavitation will be like this \ causing the prop to want to come out of the water and
making it more than a bear to keep in the water. Been there, tried it, no way to do it without cutting the transom or getting the correct angle on the cavitation plate. You would have to call GD to find the correct angle. If you do get it to the correct angle, you still won't be getting maximum performance. The prop will still be angled more downward than outward.

There is a reason the GD shaft is longer on a tall transom boat.

I'm getting the transom cut tomorrow.