Hello all, Newbie here as of last week. Looks like a GR8 place to learn. Long story short (not happening haha) I was fortunate enough to acquire a 2000 Stratos 21SS at a steal. Been a Nitro guy for years. Never owned anything else. It's in very good shape for just sitting in storage for the past 10 years and not running. Most everything is in gr8 condition considering.. except all the gooey stuff in the rod boxes. I have many questions about this boat and I hope some of you Stratos diehards will be kind enough to chime back at me. The Rude (225 RAM) that is hanging on this is probably not good. I had my mech hook up his computer to it and pulled one code @ the 65th hr. No real issue. It has 113 hrs on it. We were able to get it to fire spraying fuel mixture directly down its throat for a split second and he said it sounded damn good but it would not stay running...and the process of going broke would start here. First off I DO NOT want this thing to "nickle/dime" ( a grand her and a grand there) me, so I will pull this motor and see if someone needs possibly a good motor. I'm a Merc kind of guy...or, maybe a new SHO, not sure yet..that's why I am here seeking ya'lls professional $.02. My questions are these ...for now.

Is there any backsplash that comes up over the transom when getting out of it?
How does this hull perform overall? Is it a dry ride? (have read about the hull issue/factory, but I believe it was the 19/20's.
If I re-power to Merc/Yammy, can I use the factory "Stratos" analog gauges? Will that strange L.E.D. info thing at the top of the dashboard still work with a different motor?..air tepm, livewell temp, RPM's, time, trips, timers, engine hrs etc ?
This boat had the upgrades with a Pinpoint tm, Pinpoint graphs ets. I'm trashing these items.
It came standard (I believe) with a Slidemaster jackplate with a setback of 6.5 or 7 inches. My question is, I will be putting a hydraulic plate on it (one with ladder capabilities now that I'm going grey)..with the 6 or 7" fact setback, can I go with a 10" plate or might this hull get some chine walk if I go beyong what the factory setback was? Again. I have ridden in plenty of Stratos' but never owned one. Don't want to drop big $ on a plate only to realize I went too big and created problems.

More questions to follow I'm sure as I want this to be my last boat and plan to build it so. Hydro-JP, new MK Ultrex, Raptors etc. I live in SW Florida and plan to finally learn the Big O (hopefully ya'll tell me how awesome this ride will be on some big h2o) and plan to travel (retire) to use some of the 1000's of crankbaits laying around from living awhile in Indy (tourny fishing the midwest)..haha.

Thanks for hanging in and reading this this far. If you can comment, add anything, good or bad I would gr8tly appreciate it. I would include a photo or two, not sure how to navigate this new site yet. By the way I will be parting with my mint cond 2003 Nitro 901 CDX that I've owned since new and have ALL doc's..loaded, gr8 boat. Just looking to build a new to me project.