nice boat! I have done a O/B conversion with a bracket on a 1989 crestliner 185 sportfish. I can tell you some things that I learned. The boat ran well and handled well except that it dug in at the stern when taking off. not terrible , but noticeable. I was warned that 18 foot was too small for a bracket. I should have heeded that advice. it rode nice and smooth. The Crestliner originally had a I/O, so it had no knee braces. I had to fab some for the bottom and for the top. a outboard pushes in at the bottom and pulls the top away. Either way you go bracket or cutting down the transom you have to fab up knee braces. I like the bracket better because of the full transom height. Cutting down the transom will require you to build a splash well that braces everything together. I am in the process of rebuilding a 1985 22v islander with a o/b bracket now. I expect this size will perform better than the 18 foot boat. I used a 25 inch outboard because I wanted the extra clearance from the head to the water . Either way I think a 25 inch outboard will be a better choice using a bracket or cutting down. I used regular cable steering , just a little longer , same with controls. if you are comfortable with most power tools and have at least a moderate mechanical knowledge, these guys can help you complete your project. edit: All the outboard bracket's mounting braces need to tie in to the original i/o mounting stringers.
