So I finally launched my mermaid and had 6 glorious days in the bay before the 302 ford gave up. So now I'm wanting to repower her and wondering if the 350 mercruiser is the way to go. I saw a guy at the launch with my same boat and he had put a 454 in it and said it was great. I'm worried about the added weight and the lack of working space and also the gas! Any opinions are welcome. She is so pretty now with her teak and holly floor and cheetah upholstery that she deserves a great engine to go with. Thanks!