That's an interesting picture, Scott. My Commander came with a 9.9 Evinrude and the PO had a different idea. He raised the mounting plate. I have to drop the motor through the hole diagonally so that becomes more of a problem, as I continue to rack up the minutes (years...or something). I am thinking of making a hoist for raising the mast. I have seen diagrams of such being bolted to the center stay tangs and standing slightly higher than the spreaders. If it would extend over the stern, then that would be a big help in getting the motor up in the boat and dropping it into the well. I haven't put a tape to this yet, so I don't know the length from the tangs to the stern of the boat.
John G.
Valhalla
Commander No 287