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Acspurgat: I think that your model of Outrage is a really special boat. When I was a kid, working at a marina in my hometown of Vermilion, Ohio, we sold Whalers. This is on Lake Erie. The Montauk of that time is the classic Montauk, and with the 13 Sport, maybe THE classic Whalers. But that version of the Outrage was a much heavier boat and was the boat to conquer the chop of Lake Erie. Lots of happy customers with that one.

That said, it's not so "classic" in the sense of the way some people lovingly rebuild their consoles to furniture grade, etc. I think you have a monster boat, built to do monster boating, and you should do whatever you want to it. It is a machine, a tool, not a museum piece.

(your other boat is a museum piece!)

An 18 Outrage deserves the best we can give her in terms of motors and electronics and etc. And there's ways to preserve the overall console look ... but that look doesn't really get down to gauges, in my opinion, on this particular boat. In my opinion, I would look at her more respectfully if she were fully stoked with modern equipment, like she just got a re-fit, which is exactly what you're doing. A re-fit is an honorable thing, especially for a boat that can kick as much *ss as yours will.

Good luck and I hope you'll keep posting of your work along the way.