I have read the article you posted before, in fact I've read dozens related to cones, skegs, props, and drives. So much info out there, its hard to make solid choices. If I had a cone available, I probably would put it on just for fun, and also because the nose took a dent and may be vulnerable, or more so than before. All discussion aside, the CVZ is likely to go forward as more of a family fun boat which if it can do 45-50mph that's probably good enough. Who knows, maybe it gets the 305, the timi gets the merc 260, and the 73 RS Camaro gets the stroker? Who knows, its all a grand experiment. I have collected all my pics and done a bit of writing, so I will be posting a repair guide to Skegs soon on the vendor resources.