Do I need to raise the transom ?

[poco]

Hey guys, I totally did my homework and searched first ! lol

Last year I posted about re powering, I have a 71 SF20 stock but re glassed transom. I landed on running a E-tec 115 ( river trips and lake crusing is what this boats ganna see 90% of), Iv got the cash im ready to buy but but a dealer down the road has got some apocalypse prices on a 115 G2 and a 140 G2 and they got 5-10lbs more on the 115 E-Tec. I mean im totally in to that 140 G2 but i hear up and downs on the G2 motors at the min. any thoughts on that dilemma would be greatly appreciated.

Anyway my question is this:

I had not originally intended to raise the transome, should I?
if so there was a suggestion to do 26 1/2 is that still the recommendation?
is a jack plate recommended?

I do not have full rebuild money at the moment but will be keeping this boat for the foreseeable future and will get to it one day for now I just really really wanna get out on the water and no worry my motors ganna die or catch on fire. Both happed last weekend so im ready to move on lol

*I thought I was posting in the "general" section cant delete it so my apologies