20 inch or 25inch

[CUDA]

Going to get going on a project boat , it is a 26 foot Sleekcraft , was a inboard old friend redid the transom & stringers , I installed a 9 inch pad years ago , been sitting up side down the last ten years , It has a 30 inch set back, sun deck motor bracket , it had two 20 inch 200 hp mercury's spinning 28 choppers , I've always been a small HP outboard guy so not sure I should use the 25 inch or 20's like the other owner used, I have a pair of 25 inch 2004 optimax 250xs motors 140 cold cranking compression , I also have two 20 inch cans so I can go either way.
Since it has 30 inch set back was going to switch to 20s like the previous owner , but should I is the question ?
Since it had chopper props, a surfacing prop , I guess he could get on plane easier than other designs ?
I got the 20 cans years ago , it sure would be easier to make the change now , but should I ???

[XstreamVking]

If your going to run in the salt I would go with the 25'' motors. Keeps the power heads clear of the water.And much cleaner. If running only in the sweet water, go with 20's and keep the cg lower.

[W2F a V-King]

Agree with XstreamVking. The further from the salt spray, the better.
Mercury did a study many years ago and found the more salt spray ingested, the shorter the power head life. Albeit not by a lot, but there none the less.
Had a good friend that was a Mercury rep back in the mid 80's that would pass along things learned. Would have never thunk it, but the air intakes are in the rear...

So motors setting low, and also way back on brackets could ingest more spray than transom mounted.