I bought a new XPress modified-V 1756 in March of 2001. From the very beginning I have had problems with getting the boat to plane when alone in the boat. It was worse when there was a passenger sitting on the rear bench seat. The boat would porpoise even with the motor tilted all the way down. I contemplated the cause of my problem and drew the following conclusions: The boat is rated for a 90HP motor and I have a 50HP (possibly underpowered), the weight distribution is disproportional (motor, 2 batteries, 2 gas tanks, and 1-2 people in the back of the boat), no weight in the bow to speak of. I began thinking of ways to remedy this. I began using a counter-weight near the bow for better weight distribution.