WTB: Post 42-46

The series 2 hull bottom is different from the prior ones.

N S
Kinda figured that out.
The difference is???
Flair, V shape, Chines, Strakes, Draft, shaft angle, final dead rise???

I have a 46 with 671 TIBs
Over all, I am extremely happy with the boat

Ours is a 46' series 2 hull with 6v92s and the biggest advantage I've noticed over the older hulls is down sea handling. The older hulls were a handful in a following sea. As to the engines, I'm partial to Detroits in a boat, due to the simplicity and ease of maintenance.( no electronics in the bilge) But I've owned and maintained Detroits all my adult life and am comfortable working on them when they need some attention. I much prefer the 71 over the 92, but if you maintain the coolant and keep the oil changed, they are great engines as long as they are not over propped. Don't let them overheat!

Sound advice for most marine diesels. The older posts were a little under powered, also, to challenge a big following sea, though, the hull design did help, so I have read.

Best thing I found for the flat bottoms in a following sea was a fast acting auto pilot.

In a following sea of any size, everything is manual with me....including my throttles. If you have your sync activated you can actually cause a broach by the slave's slower response. Also, make sure your tabs are locked tight in the up position.

Never try to operate with an AP in a following sea. AND as above, keep the sync's off.
I've come in on some ugly inlets when I had to, constant running AP pump (the fastest) still looses it. Leaning on the throttles is the quickest way to steer. The water action on the rudders is lost and thrust really helps. Flat or V stern, it's in the throttles and timing.

I didn’t say anything about running an inlet.

Inlets are all manual control and the more HP you have, the better,

O K, take my comment of inlet out, it's the same.

I was pushing a stabilized Fleming in a following 4 foot sea a couple of years ago.
Overnight delivery outside.
My arms still hurt and the wimp 3208s barely had the thrust to tear a wet paper bag in that mess.
The AP would have rolled the boat. The stabilizers went max to max. I tried to center them but that made the roll worse so I let them fly and try.
Wheel and throttle all night long.

I assumed nobody would navigate a running inlet on automatic anything. But coming back from the canyon in a following, its all manual for me also - now remember, we're assuming it is significant following - not 2- 3 rollers. Now add an opposing wind. You'd better be standing with your legs apart and no need to use the head.

I fear we have hi jacked the OP's very important questions with our sidebar.

I remember one night bringing a Striker in Lake Worth from Xanadu, Ammonia was dispensed down the stb bridge side a few times.
Flying fish were pinging the port side, off the swell tops.
Ye ole Benmar A P sucked that night also.

I just replaced my rudders with the HELP of Post. They have made a big difference in the following seas. Notice the cut out on the top of the rudder.

Do they also have more surface area than the originals? What does the cut out at the top do?

Those are the same rudders that came on my 93 model.

Same rudders I used when one of my original rudders fell off due to corrosion of the stainless shaft and pin. I haded the rounded shape before.
Used the opportunity to rebuild the entire steering system.
Replaced all the wood with fiberglass, all new rudder ports, hardware seals etc.
Was an expensive year. Shafts, dripless seals, props. Just about all the underwater metal thanks to a neighbor and an electrical leak.