I think the outboard you are running is a known gas hog, I am not 100% certain on this but others would pipe in if you ask these questions in the outboard section of this website. I just remember others saying the same thing about your outboard and it's thirst for fuel. Glad you have her running well, Like Wood suggested there are only so many things that can cause the boat to not run well. Getting her on the right pin on your transom is key. The prop you are using is also very key. Maybe pay attention to the rpm's as you get her on plane next time, this will tell you a lot about the prop and if you have the correct (best) one for your intended use. Running a compression check on your outboard will also tell you if it's really tired and used, or if it still has a bunch of life and just needs some tuning. Have fun dialing her in, sounds like you have made great progress so far. Get some picture up here to share with us.
I would post pictures of my rig but I don't have the foggiest idea of how to do that. My generation had no computers as we grew up and what I know I learned from my kids/grandkids. LOL I will learn from them how to post photos and I will get some on here soon. Thanks. The rig (boat, motor & trailer) was a "barn find" and everything looks great. Motor had problems from not running for a long time. Everything is a 1965. Looks like it came out of a showroom last year!