For removing the search you can try this:
In your template file find and remove:
PHP Code:
<form action="" method="get">
<fieldset><legend>Search</legend>
<label><span class="noscreen">Find:</span>
<span id="search-input-out"><input type="text" name="" id="search-input" size="30" /></span></label>
<input type="image" src="templates/crystalx/design/search_submit.gif" id="search-submit" value="OK" />
</fieldset>
</form>
That should get rid of the search box, but I don't know how removing that will alter the rest of the template.