script attached to main camera wont shoot debug line straight. also wont detect collision on raycast

I have a main camera object with a script attached. I have a child object of the camera, the "crosshairs". which is a transparent cube with a crosshairs image attached. It basically follows the camera and allows the user to direct the raycast to aim at some 3d cubes.

I am also drawing a debug line in the same direction as the raycast to see where iam aiming it. my script is below.

 public float maxdist = 100f;
 public Ray ray;

 void Update () {

     ray = new Ray(gameObject.transform.position, gameObject.transform.forward * maxdist);
     RaycastHit hit;

     Debug.DrawLine(gameObject.transform.position, gameObject.transform.forward * maxdist, Color.green);

     if (Physics.Raycast(ray, out hit, maxdist))
     {
         if (hit.collider.tag == "box")
         {
             hit.transform.SendMessageUpwards("setRunning", true);
             Debug.Log("box hit!!!!");
         }
     }
   }
 }

first, the debug line itself doesnt intersect the center of the crosshairs. so it seems the aim of the crosshairs will be slightly off. I am not sure why. If i add "new Vector3(0,0,1)" instead of Vector3forward. the debugline shoots straight initially but obviously doesnt update. I thought max dist might be the issue here but i removed it and z was even further away from the crosshairs. Also ive tagged my boxes with "box". when i try to pass the raycast through these boxes the "hit" returns "untagged" this is also confusing me. Any help would be really appreciated!