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Thanks for the advice on the gel-coating, to have it redone is out of my $$ range as well. The front hatch is a trapezoid and is made out of "plastic" of the same thickness of what would have been the mahogany original. I intend to replace it as soon as I manage to get enough mahogany (or teak) to do so. That bit of wood working is within my meager abilities.

The weight distribution & clutter is what bothers me hence the desire toplace a fuel tank under a bench seat and place some sort of storage under the other. Does anybody have suggestion(s) on either point?