1998 40'SS structural integrity of forward Upper Deck.

Yeah I feel you 100%, I was thinking the same thing initially but just looking at all options for short term solutions. I'll be doing some major modification below deck that will offer the kind of range im looking for , but that's not soon. Just Fielding any and all thoughts as to how to get the job done as She lays now.

Stability is always a problem in my opinion whenever you add much of anything above the water line, I don't mind a vessel that would ride sluggishly because she is squat; top heavy is something that does trouble me. The only Advantage other than freeing up space, I personally really see with the bow idea is that an equal, or slightly heavier, bag than the one on the stern would help counterbalance the extra stern weight. Of course when the stern bag is pumped into. The tanks you've got a 300g wait being nose down.

Given my druthers, I would absolutely go everywhere I could at clutch, blowing out the carbon once a day like you said, I've done it before. With the correct circumstances, it will be set up just like that. However it turns a 2day trip into 4 for the same amount of (legit) fishing time, and will push some away when added to other restrictions.

Thankfully these are not what I'd call necessary trips for financial gain, I figure 4-6 a year might make, as charters , with another 6 or so personal runs with friends. The bread and butter is still day trips, and a 40 is perfect for those. The simple reason I didn't go bigger, is because I wasn't shopping, had no plans of ever owning a boat or going into business, especially charter business, however the deal landed square at my feet, in such a perfect way I had to give it a run.

At this point , other than a single stern bag to empty exactly after the outbound steam hopefully, it's more theoretical than anything. I am still curious though if the structure could handle it, since the psi is so low, or if the downward force on that curved surface would wind up supporting the entire load fine or send the stress out to lateral connection points and irreversibly weaken them, possibly my in a catastrophic manner.