Yeah, it makes a world of difference already now that I've picked and chipped all that verm out. I'm thinking that I will cut a second bilge access aft of the main one in the floor and reinstall to the new support struts with exposed brass screws so the whole thing can be removed fairly easily for maintenance or hull inspection. (knock on wood, no more groundings; found an abandoned mooring in our field at 4 kts. at low tide last summer.)
