yep
phalanc sums it up…
I’ve seen quite a few boats floating just at the surface because they didn’t have bags and if they are that full, I won’t even clip in to tow them to shore unless we’re in a pool. With bags in the stern, the boats are much easier to deal with and pull out early.
I would keep the vertical pillar in as it really shoudn’t be in the way, it displaces water, and provides at least some buoyancy. I’ve seen a ww boat nosedive full of water in current, stand up (full of water) on a rock, and the nose end up inverteed – at least the first 3 inches or so.