New front hatch

[SnookinGood175]

My dad just finished the new hatch for the front of my 17.  Here are some photos.  









The next project is to raise the cooler seat up to leaning post height.  We were thinking about making a box out of fiberglass and placing the cooler seat on top of that.  We were going to put the two batteries from under the console inside the fiberglass box and also making a tackle compartment.  Do you all think that it would be bad to have the batteries that far back?  The two batteries for the trolling motor are up in the front hatch so I am wondering if that would even it out.  Let me know what you guys think

Thanks