UPDATE: I2D made it out of surgery, and is in the recovery room (aka my driveway).  Surgeon's prognosis very encouraging.   Appearances wise, the rear bench seat seam fix looks fantastic, skeg looks like new, drive play is completely gone (new gimbal ring and a new tiller arm), and she's carrying a new pan gasket.  As the anaesthesia wears off, and after a much needed bath this morning, we'll splash the ole' girl and get her sea legs back.   With the boat spirits smiling down on me on our way to another 100+ degree day, we should be back in operation by noon.

Update II:
Boat ran well, and feels/handles completely different.
Feel much more hooked-up and stable.  Maybe this is how she felt when new?  I don't remember -- it's been a lot of hours lake time since then.  I need to adjust my trim indicator though (is new from this repair).   I can trim it almost all the way up, and it only shows a quarter rise.

I recently discovered my Aquapalooza casualty, someone on the Tiki Boat 2nd story ashed their cig on my vinyl in the front

Sucks about burn in vinyl.  That's just not right.

Got my trim indicator set properly.  I now have a general visual on where the trim is set.

I burned a lot of fuel over the weekend.  All fun.