Phil, I had the same dilemma, w/good speed- bad steering. Pack it full of gear and dog and buddy and as The other Gene says"totally diff animal" wouldn"t get out of it"s own way. I put as much weight forward as possible like Gas, battery, anchors, sash weights,etc. The floor is unnerving at times but i believe as mlbob said, if it's bouncing to much it's to rough for speed your going. Like all boats where one thrives another fails, and vis versa. It's all give and take with boats as I'm sure you know.
Not sure about how your trailer is set up, but I had roller bunks on mine and they left marks in the hull from trailering to and fro. After first season of gunning I switched to carpeted bunks. I seen you did alot of glass work on the bottom in photos, didn't want your work get screwed up.
Make sure you have your kill switch to motor attached to wrist. If you motor around standing in corner you'll get wet standing there at full speed with a little chop and weight in front. I sit on a stool to get to area I'm going to then use it for sitting on while hunting. Keeps ya out of wind and harder to fall out to. I also put a cleat on inside top of cockpit to hold on to and attach longline to while setting. It's one less thing to hold onto and do while running motor when hunting alone.
Dewayne, Not sure if there is space between inside out of the hull. Mine is older and has the (cedar?)battens in center area. I had tried to figure out how to put interior ribs for support with new glassed floor over but didn't seem like the work to do it would worth the benefits. At some point TDB changed the bottom profile of the hull. Mine is smooth from side to side, My buddies has the offset in bottom, maybe then there was floation in bottom and might be stiffer. I don't know. With Phil's being a clone who knows.
Gene R.
