Thank you for your answers - I appreciate it!
I know you're a great group and we are the type of people who attempt to offer any help wherever we can as well.
It's just my silly need for backup systems - probably a consequence of being in the computer industry for ~32+ years. You'll laugh when you see us because I even have an engine mounted trolling motor - although that wasn't really put on as a backup system (just coincidence that it can be used for that as long as the battery holds out) but was rather because we sometimes like to sit out on the lakes we frequent and just float around and that little motor provides a little directional control without having to be anchored - especially handy when our favorite camping lake has their water ski shows and fireworks a couple of times a year.
Anyway, we haven't had this boat long enough (5th of July) to find out exactly how accurate the fuel gauge is yet, so I like to carry at least a small 2 or 3 gallons along extra just for piece of mind (even though in most places we could make it back on the trolling motor). I know that's sealed and shouldn't be a problem, but I can well imagine that the law enforcement is a little tougher on the "Mighty Miss" and probably just my own paranoia thinking that maybe one of them might say "batteries and fuel containers in a pretty well closed up compartment might be a recipe for a possible spark disaster". I know that's fairly far fetched - but I've actually been hassled for far less "imaginative" reasons in my younger days (good campfire stories).
Yes, I know - stop sweating the small stuff!