my battery is in fact in the lasserette, because the O/B is electric start and has an alternator.
but this doesn't eliminate running thick cables, because the loads are all forward, so a pair of big wires run forward (from the lasserette) to the fuse box.
seems to me that if you have to run big wires either direction, better to run oversize wire back to start the O/B than to mess up the fore-aft trim so much.

this is all part of my grand plan to:
a) repaint the bottom, complete with barrier coat
b) re-wire the whole boat, since there isn't even a decent grounding path for most of the cabin lights.
c) install all new electronics

but it looks like the general consensus is battery under the steps. makes sense.

thanks to all.
-km #3