Forgot to add this:

I made a quick 4' long, 24" high ply countertop and fastened it to the hanging locker. Scavenged a few more of those large bins from my storage unit, and now I have a functional model of the starboard side area I've been thinking of. It isn't pretty, but it is working to demonstrate the feasability of these ideas. It also freed up a couple of smaller (but still pretty large) bins to use up in the v-berth (instead of the duffels I'd been using), so there I also have a functioning-if-not-pretty simulation of what I think it will be eventually. These two "improvements" have made a big difference already. I think I am on the right track for what I want to do, even if it is far from the original use for which the boat was intended.

One thing I've thought to do is to go ahead and start a list of everything (gear-wise) that I'd need aboard to go and do a long distance cruise away from the US. Once I have a good list, it should give me an idea of how my current stowage and plan will work when I add in all that "stuff". I feel as if I could leave right now for two weeks or more with what I have aboard, but I know there are a lot of things that I'd need for a long distance cruise that I am not thinking of right now, and/or don't have aboard. Stuff like spare rigging, gifts for people I meet along the way, stores that I will want but won't be able to find way out there, etc... I know that I have a few years yet before I can leave (and lots to do during them), but planning sure is fun.