I did actually give serious consideration to your advice ST. I flipped my boat and stacked 2 duffels on top and then placed my main bag on top to access my pack. It wasn't bad but I still didn't like it.

It still felt like an accident waiting to happen from my perspective.

I am wising up. A quiet determination to achieve the best shape of my life has been foisted upon me by this event. Nothing is off the table and that includes plenty of visits to doctors to get a better understanding of just what the problems are.

Then a dose of humility will be applied. Even if I am in shape my intention is to either lighten my load (probably not happening to any great extent) or step a bit lighter which will mean accepting a triple portage mentality at least in the initial stages of a trip. I think it would be a smart move to limit packs to around 60lbs instead of 80.