while that decked boat would be a better open water boat, its hard to see if it would be more stable than a Merlin ?

 
if it were me, I'd think up a better system for loading or unloading than just standing in a boat -  maybe a loop of rope around the packs that you could use to haul them up from the platform ?  or maybe set up a pulley system - maybe a loop of webbing with a pulley that you could set up on the top of the ladder, then be sitting or kneeling while hauling the pack up to the pulley ?  

One thing about loading and unloading gear, that cockpit width is less than the open Merlin's width, so it may be harder to get big packs to go in and out easily ?


I'd rethink the packing strategy - rather than big heavy packs, I'd probably go with more smaller bags, that would be easier to move from the boat to the chikee - maybe a duffle with just your tent and sleeping bag and pad, for one bag,  another with jsut stove and cook kit and one days food - something like that, so it would be easier to transfer stuff from the boat to the platform - you won't be portaging



and of course, all that water to haul - gallon a day at least