You're welcome...and no I didn't remove mine. I don't fill it so its bursting that way when I close it it has enough cushion not to hurt anything. FWIW when it's just my wife and I and the kids I don't use now weight either. I only use it when we have a bunch of people in the boat. I like a big steep wave myself as we'll and have found the pocket to be long and just fine without bow weight on the occasions when it's just us.