I'm going to cut the floor out of the step down area. I just checked it and it is rotten. Next I'm going to lower the area to gain more storage, ice, space. Then I will use coosa to make some braces into the stringers. I do want make some sort of drain in there. Tapering the floor towards the bow I may be able to get some sort of drain in there so water doesn't puddle towards the rear of the box. Ideas?

Mine has a drain located right where you step down. Water drains into the bilge.