Okay thanks guys.

As long as there are no safety issues including no additional propensity to sway and lose control, maybe some experimentation and education is valuable here.

I can learn more about how shorter tongue lengths affect backing up, etc. I'm thinking about getting a utility trailer someday (maybe to even replace this current trailer). I think the tongue length there is shorter as well - maybe this can help with some skill building.

Most important is to make sure anything I do here is safe.

I've got more than a decade of experience selling and towing similar sized trailers.

Don't be overly concerned about the 10 percent tongue weight. Just ensure it's a bit positive and there is no chance it would flip up on you when taking it off the ball of the hitch. (Keep in mind water in the boats shifting - remove the water.)

Why? The thing is light (230 pounds) with a capacity of 800 pounds. My guess is with your load, you don't even notice it's there during acceleration. Plus the wheel base is at the back of the trailer, so it would be difficult to load it to the point where the tongue weight is negative.

As for backing up... shorten up the length of the tongue by adding another pin/bolt position. Just shorten it to what you need. Then practice backing up with it. Best tip I can provide is ensure it is loaded (or flagged) to the point where you can SEE the back corners of the trailer and go slow.