Front center mat

On my '08 Sunsport in the front center ballast bag locker there is a rubber mat they put in to go under the fat sac. Has anyone removed this and not used it? I cleaned it out again today and it is developing this white, pasty residue under it. I just completely cleaned the entire locker a month ago and it is already returning. I always air it out and open the locker after we are done using the boat. I cant see why it would be a problem to just lay the fat sac on the fiberglass flooring, anyone doing this? and is anyone else getting this type of white pasty residue in there locker?

My assumption is that it isn't there to protect the ballast bag, I think it's there to keep bits of garbage, etc. from plugging up the bilge pump. I know the bilge pump has a screen, but its inside of the pump and if any stuff got around the outside of the pump it would keep water from activating it. This is purely my best guess since I always seem to find stuff stuck in it from the snacks my kids eat up in the front of the boat.

Anyone know for sure?

Same thing on my boat. Isn't it fun to pull that large bag from the center and have to clean that out everytime we take the boat out?

same white stuff on mine, clean it a couple of times a year. Moomba's are the same way

I got tired of pulling it in and out.So now its out for good...

The mat's purpose i believe, as i talked to skiers choice about it, is an antislip mat - so the bag when loaded doesnt slide back, especially if there is oily/slippery residue in the bilge which is probably inevitable. Let us know if you notice any bunching in the bag when removed.