what are the two small metal attachments above the strips? Are they in line with the strips? Wondering if it's to attach some kind of ladder for swimming
For a small auxiliary outboard, I would think.
Not directly of course, but the two strips could hold the o/b mounting plate.initially I thought this but cannot see how it would attach ...
far too sturdy for the boat size to be a boarding ladder (and they are normally fitted with a fold away peg rather than ladder and there is an absence of a grabrail), an auxiliary there unlikely as the tiller would be all but impossible to use and quite unlike anything I've seen before. My guess and it is just a guess, is it once held a live baitwell for fishing.
They are part of a kit to hold a small outboard. I Had one just like it many years ago but it's missing the part that slides in and where the outboard is supposed to be attached.