We are facing a tough decision that we hope someone can help us with. My wife has some serious back problems, and for the last couple of years, sailing on the DS has been something of an ordeal for her. One problem is the straight seatback of the original DS II. Another is the need to switch sides constantly on any small unballasted boat. She was the one who got us into our current DS, but now she can't really enjoy it.
We are making payments now on a Precision 21 keelboat, and we both love it--both the comfort of the cockpit and the ability to sleep over. But we miss the speed of the planing hull, not to mention having a boat we can easily take to new waters, row through the shallows, and lift off its trailer for maintenance. Nevertheless, this is probably our last year with the DS, unless we can find a way for us both to use it. Does anyone have any suggestions for making the DS more accommodating for someone who can't move easily?