by captainseasick » Mon Oct 17, 2005 3:00 am
If you cut your mast, you have ruined your boats ability to race. The mast stepped on the keel, allows proper bending that helps put the correct shape in your mainsail. Sailboat racing is every bit as enjoyable as golf, or other activities where people keep score, and requires completely different skills from simply cruising or daysailing. While all these activities are enjoyable, the group experience of racing your Daysailer can be the best fun you can have with this boat. Once you cut the mast, or paint the bottom badly, or allow your sails to flutter untill all the resin and fibre's break down, and the sail blows out of designed shape, or leave your sails unprotected from sunlight when not in use, or if you add gear or hardware that signifigently increases the boats weight, you are shutting a door to being able to successfully compete in your boat. If you don't like group activities, or competition, think of the next owner. Adding what appear to be "improvments" that disable the boats ability to sail as well as possible should be carefully considered in my opinion.
Michael D. Schreibman