This is my first post to this board, but I have read a great many already. I purchased my DSII in May 2014, it's a 1979 and came with original sails. I owned one very small single sail boat as a teenager, but only sailed it a few times. I did however grow up sailing with my dad on a 27' Cal. All that being said, I was very excited to get underway with my DSII. I read a lot about the boat, read a lot on this board, and managed to do two things right. 1) I rigged up in the driveway to make sure I had everything. 2) I read all about the buoyancy chambers and how to self rescue.
After that, I pretty much did everything wrong.
1) I took my 2 yr old daughter and boyfriend with me who had never been sailing. 2) Though I managed to get launched and the sails up, the centerboard was fouled. 3) I did not have the ability to reef the sail and though didn't put up the jib, still was overcanvased for the conditions.
In the attempt to tack to abort the trip since I could tell about 10 minutes into the trip that it wasn't going to end well, I managed to capsize the boat. Though I did release the main sheet, as I was falling, I still had it in my hand. Fortunately my boyfriend had the baby (in her life vest) under control so I went around to climb on the centerboard.... which was still stuck in the trunk. I lost a few things that day... along with my pride, to the bottom of the bay. The police boats did pick us up and take us back to the marina which was still in view and I got a few friends together to help me retrieve my boat.
This entire time (approximately 10-15 minutes), the DSII did not turtle. When returning we weren't able to right the boat nor tow it on it's side. I was able to release the forestay and clevis pins on the mast which allowed the mast to trail behind the DSII which immediately turtled. We towed it back, flipped her over, and bailed her out.
I managed to maintain almost everything with a few exceptions. I tore the main and lost the jib. I replaced them with Intensity sails. And one mast step clevis pin. I've been looking everywhere and haven't been able to find that one part. I did check D&R Marine, and they only have the small ones for the stays/shrouds. Any recommendations?