by Guest » Tue Jul 18, 2000 12:00 am
The reason that the DS III is not "class-legal" is that O'Day changed the aft quarters of the hull to give the boat more freeboard, and thus the hull is not the same as the one on the DS I, II, and IV. The rumor that I heard is that O'Day also made these changes without first getting approval from the Day Sailer Class Association, hence the non-class-legal ruling.
Advantages of the "keel-stepped" mast are that it is a bit stiffer in that the mast-step and partner (deck opening) being 2' to 3' apart provide a bit of support not found with a deck stepped mast. It would be easier to bend a keel-stepped mast to flatten the mainsail, since the deck and step will restrain the lower end of the mast. A keel-stepped mast may also make it possible to quickly tack to avoid losing the mast should a stay break (still, upgrading to 1/8" wire is recommended!).
If you are racing (especially a DS I) I think class rules allow some fore & aft adjustment of the mast step on the keel stepped mast (don't quote me on that).
I think that class rules also allow internal halyards and with a keel-stepped mast they can exit the mast below decks, hence less windage and less lines to trip over on the cuddy top.
My DS II has a "keel-stepped" mast and there are a few disadvantages...one, the hole in the deck will leak in the rain (I'm working on making a mast boot), two, stepping and unstepping the mast is really a 2 person job, since you must lift the mast vertically to lower it thru the the deck and then align the butt with the step. Three, if (Heaven forbid!) a stay breaks and you can't tack soon enough to prevent further damage, you may do a lot of damage to the deck, or permanantly bend the mast extrusion. The previous owner of my boat DID break a shroud (actually both, but not at once!) and he was able to easily turn into the wind and drop the sails before the mast was damaged. At the moment, I still prefer to keep the keel-stepped design.
If you wish to convert, I'm sure that Cape Cod Shipbuilding, the present builder of the Day Sailer can do the work for you, they will certainly do a professional job....but it won't be cheap!
Rod Johnson (rjohnson24-at-juno.com)