BLUEMOMENT

I hate to see a (sensible) post go unanswered on here but don't have a single piece of useful information for you!

I'm not even very sure whether you've got a big dinghy or a small cruiser but it sounds like it's been quite a project. How long have you been at it? I've previously spent many happy hours on a £50 dinghy (trailer included) so can empathise.

If I was to offer one piece of advice it would be to avoid getting too hung up on restoration. Just get her sailing and you can continue to look out for the perfect boom doo-dah after you're afloat.

The orange is a bit lifeboaty, but she looks tough.

Not all boats with deck stepped masts have mast support posts underneath - sometimes (eg in our Albin Vega) an internal bulkhead or support beam takes the load. The curved shape of your superstructure looks as though it might be quite strong, so maybe the boat never had a mast support. You can always try stepping the mast and gradually tightening the rigging while checking for deformation of the cabin top.

The problem with a mast support post is it seriously restricts the space down below in a small boat.

Looking forward to hearing more . . .

Merry Christmas,