Here's my understanding....I'm curious to hear what the Matts have to say....

I heard that there was some kind of factory defect with some of the original '79 hulls. I know that, for some period (early 80's?), you could cut the transoms off your '79, turn 'em in to your dealer, and get new replacements. I think the replacements bore the original HIN plus "-R".

When the port hull on my '85 blew up (a whole 'nother story), the PO replaced 'em with a used set of "79-R"s. They were probably 15 years old at the time, but lasted another 8 or so years of HARD sailing.....nice hulls.