Hi Sam,
I will be one of the first to tell you that when Boston Whaler moved SC to California, the QUALITY went to poor. The California builder changed the B/M to the same construction materials as the other California beach cat builders. The fiberglass, resin, foam, polyester glue, gel coat etc took a big step backwards in physical properties to cheap, cheap, cheap materials. As a result some poor quality boats were built during that time period by untrained foreign labor. Hull weights went up 20 to 40 pounds per hull.
Today Aquarius Sails is the only beach builder that builds with West Epoxy resin and the highest quality fiberglass cloth, carbon cloth, PVC foam core, titanium chainplates, all 316 SS fasteners, NO pop rivets. They build 22ft hulls that weigh 95 pounds and 30ft hulls that weigh 175 pounds rigged and painted. Some of these boats are 20 years old... no problems. I have sent several boats to Europe. The owners ordered spare boards and rudders. None of the spare parts have been used.
The point I am trying to make, Sam, is that I read about all these changes people are making to their boats to make them right, better, faster. The parts they are changing would cost the same made incorrectly or correctly. For example: Symmetrical rudders and boards vs lopsided ones. Standing rigging that puts the CE in the sweet spot vs having to buy a longer forestay to obtain proper mast rake etc. Battens that put the max camber where it should be in the sail vs untapered ones that have max bend at 50% length and the list goes on and on. Hulls that leak; fittings that leak; masts that leak; boats that pitchpole easily and turtle. Boats that come with no righting system.
Bill