In a formula class (or, for that matter, even a normal one-design class), why would anybody blame the manufacturer for things that go wrong with peripheral things on the boat?

The manufacturer is manufacturing the platform, the basic boat. As far as I am concerned, it is up to the buyer of the boat to decide what he wants to do to accessorize the boat with mast and boom and sails and blocks and lines.

Unfortunately, many of us have gotten spoiled with the Hobie (and Vanguard) concept of getting a complete boat ready to sail right out of the box, so we expect to have all that stuff on the boat when we get it.

The great thing about a true one-design class or a formula class is that you can just buy the stripped-down platform and then add all the components from other sources (or make them ourselves).

If you are unable to research and add all the other stuff yourself, you should not complain to the manufacturer of the platform when you wanted a complete, ready-to-sail boat and he was nice enough to give it to you, and then you decide you don't like the mast or sail or the blocks or the lines or if something breaks or whatever.

If you want a complete boat out of the box, get a Hobie or a Laser or a 420 or 49er or ..... Then you don't have a choice about what to use.

I have not heard about any problems with the Vectorworks Blade platform, and that is what they build. Right?