Darryl,
I'm sorry I never made it down to Australia to see all of the sailboat inventions. I won the right to represent the US FD class in the World Championships that were held in Australia several years ago and then at the last minute US Sailing, called USISA at the time, didn't have the money to send me and my crew.
My catanaran background at the time I designed the SC product line consisted of Hobies,Prindles and a few Tornados. I apologize for being so shallow but that is all that was here in S Florida at the time. I was a monohull sailor at the time and never owned a catamaran.
The mast step that I came up with was a ball and socket with a pin that locks the cup, the socket, onto the ball. The mast step can act as a hinge while raising and lowering the mast and when the mast is in the sailing position, it is free to rotate with the pin still in place. When the shroud extension is activated in case of a turnover, the mast cannot come off the ball and the mast is still free to rotate. I had never seen a mast step with those features before when I designed the one for the SC.
I never used the word "invent" relative to this part. I do not have a patent on it. That is your word and your claim about me. Please do not ever do that again.
Bill