Daggerboard - use of?

GRF:

I think one major problem with getting rid of the board on a dinghy would be that suddenly you would find you couldn't steer the boat. A board with only a fin is steered by carving on the rails, I'm not entirely convinced that the chines on a dinghy would be sufficient to provide a similar effect. I'm sure you've noticed in your sailing that tipping a boat creates steering in the opposite direction you get from tipping a board the same way, wether this is to do with hull shape or something i haven't a clue. I know that untill i worked out that I had to equate windsurfing to snowboarding not sailing in terms of steering i couldn't get the board to go the way i wanted it to go, so I'm not sure how you will steer a boat without a board using only the rudder.

I would be very interested to see the results of putting a sliding mast foot on a dinghy and trying your theory but it would be a lot of engineering. The only way i can see of doing it would be to slide mast, stays, and sheet lead positions all together, basically have a sliding frame with all the gubbins on it inside a hull to float the whole lot. If you ever do get round to it I would love to see the results.

So, now Captain Morgan is totally confused (he won't install a sliding mast foot or apply so much amount of rake on a Wayfarer), it's time to give a quick update.

If you're sailing in a club where there are other boats of the same class, ask the good guys and do what they're doing. Once you get the hang of it, you can decide to be radical...

(Sorry, I'm not far from being a total beginner and I got lost by the end of page 1).

Doesn't a windsurfer "carve" when planing due to the rocker of the board rather than due to the lack of a centre board?  Thought you put the board up to reduce the lift rather than change the steering characteristics.

I'd love a dinghy that carved round corners like skis or a snowboard, but I guess it would need a very flat bottom, lots of rocker and the ability to come very high out the water when planing ........... or hydrofoils even.

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Sorry GRF, I didn't mean to sound as though I was complaining or implying that a beginner was bereft of basic intelligence. I was only trying to put the conversation into perspective and bring an easy solution to Captain Morgan's puzzlement when he's next on the water.

All this debate about friction and wetted area etc. is nothing short of fascinating but I was just being practical. If someone's lacking intelligence, it must be me. Spare me the acerbic comments, I won't understand them anyway.