Being an ex-USCG small-boat seaman with experience in an area of high yacht use and spirited, competitive ocean racing, I visualize the mast being over the side and folded in tangled pieces because the kite was up when the boat tripped at speed on an erratic and larger wave and pitchpoled violently over on its deck despite the dutch shoe bow, below decks flooding as the hatch was open because a crewman was coming out at the time, everyone injured, etc.
Plus, on very marginal and closely engineered fun sleds like this genius craft (and I say that from envy and lust and want one right now), even an ounce of masthead weight has vastly disproportionate effects on rig loading and righting moment, thusly speed and stability.
On a slamming racing dinghy like this sled the inertia loads are significant, added to pitch at the same time make the masthead a bad place, engineering-wise, for anything but a wisp of wind tape if you had your choice, on any boat.
This lifesaver has to work in the real world, and "the boat fell over and nothing broke" is not it.
I know cruising cats (a few) and maybe some unsuccessful racers have used them at the masthead, but remember rule two, which applies to any sailboat rig very strongly.
1. Don't be stupid.
2. **** happens.
3. Bring beer.
So think of something (just for now) like a big inflatable Budweiser bottle, forward of the mast, with its rigid base fastened to the deck, and very compact before popping open. Hopefully it would work with the mast up or down, sometimes.
With the mast folded any where but directly ahead and the boat upside down, or with the mast intact, sails set and boat inverted, this thing inflates quickly and hopefully provides enough buoyancy to right the hull to 90 degrees of heel.
I'm not saying it's a good idea. It's just an idea.
