To keep the comparison with past Dragonfly canoe builds on at par, the Expedition Carbon layup would not have been considered a base model. Nor are carbon/Kevlar gunnels but Swift doesn't offer wood gunnels so let's go with carbon/Kevlar. Based on a common inflation calculator the $4095 Dragonfly 15 model would have cost ~$1425 in 1986. The 1986 Curtis catalog lists the Dragonfly at $1279 in Kevlar and $1379 for LiteTech Kevlar. I'd call that pretty darn close and my hunch is that if Curtis Canoe had offered a bunch of "upgrades" they would have charged accordingly. The options you mention for the Swift build are just that, options. No one is being forced to buy those "upgrades" and the canoe will still perform as intended. If you don't want to spend $400 on a foot brace, just pop that $50 foot brace into a Swift Dragonfly 15 and you're good to go.
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