Concern yourself with issues of aesthetics later D, time to get moving with the big important jobs! Your sailing season is just around the corner…..
Its original so leave it. Replacing it would cost, and removing it would leave a white stripe making need for polishing the whole of the topsides.
You wrote an entry about raising and lowering the mast, and I admit I am not a person who can offer you any advice from personal experience, however I saw: http://forums.sbo.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=139768
And the entry #18 (permalink) on a Solina 27. This appealed to the engineer in me and I am sure it could be a relatively easy / possible adaptation.
Definitely keep it. Even in its slightly distressed state, it still looks quite classy and is unusual on a centaur these days
The livery also shows is one of the boats of the late 70’s.? Not an even older dog, I think it actually makes it look modern.
I’ve been searching around various sites for font that match the originals. The “Westerly” part isn’t really a problem. The “Centaur” is a bit harder. I think I’ve found it. It looks very similar to the original. Almost the same.
The easiest way would be to send me a black and white piccy. Taken square on and fairly close. That way I can scan it, mess about with it as I did before for KatieL.
Pretty sure that it is possible to recreate it as it is now.
The stripes are just stripes. Simple to do, but they will use a lot of vinyl.