You'll Cut Your Fingers Off and Kill Kittens!

I'm a frequent lurker and contributor to many of the forums on wooden boat building. Frequent may be generous but I'm around. One is dedicated to certain designer and writer who have produced a very popular set of plans and boats. It's a great place to get the info on epoxy glue or just what the plans say. So as we work on the build I made a few queries as to a change in the plans we were contemplating.. The end result as near as I can tell is just what my title says. If we change the as written plans we'll cut our fingers off and kill kittens. Little white fluffy ones with big eyes and cute ears Okay maybe not the kittens part but it was mentioned that someone cut their fingers off because they "Were so excited". I really hate to pull out the net speak but WTF?
It's amazing how entrenched in a manner of thinking boat people get in. And this is the worst kind, a fear that change is something to be avoided or not discussed. And the idea that a design is "perfect". No design is perfect. A boat the size of the one we're building, 12 feet, is a whole series of compromises. We learn to live with and love these compromises as we wrestle what we want out of a boat. And this might mean change in the plans, sail, sail area, lee board, etc. This is part of boat building, some might say the best part! Just look at my last build I added a lot to the boat that wasn't there. Still have all my fingers! Did the boat handle better? I'm not sure. But I know it sailed and it didn't sink. I learned a lot about building boats and myself. So what's the big deal with changing plans?
"The designer knows what he's about" is a mantra and with good reason. The designer DOES know how to build a boat and it's wise to consult them before major changes. But we all want to make our boats our own. So do some homework. Find out about CE and CLR and how they relate. Learn about different sail rigs and rudder designs. And do this before you make your changes. Knowledge can be a great thing. Also ask a lot of questions and only accept good answers. But be prepared for the consequences when you make changes to a proven design. Such as cutting of your fingers or killing kittens.