When I got my first cruiser with a bow rail, I was going to take it off, but asked a fiberglass shop owner. He pointed to the rafters where several bow rails were stored, and said that a lot of owners want them removed, but he told me that if it was him, he'd leave it. I did leave it on, got used to the look, and found that it really comes in handy putting the boat back on the trailer, holding it at the dock, and moving it at the beach. In terms of the wind shield, some boats look good with one, and some don't--Personally, I like the Spectra look.
