Very preliminary but here is one comment that answers your question (as taking from the latest A-cat race) :

>>The wing didnt win, although Ben is very fast. ... . He didnt capsize and on Sat when it was
>>windy and puffy I was pacing him upwind on the first beat. Once we went around the top mark he
>>was gone, way deeper and faster. He said later that upwind he was pinching and needed to put the
>>bow down and go.

Source : http://www.catsailor.com/forums/sho...umber=119992&page=0&vc=1


If this is indeed true (which need far more testing to determine) then this may actually mean that it is not attractive for F16's. Afterall we have the spinnaker for downwind work and we already go very deep and fast there. A fuller wingsail with slots won't do much then as the spinnaker is rotating the apparent wind over the mainsail to almost an upwind setting anyway. Also the spinnaker will be providing 80% of the power, thius implying any mainsail gains are devided by a factor of 5 and could well be negligiable in the overall picture.





Personally I believe this to be actually be a DISADVANTAGE of the wing sail. A sailor sheets the mainsail out to reduce power and lifting. Letting out the traveller instead will also work but many have found that this looses too much drive (and speed) at the same time as well. Try it yourself on your boat. I mean controlling the heel with the mainsheet and then with ony the traveller. When using the traveller you'll be losing pointing ability and speed every time you travel out. I don't see how this can be different with a wingsail.

Basically as will all new concepts. You get advantages ONLY at the expense of a set of disadvantages. If the first set is more important in achieving your end goals (win a bouy race) then the development is succesful. Otherwise it will fail. Also what may be succesful on a spinnakerless A-cat may well not be succesful on a cat with a spinnaker sail.

All very interesting.

Wouter