Got told an interesting thing at the club on Sunday.

For 2-ups:
Blade on texel is 102
Taipan 4.9 (with the original Australian sailplan and the additional of F16-sized spi) is 103
Viper is 104. (using weight of 125kg)

Now at an F16 event, handicaps get thrown out the window and it is first across the line for the 2-ups. But food for thought if at a club event.

As for the Viper TA, it is a mini Capricorn. Exact same set-up with the ropes/systems and all that. Main diff is that it doesn't have those cutouts at the stern on the bottom of the hull, but does have the corner at the top cutoff to help with trapezing with the kite up.

Will take one out for a sail at the end of Nov once the NE monsoon kicks-in to see how it performs. Hopefully the Blade will be back in action by then, and a few of the Taipans will come out as a direct comparion between the 3 designs.