I think we must understand one key aspect of any measurement based rating system.

It rated the performance that CAN BE HAD with a design using the given specifications, not what a real design has as performance.

Basically, say we have two F18's designs one is a plain optimized one and the other has rectangular boxes for hulls. Both will be rated the same under any measurement based rating system.

The Hobie 16 is suffering from that problem. It has a relatively large sail area combined with a rather ineffective sail shape and hull shape. The latter going beyond the point of being boardless. Both the Nacra 5.0/Nacra 500 as the Prindle 16 point higher then the Hobie 16 and achieve the same VMG or better VMG with a smaller suit of sails. This is the rest of their boardless hull design being significantly more efficient at resisting sideways slipping the the hulls of the Hobie 16.

Note how these three boats have hulls of the same length and weight overall about the same as the Hobie 16, so they are good comparisons.

Wouter