I'm pretty new to this. I bought a 70's hobie 16 and it performs well! Though was only 450.00 w/trailer so it has a soft spot and rudders don't lock down. So I buy another boat after a couple weeks (83) has 3 sails... (1700.00) much better boat. Locking the rudders down "CLICKS" and I love that the rudder works so much better.

anyway - There is no junk on the hulls (no algea etc) they're clean and smooth. (no drag?) But for some reason, the 2nd (newer 83 boat) feels totally different from the older mid 70's boat. Here's how.

The better newer boat is SLOWER! As in it seems to drag as if Im' pulling something. (like a water anchor?)

This boat also LEANS! in the wind, much more easily... as in when the wind starts to pickup and its easy to lift one hull - it's also pretty balanced when lifting a hull. But seems SO SLOW have that much wind in the sail.

THE OLDER FIRST BOAT - doesn't seem to tip in same lower wind range, instead if goes FASTER! When it really is screaming - it will lift a hull and (tips more quickly, and doesn't seem to want to balance with one hull up.

ALL I CAN FIGURE is it's the sail. The older boat seems to have less bend in the sail. (battens more loose?) The newer boat that drags appears to have a LOT MORE BOW (CURVE) to the sail when I look up at it. I have the downhaul about the same, best I cam measure - and I have the boom torqued about the same. (I'm sailing the same) SO any idea why this might be? Is it the sail?

I like the better balance of the slower boat when lifting a hull, but it seems SO much slower. I can't figure it out. ( I suppose I could swap sails for a test).
?