The yellow spi in the pic sure was loaded. Look at the seams and how the cloth is stretching. A spi built from more panels would stretch less. Could be important, but not if the driver is going to loose 10 boatlengths gybing
Loaded yes. The rest is the fact that it is completely junk. 5 years old, not cared for at all, and used in some pretty hairy wind. There is zero krinkle noise when it is folded. Its crispness is long gone, and I'm too poor at the moment to replace it.
edit- Given the appropriate conditions I still think there is potential to be faster, (by which I mean get back down to the leeward mark in less time), if you trapeze. Its overcoming all the foul ups, because it definetely is more challenging getting in and out going downwind. I remember the same sensation of uncertainty the first time I trapezed going up wind. The first time I wired down wind, it was a grade A cluster. I'm not going to say that I can make the transition smoothly, or even remotely well, but I'm getting better, and much more confident in my movements. I'm not doing a regatta this weekend, but I think I'm still going to go sailing and work sepcifically on trapezing downwind, or more importantly gybing and getting in & out.
