I have been struggling with this problem myself, I also own an 09 Viper that I sail uni 99% of the time. A couple of weeks ago, I bit the bullet and bought a chain plate extender and raked my mast back to the new recommended settings from AHPC. I'm currently at the top of the retainer clip above teh lower pintle. It certainly seems to have helped some as the boat seems to squirt out of the puffs better and I'm able to point better than I was. However, I still don't feel like I can out point anyone which is a little disappointing. On of the main things I've discovered is that the boat is really sensitive to weight placement on the boat. In light winds you have to make sure the leeward bow is in the water, if it's not (sitting back to far will cause it to ride high)you seem to loose a lot of pointing ability. So in our light wind races on the Cheseapeake Bay, I find my self sitting on top of the front beam a lot.