I think in the test sail thread he was talking a/b used boats.

In the cat world, the miles and prep work are HUGE. The Black Alexander’s N20 was a fast boat, no question about it. I've probably sailed at least 15 different N20's and that one had to be one of the best. That boat had a TON of miles on it but was still super stiff and fast when it was sold.

I'd attribute that to the beams being faired in and attention to detail regarding all the systems on board. Shims were put in to keep things from moving and wearing, foils were kept up and sails were always carefully stored inside. Nice cradles with extra foam were used to protect the hulls... So even after a couple of Worrells and who knows how many other races, it didn't have the battle scars that many did.

When I was sailing J boats, it was obvious which boats were fastest. If the former owner faired the keel and rudder, it made a big difference in speed and feel. Also, slight misalignments in the appendages made a big difference in feel and speed. It was apparent sailing as many different J22's and 80's as I did that some hulls, regardless of setup were just faster. We never could figure out "the" reason, but suspected hull/keel/rudder alignment.

Besides wear and tear, how the boat is setup makes a huge difference. A boat with user friendly systems can save a ton of time at transitions and allow for much easier fine tuing adjustments while underway. All that adds up to boat lengths on the course.... But if you suck, the fastest thing on the water won't do any good....