Hi Darryl,
Your experience is different from mine. In the early stages of development for the SC20, side by side pitchpole tests were run many times vs the Tornado. Both test teams were told to sail side by side on a broad reach in 20+ knots of wind and make no effort to prevent pitchpole, do not touch the sheets, just hold your couse. The Tornado pitchpoled much more frequently than the SC. Tests were also conducted with sailors switching boats. An interesting observation was made. The SC pitchpole was slower than the Tornado pitchpole. The SC's pitchpole rotation was slower and it took more distance travelled for the pitchpole to actually happen than the Tornado. The SC pitchpole was described as "mushey", happened more slowly, as described by the sailors. The Tornado pitchpole was "quick", it happened fast, in an instant. I think the difference in these characteristics is a reflection of the difference in hull drag once the foredeck is underwater and the pitchpole maneuver is underway.
Another benefit of the highly arched foredeck vs the flat sheet is that the arched shape is inherently stiffer than the flat deck and can carry a greater axial compression loads than the flat sheet. The foredeck of a catamaran hull is loaded primarily in axial compression.
More substantiation: WWII submarines operated at the interface between the air and the water, the surface of the water, during most of their operation. They ran along the surface of the water about half submerged. These boats spent most of their life "punching through waves/chop " just like our catanaran hulls. What hull cross section shape are they and especially what is the foredeck shape? Millions of dollars was spent to develope this optimum, low drag hull shape for this enviroment. What is this shape?? The ellipse, the egg!
Bill
PS Your sailing clubs in Australia were very very smart to teach catamaran sailors "how to right their boats", sailing lesson #1.