Tom,
The ARC/SC17 is a totally different underwater hull design than your typical boardless beach cat. It is more like a round bottom board boat with half a daggerboard on the bow and 2/3rds of a daggerboard on the transom which also steers the boat. The 17 sails much more like a daggerboard boat than a boardless boat. The oversize rudder and round bottom hull aft end lets the boat tack quickly. You do not backwind the jib on this boat to make it tack. You don't have time to. The ARC/SC17 is not your typical boardless beach cat.
The old SC17 used to sail slightly faster than the N5.2 on a boat to boat basis and the N5.2 was considered a hot 17ft centerboard boat.
Bill
