What is the problem with the selftacker ? I seriously fail to see one.
With regard to :
>>as such tends instead to make it almost superfulous to needs, and more of a liability than an advantage. I have always felt that on a cat that carries a spinnaker the jib gets in the way more often than it helps anyway.
I say, bring your boat without a jib and I'll beat you on the upwind leg in such a way that no downwind disadvantage will make up for it.
That is the "liability" of a selftacker
Wouter