Wouter,

Excellent post, lots of great input.

Why does twist in heavy air create more power/drive? Normally I think of twist as spilling air from the leech so effectively depowering. I also think of twist and sail fullness as two relatively independent things since you can have a relatively flat sail (prebend + DH + derotated mast + OH) with twist (eased mainsheet). So in a power spectrum why is the order of decreasing power not: 1)full sail + no twist, 2) Full sail + twist, 3) Flat sail + no twist, 4) Flat sail + twist?

Also, doesn't the sheeting angle becomes more narrow (twitchy) with a flat sail with no twist? The relative lack of drive combined with wind shifs and gusts just adds to that problem (instead of accellerating in gusts doesn't boat just heel more)? Now I have no experience with the wingmast or a mast that flexible so maybe automatic depowering makes things behave somewhat differently than I've experience. If you still advise sailing with a flat sail with no twist in heavy conditions (no spi) do you primarily stay in the groove by steering (continuously trimming the traveller doesn't seem like it would be an option since on many boats the traveller sticks under load)?

If you're sailing a Taipan singlehanded in those conditions, will skpper weight all the way back still keep the bows up? Would you sail with spi singlehanded in those conditions?

Finally, regarding burying the bows without spi, I'd appreciate if you could share your experience/knowlege of how much differently the more modern designs such as the Blade behave in these conditions compared with the Taipan. With the Blade is it necessary to sail the boat as you described (flat sail, little twist, weight all the way back)? Is that true both single and double handed?

Thanks,

Jerry