I am a Blade owner. Due to personal circumstances I only sailed a few times on it. But I agree on everything Wouter wrote down. Last years I sailed Auscats Mk4 and Mk5. I must say that the Blade reminds me on the Mk5. The big difference with the Blade and other V-shaped hulls is that you have the impression that you are gliding over the waves with very less drag. A V-shaped hull like the Taipan or Auscat Mk4 feels more like ploughing through the waves and having more drag from the water.
I have sailed a short time next to the Taipan F16 of Wouter. Our rudders were not parallel at all (had no time spent on tuning yet)and were causing severe drag as I saw in the water. Even with the handbrakes on the boat was faster than the Taipan. It is about the same difference as the new "Flyer" inspired A-Cats and the older V-shaped concepts. There is no doubt that the newer hull shapes are faster and better.
I can only say that sailing the Blade is a lot of fun, it is a fast boat with very nice behaviour, also in the North Sea waves. I can tell you that I am looking forward to the 2006 saison with great expectations. I sails just like a fast A-cat but with the spi as a bonus.