I dont buy the windsurfer is faster arguement.

First - are we talking straight line speed or a race?

In a race - assuming upwind and down - a spin powered cat will stomp anything else available. The bridge to bridge is won by a kite surfer. If they made everyone race back upwind the Tornado's would win. 99% of sailing races have more than one leg, or require a combination of upwind and downwind.

Straight line in a trench in France a windsurfer wins.

Its like asking whats the fastest car? On a track or a drag strip, Dragsters dont go around a track very well,but they go fast in a straight line.

Second - lets talk about how often you go 40knts. Probably never or rarely.

The windsurfers I see are sitting on the beach waiting for the most narrow wind range of any sailing craft. Wow, that's exciting. No thanks. No wonder iWindsurf.com charges so much. You have to subscribe just to be able to sail.

Give me a boat I can sail 90% of the time - and go fast 90% of the time. That would be a cat with a spin.

99% of the windsurfers I see are not going anywhere near 40knts. They are going 20knots back and forth - thats about the same as a cat. The differience is a Cat goes fast in a way wider wind range, and can actually go someplace and come back fairly reliably. A cats wind range is from 5 to 25knts. Whats it got to be blowing to go windsurfing? Over 25? How often does that happen? One day in 30?

In a trench a French guy went really fast. That was genuinely impressive, but I'm not buying that thats the norm.

So, if you are dont anything other than straight line, or if you want to talk about 90% of the conditions, a multi-hull is faster.

If I really want to go over 40, I'll get out the iceboat.