Fritz,

You might be right in some aspects that mast rake has a lot of advantages but the one thing I have learned in hobie 14 races (esp. short courses) is the one thing that saves time is quick tacks. No matter how good you are at tacking, you will never be able to tack as well with the mast raked back as with it straight up. All of the top sailors in the frostbite series started with masts raked back... then one of the sailors raked his straight up and he started killing everyone on tacks... sure he couldn't point half a degree as high and as fast but the tacks more than made up for it. Pretty soon all the top sailors in the fleet were raking their masts straight up. Now there are VERY few sailors sailing with any rake. In big seas and REALLY heavy wind rake might help you handle the boat better but good luck taking in heavy seas and big wind in the first place... or even staying upright.

As Fritz described pushing the rudders and easing the sheet is exactly what you want to do. If you push them hard it will park the boat and kill your momentum.

You definatley do not want your weight as far back in the boat as possible. The 14 is a see saw... if you miss place the weight the other side goes up. If you move to the back of the boat your bows will go straight up in the air. Especially if you are on the heavier side. I learned that the hard way early on in my time racing the 14. I was only 135 pounds at the time... I got to the back of the boat and pretty soon I was swimming in the freezing water of Newport, RI in January. Also, wait until the last possible minute to move back and switch your tiller over. Stay forward and on the windward side (windward side going into tack) as long as possible.

If you stall during the tack backwind your sail and reverse the rudders. This will get you out of irons... you will need to do this your first few tacks.