We were out training the other day and making close observations of the climbing in different conditions.

Our goal is to point the hulls straight through the water at zero degrees angle of attack and let the foils keep us in that direction, no higher, no lower, at least upwind. The foil shape, a NACA 64 series foil has a definite drag bucket, meaning an narrow range of angle of attack where the foil generates great lift at very low drag. Even at zero degrees for the foils they generate ample lift to make the boat go straight without leeway. You never realize how fast most boats go sideways until you sail a boat with assy foils.

The boat is pointed a bit lower and just seems to climb to weather, in fact the other guy is just falling away.

Downhill its easy to go to weather with the foils so we pull them up until we're going mostly straight with them or slightly to leeward.

As for the wing, it's just got low drag for the amount of power it generates so that also simply allows you to point higher.