Andi,

I dont think that would work out well, limiting the number of sails. I would definately bring a hooter for distance events, especially if the forecast said light winds, and a spi for windward/leeward racing. I agree with Rick that the hooter is a more versatile sail, but the spi is faster when racing windward/leeward.

Matt,

as far as I have been able to find out, there are no mid girth limits in the Tornado class. There is only a max size of luff, leech, foot and mid girth, no minimum. I think the Tornado class is one of the most competitive classes around, and would have gone that route if there was a consistent advantage. The Tornado is also one of the fastest and widest beachcats around, and as such should benefit from a relatively flat sail building more apparent wind. But they dont go much flatter than the Gran Segel MK-IV spi, as the angles get too wide for a good VMG. For best VMG, the Tornados would use a spi with more draft then the Gran Segel MK-IV, but this is not done becouse they would be killed down the first reach by the boats with flatter kites going over on top of them. In smaller fleets, like the olympics, you can get away with a spi with more draft in it. But a sail so flat that you could use upwind would make the downwind angles too hot. The ORMA60 tris have sails like this, but they are a lot faster than the average beachcat and pull the virtual wind even further forward when going downwind.