A couple of years ago in an A-cat race one of the boats just walked away from the rest of the on the fleet after the start. But when he tacked he stopped!

Why?? On the way out to the start he hit a rock and got a hole in the starboard hull. He had around 30-40 liters of water in the starbord hull at the start and that gives an indication that water ballast can help upwind speed in some conditions.

You just need to make a good system for the ballast tanks....

/håkan