Your point that weight matters is undeniable.... So what can you do about it?
Classes want to increase the range of sailors who fit the boat (or not see Tornado).... Ergo rules
Consider how the F18 class treats the weight ranges with their rules
B.4.3. SPINNAKER
Two sail areas of spinnakers are permitted as a function of crew weight.
4.3.1 Crews of 115 kg (253.53 LBS) to 150 kg (330.69 LBS):
Maximum surface area for the spinnaker : 19.00m².
4.3.2 Crews of more than 150 kg (330.69 LBS) and crews over 140 kg (308.65 LBS) changing of category (see B.3.3) : Maximum surface area for the spinnaker : 21.00m².
(Jibs also change in size)
Two size of jibs and spins plus a scheme for how much lead to add to the boat extend the range of sailing teams able to compete on a level playing field (and thus the size of the class.
Despite all of this... The top teams cluster at the weight needed to carry the max sail area and NO lead... 330 lbs!
Why... They are also stuck with alu masts. (It is so much more expensive to find a stiffer or softer Alu mast for your team weight)
For the Tornado... the top teams cluster at the max weight needed to hold the boat down in championship conditions... e.g. 5 knots to 22 knots. So... about 320 lbs. The carbon mast on the Tornado is SET IN STONE and is one design (Insisted on by ISAF after all of the alu mast programs voided the spirit of the last Olympics) ... The class HAD TO SWITCH TO A ONE DESIGN STICK, wanted no changes in weight from the team's that were sailing the classic rig mast internationally and so had Marstrom build a one design mast. So you can't use them as benchmark for your mast-sail combo relative to weight range point either.
(In fact... your point should be... sail shape seems to compensate for 10 lbs of team weight...)
Fact of the matter is that Mast and Sail combos seem to give the A class a relatively huge weight range of sailors in the class when coupled with modern hull shapes that are of light weight (read.. not the Tornado)
The one design mast of the Tornado and the rule restricted F18 class examples you are pointing to cannot make your point about the tunability of mast sail combos' and team weight.
The unrestricted F16 team could build a mast to suit their team weight to get the max power out of the rig.
Now... how much drag the extra weight causes depends on hull shape, where the buoyancy is etc etc... The Blade seems to be better the Taipan (appropriate for time between the hull designs)
Mark
The F16 should be considered if you are a light weight team with the physically weaker team mate on the front end of the boat.... Now you can always refuse to race each other... but that would be childish... No?
Or is the ultimate goal to have races between teams that weigh 330 lbs in the F18's and 320 plus or minus 10 lbs in the Tornado
