Thom Stewart wrote:
Jeff,

I stand corrected on the sails. What is the Aspect Ratio number? I
thought it would be a rather "Low" number for the speeds she was
attaining.

Ole Thom

I haven't found the specs for the boat, but the line drawings show the
aspect ration to be over 3 to 1. Plus, with the square top, the
effective ratio is much higher. Think of it as simply removing the top
quarter of a sail - the part that generates little lift but contributes
heeling moment. Add to that the fact that the sails are actually wing
sails, with two layers of cloth over a rotating mast, and internal
battens adjusting curvature ... I'm sure they have just the lift to drag
ratio the designers want for the boat. Its hard to argue with 45 knots.