Scotty - am anxious to hear your ideas. Will be standing by until you have time.

Dream - actually on the beach cats, the boat starts into a turn to tack, the main is released (and traveler in heavy wind) and the jib remains cleated. After the bows cross the eye of the wind, the jib is uncleated and is allowed to flop over to leeward side. This slight delay helps "push" the bows over to the proper side and helps prevent the dreaded "irons".

Once the jib is sheeted, I usually bear off a few degrees, "SLOWLY" sheet in the main as the boat starts to move, I then start to head up. I think some problems with tacking can be directly related to a tiller movement that is too quick and fast - putting on the "brakes" and also of sheeting in the main too fast which weather-vanes the boat. A long slow turn and footing off usually is needed to get twin hulls to tack. Often the new cat skipper thinks he is on a monohull, throws the tiller across and wonders why the boat stops dead - and in irons.

If one also considers the lack of lead keel/boat weight and the loss of momentum happens pretty fast too.

Will be interesting to see/read TRICAT's thoughts.