Reducing the Drag Hump - Smooth Planing

[CT 249]

Well, the SA/RM and D/RM ratios can't be very good on the NS; I should run them. I also suspect that the usual ratios fail to account for bulk, which seems to be a major factor for singlehanders as far as I can see.

I find it interesting that while some cats (ie F16s, Mossies) can be fast sailed one or two up, dinghies generally are one or the other. One exception years ago was the Fireball with a small jib and plank that finished about 4th in the first IYRU singlehanded trials; the 'Balls small (but long) hull would have been a factor IMHO.
29er is a more modern boat that works OK one or two up and again it's a long, skinny boat with medium rig size.

[PI Design]

I know what you mean, most two-man monohulls look to have too much freeboard to make good singlehanders. The 29er and 'ball are both low boats. I haven't seen either sailed one up, I imagine the 'ball could be quite fun, but somehow the 29er doesn't appeal.
The single handed NS has is a similar length, sail area and dispacement to a Laser, so I suppose it should be no great surprise that the performance is similar -although it is worth noting that the Laser seems to be disproportionatley fast compared to other similar singlehanders.
Still, it shows how a main and jib combo are so much more than the sum of its parts when a 2.5sqm jib more than makes up for the extra 50kg or so that a NS crew typically weighs.