Someone has to test the effect of the changes to equipment. Why not let the people who know something about it test it and measure the differential? I certainly wouldn't know enough to give a valid measurement.

I personally think the F17 class/NACRA is doing a good job of implementing this change in a measured way. The end result is that cost of building boats will be reduced (standardization of mast section, less carbon). I do not think they are doing it to make the new boats noticeably faster (total surface area of mast and sails are equal, or at least very close) – in fact they are being certain to NOT obsolete the current fleet. It is a very tough decision to introduce changes in any One Design boat – they will be criticized if they never update the boat, they will be criticized if they update the boat too often and they will be criticized if they release a similar design (that includes the latest technology) that obsoletes an existing boat. Tough decisions.

Let it go. Change within a class is left up to its class memers and manufacturer(s) (didn't we just debate this). Let them deal with it.