One comment I would make on the canting plate issue is there can be a small disadvantage when close to marks of the course.

I sail a Euro Inter 17 in the UK and when sailing with these funny boats with only one hull they need to give you a few more inches room at the mark as when the boat is flat, the bottom of the plate is actually outside the foorprint of the Hull......Can be messy if you catch a plat oin a mooring line at speed......