Well that's clearly an over simplification, as I can assure you that sticking the thing dead down wind is *not* the fastest way to the mark even though it is the shortest route.

Similarly, if you sail at 90 degrees to the wind, you'll never get to the downwind mark. Somewhere in between is the fastest angle, and that's where the challenge lies.

I think it really depends on the conditions, and not just the wind strength, but also the size of gusts and the size of waves. Given how Aaron sails when he's kicking us all, I'm confident that there comes a point where in a steady wind trapezing is faster.

If the wind is gusting from non-enough to trapeze to too much to trapeze, you'll do better to sit in: being sat in in the gusts doesn't do much harm, as you just go deeper, but being trapped in the lulls does, because the boat gets horribly out of trim.

Paul