Looks like I have missed a lot in the way of tactics and boat handling advances over the last 15+ years. Is a roll tack beneficial on a boardless cat? God knows it can use all the help it can get.
Yes.
It's probably more effective because it's boardless.
On a g-cat!? Absolutely! The G-cat design is an interesting one and it goes very fast in a straight line. However, it does not tack particularly well because it has so much long, narrow, and deep hull in the water. The more hull you can get out of the water during a tack, the much better you are. Get all your weight back as far as possible and stay on the old windward side as long as possible when tacking.
It is even more effective with a boardless cat, since you don't have boards to help pivot the boat through the turn. I've never been on a G-Cat, but it is an essential tactic with a H16. I normally will start my turn while still out on trap. Pulling in on the trap wire with the weight on the back corner, really helps tack quicker. Of course, this is in moderate to light winds.
Thanks guys!
Just found some good stuff thru Google, too. looks like we need to practice...