Races are won by seconds and it is necessary for people to go to that extent if the technology is available. If someone is going to invest in producing supposedly fast boats, you need some kind of testing and academic studies before you commit to the work. However it's interesting that the original skin boats of the past are not far off the mark with efficiency and design. When you get to a boat that is really so simple, the ultimate solutions are usually pretty simple. I guess the question that gets answered is when is too long detrimental to speed. Ideally, you would have to design a boat for the exact person as Duane points out.