: John,

: I have been working very hard to get a "swoopy" cockpit
: rim. Didn't know I was suppose to be avoiding it. :)

: To each his own.

Indeed! ;-)

I've built both 'curvy' and 'flattish' coamings - the former are definitely easier to build as you are not fighting the strips' natural curvature.
Reading this from Bjorn Thomasson made me pay more attention to the details:
http://www.thomassondesign.com/en/news/cockpit-rims

BTW, it seems to be more of an issue with longer cockpit rims, where the straight-ish section along the sides seems to invite the skirt to 'pop'.
The easiest-sealing are probably those round cockpits designed for Greenlanders with 'compact' waists- just lash yourself in and go hunting!
:-)