Selecting a new Dinghy

Two major changes:

Hull shapes have changed from the traditional vee to a low rocker, reverse sheer, flattish bottom. High aspect daggers are more the norm. As a result the newer designs tack much, much faster and more easily. The use of modern materials has also resulted in the ability to get the weight out of the ends of the hulls and boats are faster through and out of tacks. Not quite dinghy like but very close.

The other change is the ubiquitous use of assymetrics on cats. This has raised the downwind tactics phase of a race to a whole new level. The sheer speed differential between getting it right downwind and not is huge. This has raised everyone's game.

Exactly, you need to understand what will happen, what is happening and what may happen to decide what to do.  Getting it wrong will loose loads of time and distance (as you are travelling so quick).

I use it as the WIM TLA (Will Is May) when I had a crew as we discussed the plan for the next leg, so, the Tide will be with us, the wind is increasing, and may back on us. 

I agree that in many situations going for speed IS the way to go. But again, it's tactics isn't it? It's about KNOWING when the right tactic is speed and when the right tactic is play the shifts. The more modern cats have simply allowed the playing the shifts option more readily IF YOU WANT TO.

I also agree that in the dinghy V cats culture of argument, a standard mantra seems to be that "dinghies are more tactical than cats" - it happened again in this very thread. It's almost as if just repeating it makes it true, and that in some way it is BETTER than sailing fast?  You're right though, there is NOTHING wrong with being a speed guru, after all, racing is also about speed isn't it?