Take a look at this thread:
viewtopic.php?f=23&t=37283 from some past posts about mast rake, tell tales, and sail trim. A Getaway won't sail as close to the wind as other cats or monohulls due to the way the hulls are constructed and the cut of the sails. But you can squeeze better windward performance out of the boat by keeping the crew weight forward (make that leeward bow dig into the water) and by following some of the tips on the thread.
When you are sailing closehauled in a narrow channel, you will get lots of practice in tacking quickly!