I found and fixed the problem (raw partition backups were fast but restores
were very slow).  The solution is to backup and restore /dev/vx/rdsk instead
of /dev/vx/dsk.  That makes sense, since rdsk is the block devices.  Should
have been obvious - I am a bonehead.  

Though in my defense, I'd observe that Veritas's own manuals say "try both
character and block devices and see which works better".  You'd think that
since they wrote the volume manager, the filesystem, AND the backup
software, they'd be able to provide a *little* more guidance...;)

--
Drew Fabbro
fabbro.andrew AT cnf DOT com 
Desk: 503-450-3374    Cell: 503-701-0369
"How can I be losing to this idiot?"
  -- chess grandmaster Aaron Nimzovich