Steve,
Please be patient with us Americans.
To answer your questions briefly (on my lunch hour):
How would you hold them together without eliminating the whole Taipan fleet or splitting it?
As clarification, the T4.9 Nat's was offered "in addition" because so many people were unable to attend the F16 Nat's. We knew this 2 months prior to the F16 Nat's, and so planned an alternate event.
Next year it has been proposed that we run them in the same sequence as this year, but at the same place, so that we eliminate the travel problems.
Yes, catsailing is still "recovering" in the u.s. Keep it in perspective, though. The closest competetor built by a U.S. manufacturer (I17R) only had 3 boats at their Nat's. We had 8 at the T4.9 Nat's, 4 at the F16. For the U.S, this is not unusual.
Re. distance racing: I think we've made a decent showing so far, and generated a lot of interest.
Remember, most of the big races are Spring/fall, and many of us just got our boats last spring. Not to many opportunities in the summer.
Like I said, you've got to be patient.
Michael Coffman
T4.9#32