Just some random thoughts.

There are few catsailors here. It seems that most of the established regattas have a core of catsailors to support the race.

My skipper of the Stiletto I crew on is/was race captain for the Punta Gorda Sailing Club. They put on several series in the fall and spring (no winter here)and specialty races at other time. If 5 boats would enter, I'm pretty sure that cats would be welcomed in a mixed fleet. Working with an established club would make the event organizing easier.

Distance or buoys? I have suggested several times that I would like to see a Tour de Charlotte Harbor. The west coast needs a good distance race as the Miami-Key Largo and The Mug Race.