Trey, Joleen answers her email religiously, so she must have accidentally missed yours. It's not a rebuff - I promise. That said, we haven't really gotten beyond the concept stage for a cat regatta at CSC. I suspect we'll be looking at an expansion of the September or October race weekend at Kerr Lake. As far as names go, I was leaning towards calling it "Stray Cats". I thought that would be appropriate given that CSC doesn't own any property (we just go from lake to lake). Unfortunately, that name was already taken and "Feral Cats" just doesn't have the same ring.
As far as new blood goes, I am pleased to say that the fleet is getting new members. Jackson Harris is a high-school sailor who raced a Cheshire 2 years ago before moving up to an Isotope this year. He's done quite well on it, especially downwind, and actually took 5th at the Nationals. Line Dempsey is a new sailor who bought an old Isotope and is doing a lot better on it than I did my first year. Glenn Howell is a National Champion Corsair F-31 skipper who started sailing a small cat to help improve his "feel" and picked the Isotope. Joleen loaned him her Isotope at the Governor's Cup this year, which he won on tiebreak (thank you very much, Joleen). While the fleet is small (typically around 12 boats on the line), it is growing.
Regarding exposure, I try to get out as much as possible. I really do enjoy mixing it up with other designs. In fact, even when we have enough Isotopes for our own class, I like to start with other fleets. It's a way to measure my sailing against a broader group. There are some outstanding sailors out there, and I don't go to away regattas just to sail with the same folks I do at home. I also learn a lot from the bigger events (like no good ever comes from getting mixed up in a pack of 20 boats at the leeward mark - it's always better to just go wide).
It's hard to get out though, as I already sail 2-3 weekends a month at Carolina Sailing Club and Lake Townsend Yacht Club and also help run several regattas throughout the SouthEast. In the past two years, Joleen and I have taken the Isotopes to Spring Fever (twice), CatFest (twice), Tommy Whitesides, Clark Cup, and the Oriental Sailing Social. Isotopes have also gone to Indian Summer, Blackbeard, Charleston Race Week, an event in FL who's name I can't recall at the moment, and we even had one guy who wanted to sail in the Statue of Liberty Race (although I don't know if he managed to find crew). I'd be tempted to come race at Midlands this weekend but: (1) the weekend before last, my mast houndshead broke and I haven't replaced it yet, and (2) I'm already committed to crew on a Jet 14 at "Chapel Thrill" this weekend (thanks for the invite though).
I don't know if we'll make Spring Fever next year, but I'm hoping to get out as much as possible. It's fun both to show off the Isotope, and to check out the other designs. Any suggestions?
Eric (Isotope 42)
