Any chance of allowing spins in class racing? It is a light platform and should respond very well. We just put one on our Frankencat and will NEVER go back. In 3-5 knots we were cooking off the wind (sheeted in hard as the apparent went so far forward). Makes sailing on Lake Murray a hell of a lot more fun on the light, summer days.

In DPN it is slower 2 up than H16, tiny bit slower 1 up than H17 uni and not as fast as TheMightyHobie18 at 71.7.

In wind range 0-1 it improves a bit 1 up vs. a H16 but still a little slower 2 up. About even 1 up with H17 uni.

It would be fun, but wouldn't be class legal. I bought a spinnaker and most of the other needed parts, but haven't rigged it yet. One could sail an Isotope in F16 class with spin, but to be truly competitive you'd need to change the mast and sailplan as well. By then, you might as well just get a Blade, or other ground-up F16 design.

Regards,
Eric

Why not vote on it for a class change? Seriously- why drift downwind when you can actually sail at and above wind speed? No need for a giant spinnaker, just a small, flat cut sail and you are cruising. I did a lot of drifters as a teenager on a H16- hot and boring downwind.

Last time I saw an Isotope at a non-CSC event was Duck Cup 2008.

Give me a month or so to get my boat together and I'll be going to as many races as I can. Really hoping to make Catfest this year on the Isotope!

Great boat for lake sailing in NC- great active fleets. Very lightly built. Frank Meldau, the designer, canvassed all the major regattas on the lakes in the area and discovered the average wind speed was 4 knots I believe and set out to design a boat to excel in those conditions. Boat has evolved steadily and was one of few catamarans actually on display at the Annapolis US Sailboat show last year (can't say that about most of the other cat builders). When we started the F16 class we invited them to race with us and they did at the first SpringFever the F16's attended. When I left NC ~12 years ago most of the boats didn't even have trapezes but a few were adding them. IMO it is a quick boat in 5 knots or under and does point well- but pointing alone does not best VMG make for many boats, and like all these arguments about boat speed just look to the one relatively "unbiased" source we have - DPN.
Considering when they were designed they are still nice boats with some unique features- pivoting high-aspect centerboards and large, in hull storage compartments/coolers! After all, when you are out there in 2 knots of "wind" you surely want some nice cool ones along!
I know you will enjoy the boat and camaraderie!

Kirt

Kirt good to hear from you.
Yeah the Isotopes are still around. Yeah a spinaker would make them faster but its a toss up. Would you split your fleet in half with a a design change. By the way sails are @#$% expensive I can't imagine what a couple of mains, jibs, and spinakers run. Trey could.

Take care.
J.P.