Isotope (catamaran)
The Isotope is an American catamaran sailing dinghy that was designed by Frank Meldau as a one-design racer and first built in 1962.[1][2] The design is the larger stablemate of the Cheshire 14 catamaran.[2] ProductionThe design is built by Fiberglass Unlimited (now called Custom Fiberglass International) in Wake Forest, North Carolina, United States. A total of 710 have been built, and the design remains in production.[1][2][3][4] DesignThe Isotope is a recreational sailboat, built predominantly of fiberglass. It has a fractional sloop rig, with aluminum spars, a sealed rotating mast and fully battened mainsail, with eight ash wood or fiberglass battens. The hulls have spooned raked stems, vertical transoms, transom-hung, kick-up rudders controlled by a tiller and retractable, self-tending centerboards. The hulls are joined with three cross-members. There are two stowage compartments, with hatches. The boat displaces 275 lb (125 kg) and has flotation for positive buoyancy, plus a righting bar.[1][2][4] The boat has a draft of 2.50 ft (0.76 m) with the centerboards extended and 6 in (15 cm) with them retracted, allowing beaching or ground transportation on a trailer.[1] For sailing the design may be equipped with options such as a mast limiter, roller furling jib and a trapeze.[2][4] The design has a Portsmouth Yardstick racing average handicap of 74.0. It is normally raced with a crew of one sailor although it can carry three people.[2] Operational historyIn a 1994 review Richard Sherwood wrote, "sister to the Cheshire, the Isotope is two feet longer and five Portsmouth numbers faster."[2] See alsoRelated development References
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