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]
 Class symbol | |
| Development | |
|---|---|
| Designer | Frank Meldau |
| Location | United States |
| Year | 1962 |
| No. built | 710 |
| Builder(s) | Fiberglass Unlimited |
| Boat | |
| Crew | one |
| Boat weight | 275 lb (125 kg) |
| Draft | 2.50 ft (0.76 m) with the centerboards down |
| Hull | |
| Type | Catamaran |
| Construction | Fiberglass |
| LOA | 16.00 ft (4.88 m) |
| Beam | 7.50 ft (2.29 m) |
| Hull appendages | |
| Keel/board type | twin centerboards |
| Rudder(s) | transom-mounted rudders |
| Rig | |
| Rig type | Bermuda rig |
| Sails | |
| Sailplan | Fractional rigged sloop |
| Mainsail area | 140 sq ft (13 m2) |
| Jib/genoa area | 45 sq ft (4.2 m2) |
| Total sail area | 185 sq ft (17.2 m2) |
| Racing | |
| D-PN | 74.0 |
The design is the larger stablemate of the Cheshire 14 catamaran.[2]
Production
The 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]
Design
The 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 history
In a 1994 review Richard Sherwood wrote, "sister to the Cheshire, the Isotope is two feet longer and five Portsmouth numbers faster."[2]
References
- McArthur, Bruce (2020). "Isotope sailboat". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 4 September 2020. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
- Sherwood, Richard M.: A Field Guide to Sailboats of North America, Second Edition, pages 68-69. Houghton Mifflin Company, 1994. ISBN 0-395-65239-1
- McArthur, Bruce (2020). "Custom Fiberglass International". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 14 July 2020. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
- Custom Fiberglass International (2013). "Isotope Catamaran". intl-fiberglass.com. Archived from the original on 4 September 2020. Retrieved 4 September 2020.