Isotope (catamaran)

Sailboat class

Isotope

Class symbol

Development
Designer| Frank Meldau
Location| United States
Year| 1962
No. built| 710
Builder(s)| Fiberglass Unlimited
Role| One-design racer
Name| Isotope
Boat
Crew| one
Displacement| 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

[edit on Wikidata]

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]

## Production

[edit]

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

[edit]

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

[edit]

In a 1994 review Richard Sherwood wrote, "sister to the Cheshire, the Isotope is two feet longer and five Portsmouth numbers faster."[2]

## See also

[edit]

* List of sailing boat types
* List of multihulls

Related development

* Cheshire 14

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d McArthur, Bruce (2020). "Isotope sailboat". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 4 September 2020. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
2. ^ a b c d e f g 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
3. ^ McArthur, Bruce (2020). "Custom Fiberglass International". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 14 July 2020. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
4. ^ a b c Custom Fiberglass International (2013). "Isotope Catamaran". intl-fiberglass.com. Archived from the original on 4 September 2020. Retrieved 4 September 2020.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website

* v
* t
* e

Sailing dinghies

Dinghies under 10 ft|

* Cape Cod Frosty
* Flipper (US)
* Frog
* El Toro
* Fatty Knees
* Fly
* Holdfast Trainer
* Manly Junior
* Minto
* Montgomery 7-11
* Naples Sabot
* O'PEN Skiff
* Optimist
* P Class
* Pelican
* Sabot
* Shrimp
* Starling
* Tadpole
* Topaz Taz
* US Sabot
* Zoom 8

Dinghies under 15 ft|

| 0–K|

* 10ft Skiff
* 12 foot dinghy
* 125
* 145
* 12ft Skiff
* 29er
* 29erXX skiff
* 2000
* 3000
* 420
* 470
* American 14.6
* ASC
* B14
* Banshee
* Beetle Cat
* Beneteau First 14
* Beneteau Wizz
* Bermuda Fitted Dinghy
* Beverly Dinghy
* Barnett 1400
* Blaze
* Blue Crab 11
* Blue Jay
* Bombardier 3.8
* Bombardier Invitation
* Bosun
* British Moth
* Bullet 14
* Buzz
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* Cadet
* Capri Cyclone
* Cherub
* C-Lark
* Comet (UK)
* Coypu
* Dabchick
* Dart
* Designers Choice
* Dolphin 15 Senior
* Echo 12
* Enterprise
* Europe
* Envy
* Farr 3.7
* Finn
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* Flying Ant
* Flying Eleven
* Force 5
* GP14
* Graduate
* Griffon
* Gull
* Howmar 12
* Heron
* Houdini
* Idle-along
* Impulse
* Interclub Dinghy
* International 14
* International FJ
* Javelin (NZ)
* Javelin (US)
* Jet 14
* Jollyboat (NZ)
* Kite

|

L–Z|

* Lark
* Laser Standard
* Laser 2
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* Laser Vago
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* Lehman 12
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* Lido 14
* Mark
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* Melges 14
* Merlin Rocket
* Metaf
* Metcalf
* MG14
* Minisail
* Miracle
* Mirror
* Montgomery 7-11
* Montgomery 12
* Moth
* Musto Skiff
* National 12
* NS14
* OK Dinghy
* Otter
* Pacer
* Pegasus
* Penguin
* Phantom 14
* Phantom
* Precision 13
* Precision 14
* Puffer
* Rascal 14
* RS Aero
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* RS100
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* Speedball 14
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* Spiral
* Splash
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* Surprise 15
* Tanzer 14
* Tasar
* Tech Dinghy
* Topper
* Topper Topaz
* Topaz Magno
* Topaz Vibe
* Transit 380
* Twitchell 12
* Vagabond
* Vaurien
* Wanderer
* Waszp
* Water Wag
* Widgeon 12
* Woodpussy
* Zeddie
* Zephyr

Dinghies under 20 ft|

| 0–K|

* 16ft Skiff
* 18 foot dinghy
* 18ft Skiff
* 470
* 49er
* 505
* Albacore
* Apollo 16
* Australian Sharpie
* Beaufort
* Bombardier 4.8
* Buccaneer 18
* Cape Cod Gemini
* Cape Cod Mercury 15
* Caprice 15
* CL 16
* Comet (US)
* Contender
* Coronado 15
* Corsair
* Day Sailer
* Flying Dutchman
* Flying Scot
* French National Monotype 1924
* Geary 18
* Gloucester 15
* Hampton One-Design
* Holiday 20
* Hornet
* Interlake
* International Canoe
* ISO
* Jacksnipe
* Javelin (Europe)
* Jersey Skiff
* Jollyboat (UK)
* Jolly Boat
* JY15

|

L–Z|

* Laser 4000
* Laser Stratos
* Leeward 16
* Lelievlet
* Lightning
* Melges 15
* Menger Cat 15
* Mirror 16
* Mistral 16
* Mobjack
* Mud Hen 17
* Mutineer 15
* O-Jolle
* Paceship 20
* Payne-Mortlock sailing canoe
* Picnic 17
* Pirate
* Precision 15 CB
* Precision 16
* Precision 185 CB
* Ranger 16
* Rebel 16
* Rhodes 18
* Rhodes 19
* RS Vision
* RS700
* RS800
* RS Venture
* S2 5.5
* Salcombe Yawl
* Sea Bright
* Sea Scout Standard Boat (BP18)
* Snipe
* Tanzer 16
* 12m2 Sharpie
* Thistle
* Topaz Omega
* US1
* Vanguard 15
* Wayfarer
* Windmill
* Windy
* Winkle Brig
* X Boat

Dinghies 20 ft or over|

* Dovekie 21
* Highlander
* Norfolk Punt
* Sea Pearl 21

Scows|

* A Scow
* Butterfly
* C Scow
* E Scow
* Fireball
* Flipper (Danish)
* I-20
* Melges 17
* M Scow
* MC Scow
* Puddle Duck Racer
* Thames A-class rater
* Y Flyer

Multihulls|

| Catamarans|

* A-Class
* Catalina Catamaran
* Cheshire 14
* Dart 16
* Dart 18
* DC-14 Phantom
* Flying Phantom Elite
* Flying Phantom Essentiel
* Formula 16
* Formula 18
* G-Cat 5.0
* G-Cat 5.7
* Hobie 14
* Hobie 16
* Hobie 17
* Hobie Bravo
* Hobie Dragoon
* Hobie Tiger
* Hobie Wave
* Hobie Wildcat
* Isotope
* Kona 14
* Nacra 5.2
* Nacra 15
* Nacra F16
* Nacra 17
* Nacra F18 Infusion
* Nacra 20 Carbon
* M32
* Phantom 14
* Phantom 16
* Phoenix 18
* Prindle 18
* Prindle 18-2
* Shearwater III
* SL 16
* Topcat K1
* Tornado
* Trac 14
* Trac 16
* Viper F16

|

Trimarans|

* Astus 14.1
* Wētā

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