I am considering purchasing either a Nacra 500 or 570 and would like to ask those that have them or have sailed them the pro's and con's of these boats. Primarily I would like to know about the hull volume and if they will handle heavier skipper and crew combinations say in the 375 to 400 lb. range. Any info on these boats that can be given would be appreciated, since I don't believe there are any in this area.
As an old 5.0 (now the 500) sailor and sometime 5.7 crew, at that weight I would go with the 570-
Kirt Simmons
Kirt Simmons
Taipan #159,
A
cat US 48
As a Nacra 5.7 owner and operator, I can say that I like the boat very much but it does have a few problems.
The rudders problem was solved in the 500/570 series.
The Nacra 5.7 doesn't turn or tack very well. Also, righting the boat after a capsize is more difficult than on other boats because the mast is long and there are no boards to help with the leverage.
I really like the fact that the boat is fast and safe (boomless, no daggerboard) It is very simple to operate and it handles heavy weight very well. Last few time we had about 440lbs of crew weight and the boat was really fine.
I sometimes solo the boat but I cannot right it. Maybe I will purchase Gary's righting stick next year but other than the fact that even for a big guy like me, I cannot right the boat solo and that it is difficult to tack, I really like it.
I never got to ride the 5.0 or the 500 but I believe that the boat should do fine with 400lbs of crew weight. O course, to race in a competitive format, you should aim at a lower crew weight but unlike older design, the Nacra seems to do fine ith heavier crew weight.
On a beam reach, the boat is surprisingly fast and I often pass other boats like old P19 and Mystere 6.0. As soon as you start to depower the main, the boat really become fast on a beam reach.
Overall, I like it but if you want to solo the boat, you might want to consider the 500 as well
Charles Leblanc [color] Nacra 5.7 #123