I took a look at a H20 last night. It was at the top end of my budget and it had cracks on the edges of both rudders and dagger boards so I walked. Any thoughts on an H20 as a boat to start on for a newcomer to beachcats like myself? Looking at the numbers it seems like the H20 has very powerful sail plan. Too powerful maybe?
another option is get a big boat and get a set of high wind sails and use them to learn
i have a 6.0 and 5.5 and swap between f18 sails, 6.0 and tornado sails, 5.5 and 6.0 jibs depending on the wind and my desire to work out (solo sheeting all day)
I don't even have trap wires at this time - i have wings so i don't need them but i sure miss the back stretch i get after 30 min on the wire. I think i will run a dynema line to trap off a wing in the fall when the weather gets better
Edited by MN3 on Aug 25, 2021 - 03:32 PM.
want to be able to right a capsized boat on my own if I'm solo (I'm 5'8" and about 170lbs). I also forgot to mention that my sailing experience involves sailing a 43ft. monohull that we owned (lost during hurricane Irma) and a few times having rented Hobie Waves and Getaways. I hold a USCG OUPV license
a righting bag + an anchor + the right technique and you can right a 20' cat
MN3 wrote: another option is get a big boat and get a set of high wind sails and use them to learn
i have a 6.0 and 5.5 and swap between f18 sails, 6.0 and tornado sails, 5.5 and 6.0 jibs depending on the wind and my desire to work out (solo sheeting all day)
Thanks. That sounds like a great option.
[quote=MN3]
😆
remedy wrote: Hi everyone,
I'm looking at getting into beach cat sailing and after searching for a couple of months, I need some advice... I live in Florida and the state requires any vessel over 16ft to be registered. While I understand that most folks will not register their beach cats, It's surprising to me that all the boats I've inquired about (under $4,000) the owners don't have a title. Have I set my expectation too high?
In addition, I have been looking at a nice Dart 18 with no title and no HIN#. Should I stay away if it doesn't have a HIN?
Also, I have read that the Dart 18 does not perform well with the original sail plan in light winds but if you change the jib for a Hobie 16 jib there will be a significant light wind performance improvement. Can anyone confirm this for me and advise on any draw-backs?
Thank you all in advance!
I would recommend the P16 or P18. Their freeboard and hull design will be more comfortable with chop when the wind picks up. I have heard the dart is underpowered, but that may work out when the wind picks up. You will be able to find spare parts for the Prindle easier than the Dart. Grabbing a boat with a title makes life much easier. But, bradinjax is correct, it really depends on where you are sailing also.
We have a member that is selling a Nacra 5.7 with jib roller furling and, including beach wheels and trailer in Pensacola FL. I have owned mine since 1986. This boat is nearly bombproof as a beachcat. Easy to sail, plenty of size for the family and very fast and stable. You couldn't find a better start. https://www.thebeachcats.com/classifieds/catamarans-for-sale/p17395-1984-nacra-5-7.html
I had a parks and game guy come out to my boat to verify the vin when I got my first boat 6 years ago in FL because it had previously been titled. He pulled out the lawbook and looked at the contradictory laws. One says anything over 16 feet has to be registered, the other that only motorized vessels have to be registered.
He said if it doesn't have a motor then we don't touch it. One guys opinion. I transferred the title to my name but no one I know ever registers these things. Only place I've heard beach cats being hassled about registration was down near miami.
Basically nothing you find will have a title. Don't worry about the trailer either if it doesn't have the registration with it. Just walk in and say you have a homebuilt trailer that weighs 400lbs and they will give you a new registration. Or you can say it's an old trailer and the registration was lost and they will reregister it as a home built anyway. Your choice. They don't really care, they just want their yearly tax money.
Cool thing is sometimes they click the wrong button or type something wrong, and in my case on the state website when I went to reregister my homebuilt trailer it says that I was registering my homebuilt TANK, lol
https://www.thebeachcats.com/classifieds/catamarans-for-sale/p17395-1984-nacra-5-7.html/blockquote >
That boat is overpriced. Really good condition, maybe- with 4 ports added, something was wrong or broken.Cool thing is sometimes they click the wrong button or type something wrong, and in my case on the state website when I went to reregister my homebuilt trailer it says that I was registering my homebuilt TANK, lol
No question on armament?
That boat is overpriced. Really good condition, maybe- with 4 ports added, something was wrong or broken
I know you know a lot about this boat but, please don't make up something out of your ass.
There is nothing wrong or broken. Why make something up? This is a good deal and one of the best boats you can buy. Edchris know a lot about these kind of boats and has provided a lot of good information here but not sure why he decided to make that post.
The boat is in good condition and there is nothing wrong with it. A forth port is not needed the compass could be removed if you need to access the hull. It would be foolish to add another port for no reason.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TxK_x8KP22Brp9pybK22BD_LP9b5SAZJ/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WS6qjF6SCqPF4Yg2xoF2Eop6-hOpGXOa/view?usp=sharing
Edited by rungi on Nov 13, 2021 - 05:43 PM.
There is nothing wrong or broken. Why make something up? This is a good deal and one of the best boats you can buy. Edchris know a lot about these kind of boats and has provided a lot of good information here but not sure why he decided to make that post
Hey Rungi,
You turned up in August as a novice, making almost all the newcomer mistakes one can do. How can you as unexperienced, then state "one of the best boats you can buy"?
Except for that the sails(originally with boat?) must be 20-35 years old. You will need to spends 2500 USD for up-to-date sails to begin with. Edchris is also on to something when mentioning the four ports indicating there has been some repairs done.
rungi wrote:
That boat is overpriced. Really good condition, maybe- with 4 ports added, something was wrong or broken
I know you know a lot about this boat but, please don't make up something out of your ass.
There is nothing wrong or broken. Why make something up?
Really George (Rungi)?? You're kidding, right? You have the wrong rudders, the wrong 5.8 mast on a 5.7 platform, you have no clue of the age of the rigging, or if it is the right length, sails are old . . . and you've posted 147 times, many times pissing on the advise of very experienced members trying to help you. BTW you have complained more than once what is wrong with the design of your boat, and everything else that is wrong or problems with your boat . . . yet this forum is the best market you have for selling your boat! Don't poke the tiger!
Not sure your point. The boat has been both repaired and modified.
Are you trying to suggest that old boats are broken and having something wrong with them?
I have been taking this boat out every weekend. The most difficult thing with this boat is moving it on land.
Sailing it is very easy.
Are you trolling because you don't like the price. What is the boat worth in your opinion?
Why should a new sailor not buy this kind of boat? What is the boat they should get?
Is there something wrong with the sails?
You can ask questions, and help other, but don't make up lies. Nobody needs that.
Are you surprised, when the shit hits the fan 😉 ?
rungi wrote: Not sure your point. The boat has been both repaired and modified.
Are you trying to suggest that old boats are broken and having something wrong with them?
I have been taking this boat out every weekend. The most difficult thing with this boat is moving it on land.
Sailing it is very easy.Are you trolling because you don't like the price. What is the boat worth in your opinion?
Why should a new sailor not buy this kind of boat? What is the boat they should get?Is there something wrong with the sails?
You can ask questions, and help other, but don't make up lies. Nobody needs that.
The guys on here that are willing to help don't need to make up anything of pull anything out of their ass. They brought up questions because for the age of boat, the price is a premium (like COVID premium). The sails are pretty close to original. I had 2 Nacra 5.8's that were mid-80s vintage and had the two-tone blue stripe. I had a late 80s vintage main with the orange stripes. I believe, they only made white mains after the 80s. Therefore, this main is near original age. Plus, the later mains had the traveler car for the mainsheet clew. The clew plate with the large holes were mid 80s. The late 80s had more smaller holes for the mainsheet. The mast has Nacra 5.8 on is leading us to believe it is a 5.8 mast. The Nacra 5.0 and 5.7 rudders I had, had a gentle taper from the head down to the blade. I have not seen any 5.0/5.7 rudders with the hard cut-in your boat has. Anytime a boat has an inspection port, questions come up of why the ports? My Nacra 5.0 didn't have any inspection ports, so I assume the 4 ports were added for some reason. The fact the inspection ports do not match is a buzz kill. From being in the marine industry, it shows me someone slapped them on with what they had and didn't take the time and effort to do it right. The starboard aft is black and the port side are both white. From the pic, you can see the edge of the inspection port outer ring sticking up from the curved deck. I would suggest building up an epoxy edge to make sure the hatch sits flat on the curved deck; just looks more professional.
I do think the Nacra 5.7 is a good boat to start with. Why not get beach wheels to move the boat around on land? This can be done with one person easily. I move my Tornado around singlehandly quite easily.
Just to clarify the boat comes with beach wheels and trailer as well as good main and jib. The sails are old but nothing is wrong with them. Also has a brand new main and jib halyards and roller furling. I do not understand the purpose of trying to troll the add. The boat is awesome. Yes the mast is from a 5.8 it fits perfect. The sails fit perfect also. The rudders are not original they are from a newer model and are probably better in the fact that they go further under the boat. I have not tested them against the original. The boat handles perfectly.
I was never interested in making the boat look professional. That is not needed. My interest is sailing and having fun. This boat stays dry and the ports are water tight. The boat is fun as hell and has no problems.
Edited by rungi on Nov 16, 2021 - 03:11 AM.
The sails are old but nothing is wrong with them. Also has a brand new main and jib halyards and roller furling. I do not understand the purpose of trying to troll the add. The boat is awesome. Yes the mast is from a 5.8 it fits perfect. The sails fit perfect also.
Perfect fit 🙄 ? What about showing some humility/sensitivity to those with experience and knowledge? You might have payed to much for this Nacra crossbreed? You´ll then have to bite the bullet and sell the boat, showing it´s shortcomings.
Edited by revintage on Nov 16, 2021 - 07:12 AM.
yes are u able to compare and contrast the 5.8 and 5.7 mast
I posted about this a while back.
what are the short comings?
Found this interesting ad of your boat from one year ago 😉 .
https://sailboat.guide/oer7qv
Edited by revintage on Nov 16, 2021 - 05:16 PM.
remedy wrote: Hullflyer, I appreciate your response and I don't doubt you having 60 unregistered beach cats. However, your statement "If you put a motor on it then it needs a registration" is not the only requirement for a vessel needing to be registered according to the state. When you look at the flhsmv.gov website it clearly says that any non-motor-powered vessel greater than 16 feet is not exempt from registration (Item 1 in the image below). In addition, kayaks are different. If they are non-motor-powered they are exempt from registration regardless of length (Item 2 in the image below).
Texas is the same, everything over 16' needs registration. How far you want to push your limits is your choice. I know of some boats that are over 16' and have never been registered. It really depends on how picky law enforcement is. Mainly, if there is an issue of some sort is when the registration may be checked. Locally, marine law enforcement is looking at the powerboats with loud music and overcapacity.
As others have noted there are lots of beach cats with no title, often twenty or more years old. In Florida there are multiple ways to get a title.
The cheapest (but it does not always work) is to call up FWC and have an officer come out and look at the boat and get the HIN and do a check to see if it is stolen. In reality they are really doing the search for the local LEOs but the cops are too busy so they shove it off to the FWC. It also helps if you have good relations with the FWC. If the search turns up that the boat was registered/titled in another state you can contact that state and get a title; but if the search does not turn up anything you may need to go on to Pan B or Plan C.
A second but more expensive option is to go to the county court house and get a form to sue the DMV (who issues titles). You then take the bill of sale to the judge (really the judge's clerk) and say you bought it and the DMV then calls the FWC to do a search and if they can not prove the boat was stolen (if you did the first step you can also provide the stuff FWC gave you) the judge will tell the DMV to give you a title. It costs around $US350 to sue the DMV and then you will have to pay for the title and probably to register the boat as well.
Truth be told lots of folks in Florida use this method which is to take the bill of sale to Georgia and get a title for the boat there and then go back to Florida with the Georgia title and get a Florida title with it. Of course this means you need to have some connection in Georgia, even if it is a friend to act as a go between.
While it may seem like it is more trouble than it is worth to go through this Texas Two Step to get a title depending on the price of an untitled boat it may be worth it.YMMV
texastuma wrote: [quote=remedy]Hullflyer, I appreciate your response and I don't doubt you having 60 unregistered beach cats. However, your statement "If you put a motor on it then it needs a registration" is not the only requirement for a vessel needing to be registered according to the state. When you look at the flhsmv.gov website it clearly says that any non-motor-powered vessel greater than 16 feet is not exempt from registration (Item 1 in the image below). In addition, kayaks are different. If they are non-motor-powered they are exempt from registration regardless of length (Item 2 in the image below).
Texas is the same, everything over 16' needs registration. How far you want to push your limits is your choice. I know of some boats that are over 16' and have never been registered. It really depends on how picky law enforcement is. Mainly, if there is an issue of some sort is when the registration may be checked. Locally, marine law enforcement is looking at the powerboats with loud music and overcapacity.
If you want a title and a registration that bad, go get them. I have never been stopped on the water or refused my beach permit or ever asked for a title or registration for any beach cat. I have been sailing on the South East coast of Florida since the early 1980s. I am sure the government will take your money if you force them to.
I was between Flamingo and Islamorada when Fwc took interest in my Gcat 5.7, he started asking for everything, then when he found no motor, no fishing poles and no alcohol he lost all interest. Means very little, maybe just luck, but sort of shows their priorities
jalex wrote: I was between Flamingo and Islamorada when Fwc took interest in my Gcat 5.7, he started asking for everything, then when he found no motor, no fishing poles and no alcohol he lost all interest. Means very little, maybe just luck, but sort of shows their priorities
Low hanging fruit... When you add the three above together, they can have a field day.