OK- noob here again. I'm really enjoying learning the ins and outs of this new cat. Have been cleaning and repairing small items at a time. I recently manufactured some beam end caps from PVC from directions on another post and they look great. I have installed the aft caps. However, before I mount the forward caps, I must find out what the bungee cord running though the forward beam is for. It runs all the way though the forward beam and has snap shackles on each end. I have not used this bungee when rigging, but don't want to remove it if it is needed for something. Sorry I didn't include a picture. Does anyone know what his thing is for?

That is for your front trapeze, nothing to do with the rigging but is required if you ever plan on trapezing (probably the best thing about sailing a cat!). It also has the side benefit of keeping your caps from falling off.

D.

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Dave Bonin
1981 Nacra 5.2 "Lucile"
1986 Nacra 5.7 "Belle"
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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You need the trapeze installed when rigging your boat so you can get the shrouds tight by having someone pull down on it so you can get the shroud down a few more holes in the chain plate. Hook the trapeze to the bungee so its not flying around the deck and knocking out teeth. lol



edited by: fa1321, Sep 20, 2010 - 01:48 PM

Was probably my post you followed to make the pvc endcaps. Actually, my front endcap and front beam have two bungees running through them. The top one is, like Dave mentioned, to keep the front trap wire under control until you hike out. The bottom bungee is attatched to what we call the "chicken wire". It is a rope from the rear transom to the bungee. It is long enough to dangle almost to the waterline. You can use a large eyestrap riveted to the transom to tie it (I drilled a hole on the outside of the gudgeon and used a shackle). As you hike out, reach down, grab the rope and bring it up behind your butt. Tension from the bungee will help keep it there. For the crew, right hand on the jib sheet, left hand on the rope as you move up and down the hull to balance the boat. If the skipper "stuffs" the hulls and you suddenly decelerate, a good grip on the rope will prevent you from taking a trip around the forestay. Because of the front hull volume on the 5.0 it will usually just power out of that situation instead of pitchpoling, but it is embarrasing for the crew to be looking back at the skipper from under the jib!