Hey everyone,

First time posting here and already wish to thank everyone for the treasure of information that has been posted on this forum. It has been a great help to gather all the information I needed.

After all the research I have decided to look for a Nacra 5.0 or 5.7 for the reasons listed below.
• I will be sailing with a friend mostly, but later I want to be able to solo it as well.
• The cat will be for thrills and fun, and we will not be racing it.
• Boomless design
• Skeggs, we will be sailing at a beach and the cons of skeggs vs boards don’t seem that bad.
• The clean uncluttered tramp really appeals to me.
• Option of spinnaker at a later stage.
• The Nacra’s seem very available in the area.
• Parts should be very available in the area.

I have considered the Dart 16 but there don’t seem to be many of them around.
We want to sail it in the northsea since that is about 5km away. It will probably be a on the rough side learner here, but we have to start somewhere.

I have sailed a catamaran on several occasions, all Hobie 16, and enjoyed it a lot more then my old sailhorse.

But before I go out to buy myself a catamaran I would like some advice on what I need to look for when buying a catamaran (unfixable/unpayable repairwork).
So I am hoping you fine folks on this forum can aid me in my found hobby so I can make a flying start.

If there are things I am overlooking or just plain wrong about please feel free to comment.

Thanks in advance

--
Niels Goossens
95 Prindle Escape

Haarlem
The Netherlands
--

This is a comprehensive guide on used cats shopping:

http://www.sailingproshop.com/catamaran_guide.aspx

Also, search this forum. Your questions have been well covered here many times over, and at Hobie forum http://www.hobiecat.com/forums/index.php

Good luck and welcome to the forum

--
Jack B
Hobie 17
BC, Canada
--

What a coincidence, my daughter went to Amsterdam for the long weekend. I'm pretty sure one of the photos she sent me was cycling through Volendam. I sent 18 days last January on the Holland Lines ship, Volendam, from Sinapore to Hongkong
I think this chap,(Andre) is only a short drive from you, i think his boats are near Hoorn. Send him a PM, drive down there & talk. They will give you more information in an afternoon than 5 days of reading.
http://www.thebeachcats.c…/15262/start/40#pid58036
Log in, then open the link. To PM, click on the little icon right below your name, where it says POSTS 1.
When you get a reply, it will show up in the to left corner of the page; just below the "HOME" button, where it says Private Messages.



Edited by Edchris177 on Oct 12, 2015 - 04:22 PM.

--
Hobie 18 Magnum
Dart 15
Mystere 6.0XL Sold Was a handful solo
Nacra 5.7
Nacra 5.0
Bombardier Invitation (Now officially DEAD)
Various other Dock cluttering WaterCrap
--

@Jackb
Thank you for the link, the guide itself doesn’t cover the nacra 5.0 or 5.7 but does have a lot of general information.
@Edchris177
That is quite a bit of cycling if she went from Amsterdam, Amsterdam  Volendam is a good 1,5 hours 1-way.

Everything in The Netherlands is a short drive.
Ill send André (catmodding) a PM when I get home, thanks for the tip.


I made a list of big things to look out for when buying a cat below.
• Delamination, there is a good youtube video (found it on this forum) that shows this very nicely.
• Damage on the hulls at the front beam (cracks and soft spots)
• Check for damage on the bottom of the hulls (caused by beaching)
• Check for damage on the gudgeons and rudder assembly.
• Check if the mast is straight.
• Check condition of the sails (the more crispy is better).
• Check tramp attachment on hulls (stand next to it and bounce gently up and down and check movement) and the tramp itself.

If these things are in order I think the cat should be in good condition.
Am I missing any big things on this list that should be checked?

--
Niels Goossens
95 Prindle Escape

Haarlem
The Netherlands
--

Niels,
Good choice (not that I'm biased) :) Other things to look for on the 5.0 / 5.7 is the integrity of the skegs, as if the owner isn't careful they can get banged/gouged on rocks etc.. Make sure the transoms are solid. I'd also check the cross beams to make sure they're in good condition, as they can be hard to source. Lastly, check the dolphin striker and v-strap for corrosion.

Good luck on your search!

--
Tim
81 Hobie 16
87 Nacra 5.7
Austin, TX
--

Update

I have been digging in the classifieds and any other spot i could think of to find a used cat.
Sadly every 5.0 and 5.7 i found was well out of my price range

I went to a local used cat dealer today and he recommended a Prindle Escape for a beginner catsailor.
It is boomless, has skeggs, and he has alot of used parts for it, which means it meets most of the requirements i set for my search.
The boat is meant as a beginner cat and he told me i could always sell it back to him in 1-2 years for more or less the same price.

Only thing i'm wondering about if the boat isn't a bit on the slow side because of the smaller sailplan?
Anyone have any experience with this?

--
Niels Goossens
95 Prindle Escape

Haarlem
The Netherlands
--

Hi Niels,
I am alive and willing to help You.
We have a nice cat-club in Warder, which is between Edam and Hoorn.
Wich is not to far from Haarlem.
My suggestion is you come over and have a look at various cats at our club.
Next spring we can let you sail in a lot of boats, varying from Mystere to Tornado's
And smaller cats, the ones you are looking for.
Please PM me and I will help you

Greetz, André

.

nl-niels

@Jackb
Thank you for the link, the guide itself doesn’t cover the nacra 5.0 or 5.7 but does have a lot of general information.
@Edchris177
That is quite a bit of cycling if she went from Amsterdam, Amsterdam  Volendam is a good 1,5 hours 1-way.

Everything in The Netherlands is a short drive.
Ill send André (catmodding) a PM when I get home, thanks for the tip.


I made a list of big things to look out for when buying a cat below.
• Delamination, there is a good youtube video (found it on this forum) that shows this very nicely.
• Damage on the hulls at the front beam (cracks and soft spots)
• Check for damage on the bottom of the hulls (caused by beaching)
• Check for damage on the gudgeons and rudder assembly.
• Check if the mast is straight.
• Check condition of the sails (the more crispy is better).
• Check tramp attachment on hulls (stand next to it and bounce gently up and down and check movement) and the tramp itself.

If these things are in order I think the cat should be in good condition.
Am I missing any big things on this list that should be checked?

--
Tornado (80's Reg White)
Prindle 18-2 (sold)
Dart 16 (hired and hooked)
13 mtr steel cutter (sold)
Etap 22, unsinkable sailing pocket cruiser.

Amsterdam, the Netherlands
--

Niels,

Also, a guy at our club is selling his Hobie FX one, which might
be an interesting boat, daggerboards though..

Grtz, André

--
Tornado (80's Reg White)
Prindle 18-2 (sold)
Dart 16 (hired and hooked)
13 mtr steel cutter (sold)
Etap 22, unsinkable sailing pocket cruiser.

Amsterdam, the Netherlands
--

Hello again,

After some pondering i decided to buy the 95 Prindle escape.
The cat has no boards, is boomless and should carry 2 people so it meets most of my requirements.
It might not be a rocketship but I think it will serve me well in learning for the first 1-2 years.

Here is the link to the add that was up:
http://www.bnrwatersport.nl/catamaran-prindle/479/used-catamaran-prindle-escape-1992-detail.html

The local used cat dealer renewed renewed the shrouds, the jib and main sheet, and replaced the ropes in the rudder assembly (no idea of technical name for them). He also replaced the sail cause the original sail was damaged at the top. So i should be good for a season of sailing.
@André
I would definitely like to come over and pick your brain about all sorts of things.
Ill send a PM to see if we can arrange a meet.

Greetz Niels

--
Niels Goossens
95 Prindle Escape

Haarlem
The Netherlands
--