I found a Nacra 5.0 for sale for a whopping $50. It is complete but hasn't been sailed in years. I feel a soft spot on the outside of the hull that is about 2'x1'. It is worth it for the price in parts but I don't have an infinite amount of time to work on it...Finding a boat has been a real challenge and I'd prefer to spend 2k on a ready to go setup but I only have about 2 or 3 months of good weather left this year so I want to get out on the water as soon as I can.

I previously owned a 5.0 about 10 years ago and enjoyed it. However, I bought that boat in excellent condition pretty much sight unseen. What do I need to look at to see what could be a difficult or expensive fix. I haven't seen the title yet but I think he said it was an earlier 80s boat.

I am going to get a much better look at it Saturday. including the sails and whatever suggestions you guys have. I can supply pictures too if it'd be at all helpful.

I'll give you $60 for it

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Tim
Collierville (Memphis), TN
Supercat 15--sold :(
Hobie monocat--given
Vanguard 15--traded for...
Nacra 4.5--sold
Nacra 5.7
Hobie 14–sold to make room for...
Supercat 17–sold
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Lol. I'm considering buying it for next year. But I need a more thorough assessment...pretty much told him I'd take it already.

Sounds like someone wants the boat gone from their yard...you could offer to tow it away for free.

Serioucly? $50? If it has one good rudder it's worth more.

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Tom
NACRA 5.7 (1984 Sail 181)
Pennsylvania
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This sounds like arbitrage opportunity to me. It is also amazing to me that boats we all know are fun and competent can get so ignored.

Probably sound like the Curmudgeon on another sailing website, but we all do need to promote our sport and these old boats. They are, as we all know good fun in small packages.

dg

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dg
NACRA 5.2 #400
This End Up
Original owner since 1975
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I have found the best way to find flaws in the hulls is to hand wash and polish them. Yes it's a lot of work but you end up pushing on the entire surface with your fingertips.

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'82 Super Cat 15
Hull #315
Virginia
Previously owned: '70 H14, '79 H16, '68 Sailmaster 26, '85 H14T
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or sand off the gelcoat so you can see if the problem is superficial, or actually needs some attention.
dg

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dg
NACRA 5.2 #400
This End Up
Original owner since 1975
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I think I could feel soft spots and de lams without going to that much effort. If I had to remove all the gelcoat I might consider the hulls a write off.

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'82 Super Cat 15
Hull #315
Virginia
Previously owned: '70 H14, '79 H16, '68 Sailmaster 26, '85 H14T
--

The first question is what year? 1983's were not foam sandwich. 1985's were and the manufacturer in the hull number was different. if not foam, the stringers have broken loose. Where the spot is matters, in a high stress area like near the front beam you will need to be able to trust your repair a lot. you will need to pop the desks or add a port to get to it and "glue" the stringer back onto the hull. If foam, then i think you inject from the outside.

If it is an early boat as Flyhull points out the repair is actually pretty simple. I was reluctant to to "pop" the deck off my 5.2, but it only took a few minutes of work with two wide putty or drywall knifes and it was off. Glassing over cracked stringers, if that is the problem would take maybe 20 minutes and using epoxy and 6 oz cloth you could make the stringer be stronger than the new condition. The real work is sorting out reattaching the deck satisfactorily and there is lots of good info on that procedure here in several of the technical photo albums. The only downside is that most of us are using a thickened epoxy to reattach the decks and that means no popping them off easily in the future.

If it were a newer cored boat I think the work would be more involved, but could be sorted out well enough. Again I think there is some good info here in the technical albums to sort through those steps.

Playing with these materials to do these repairs is not that difficult. If you played with paper and paste in Kindergarten you have the skills needed to do these kinds of repairs. Just do a little homework so you know what to expect and work through the steps.

Here is the video I did when I blew the decks off my boat.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WChYgCMklWE

dg

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dg
NACRA 5.2 #400
This End Up
Original owner since 1975
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Thank quys. Haven't bought it yet. He couldn't find the title but said he'd look during the week or get another one from txpwd. I felt around a lot on the boat today and I am not sure how to identify a soft spot....there are areas where the hull gives a little but it is symmetrical with the other hull..I'll load up the pictures in a bit.

Edited by gbyrd on Sep 18, 2016 - 10:32 PM.

Quote

.there are areas where the hull gives a little but it is symmetrical with the other hull.

Those early boats are solid glass, not as stiff as the cored ones. It is normal to find some "oilcanning" on the sides. It is very noticeable if you flip the boat, when standing on the sides to right it.
You need to upload the full size image, however, for $60, buy it, NOW, along with the other one you were looking at. Build one boat, the other will keep you in parts.
It looks neglected, but it is surprising how well they clean up. Powerwash it, including the tramp, then get it on the water. It will probably need standing & running rigging, plus bungee for rudders.
Sail the crap out of it, then this winter either wet sand, or buy a good grade multispeed power polisher, & a gallon of 3M, or West marine brand cutting compound. Disassemble, so you can work on horizontal surfaces, & have at 'er.
Make an album & post hi res photos.



Edited by Edchris177 on Sep 19, 2016 - 12:37 AM.

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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
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Quote

Sail the crap out of it, then this winter either wet sand, or buy a good grade multispeed power polisher, & a gallon of 3M, or West marine brand cutting compound.

I agree! As long as it does not take in water, clean it, use it and have fun. Taking the time to try to make an old relic perfect is time you are not sailing. And Relic is what my sail maker calls my fully restored 1990 Nacra.

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David
Nacra 5.5SL
Nacra 5.2 (sold)
San Diego, CA
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Also bring a grease gun for the bearings to get you home.



Edited by davidsd on Sep 20, 2016 - 01:34 AM.

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David
Nacra 5.5SL
Nacra 5.2 (sold)
San Diego, CA
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Geez a 1990 Nacra is hardly a relic, barely even a late model.

dg

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dg
NACRA 5.2 #400
This End Up
Original owner since 1975
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Quote

Also bring a grease gun for the bearings to get you home.

A good idea. Once you get her home, clean and re-pack the hubs with new grease because you might have mixed the grease types.

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'82 Super Cat 15
Hull #315
Virginia
Previously owned: '70 H14, '79 H16, '68 Sailmaster 26, '85 H14T
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The shrouds and mast have a lot of corrosion. Any suggestions for new shrouds/halyard? Going to drill wire wheel the corroded stuff on the mast to get a better look but is there anything else I should do?

Can't do anything with it in Texas until I get s title though...

With ANY sign of corrosion on on the shrouds I would personally replace all of the standing rigging.

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Tim
Collierville (Memphis), TN
Supercat 15--sold :(
Hobie monocat--given
Vanguard 15--traded for...
Nacra 4.5--sold
Nacra 5.7
Hobie 14–sold to make room for...
Supercat 17–sold
--