I am setting up the Nacra on a trailer. I am looking to make set up as fast as possible, About half time with crew, half solo.. Any tips on this? Will likely us quick pins here and there, the trailer has a winch and gin pole.

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John

Nacra 5.0
CT
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This is how I do my prindle 19 solo. Takes 18 minutes from the time I untie the boat to mast up

https://youtu.be/lz3hbRmy-7w

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Captain Chris Holley
Fulshear, TX
'87 Prindle 19 "¡Hijole!"
'74 sunfish "1fish"
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cholley12

This is how I do my prindle 19 solo. Takes 18 minutes from the time I untie the boat to mast up

https://youtu.be/lz3hbRmy-7w

I see all great except that tensioning the rig takes you a while. Assumimg that you know in advance in which holes to adjust each stay, i just leave one shroud loose and use the mainsheet to tension the trap wire on that side. For that i attach the mainsheet lower block to a loop of rope around the transom. Not ideal because you don’t have the feeling of the tension applied as when tensioning with your weight. But as said, that has been done before and adjustment holes are already known. Using your weight to tension the rig is something i wouldn’t do solo. The end result is checked with mast rotation anyway.

Fast shackles and pins help a lot. I use the following:
- mainsheet lower block: U with fast pin
- mainsheet upper block: hook
- jib blocks: fast shaclkes
- jib halyard: fast shackle
- jib clew(edit: fixed): sister clips
- mast clearance shock cord: plastic hooks each side. (It lasts longer if stored along the mast. (Under the boat cover actually). I also like to store the trap wires along the mast (mast up storage) and use each side of the shock cord to attach each side pair of traps.



Edited by Andinista on Apr 22, 2019 - 07:33 AM.

I looked up what sister clips are. I assume once engaged then loaded they never can disengage, is this correct?

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John

Nacra 5.0
CT
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Yes, even unloaded they are unlikely to disengage. I said jib tack above but meant clew. For the tack I use another fast shackle (U with fast pin). For the clew i use a loop of line with sister clips which stays at the jib when stored. If the loop is not too long it won’t come loose. For the jib head another fast shackle could work too but they are a bit expensive so i just have a stopper knot at that end of the halyard. Other thing that helps is to have a small cord, say 10” or less, to attach the zipper car to the stay adjuster and hold it down when hoisting the jib.



Edited by Andinista on Apr 22, 2019 - 07:23 AM.

Its all pretty straight forward to speed up the process. Quick pins, sister clips, etc.
Just make sure you're not speeding up at the cost of safety. So often I see people speeding through the process and then having to put the boat on its side because they forgot simple things like making sure the rigging isn't twisted. It takes what it takes. Go too fast and you'll find out what you forgot on the water.



Edited by badfish on Apr 22, 2019 - 07:52 AM.

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Joshua

Texas Gulf Coast
'82 Prindle 16 (Badfish)
'02 Hobie Wave (Unnamed Project)
‘87 Hobie 18 (Sold)
‘89 Hobie 17 (ill-advised project boat, Sold)
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- jib blocks: fast shaclkes

Andinista : do you take your jib blocks off the boat when not in use?
I would say most if not all sailors around here leave the jib sheets and blocks on the boat all the time

Word about quick pins: i have seen many seize up when left attached - i find it is best to remove when not in use (esp in tiller extensions)

I am NOT a fan of quick pins in critical locations - as a matter of fact - i stopped using them altogether. the only place i would use one now is my goose-neck and i really can handle 1 more ring-ding

The biggest time saver i find is to trailer backwards - makes stepping and dropping the mast much faster and easier
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEHWujFuDsQ

the second speed factor is to avoid distraction: people will always want to talk and distract me while i rig - it will double my rigging time and present a better chance of forgetting something

another way to speed things up is to go to a Polynesian turnbuckle; you adjust your entire rig tension via securing the turnbuckle.

alos - soft shackles on sail clews makes for fast attachment and removal

hooks are great for top main blocks but f18's and up may find they bend with heavy use - if you use these- get the bigger ones - last thing you want is your upper blocks in your lap when it's blowing 20+



Edited by MN3 on Apr 22, 2019 - 09:33 AM.

MN3

Quote

- jib blocks: fast shaclkes

Andinista : do you take your jib blocks off the boat when not in use?
I would say most if not all sailors around here leave the jib sheets and blocks on the boat all the time

The boat is normally on a lake, stored mast up. There I leave the jib sheets always on and keep the mainsheet on only while I'm there and take it out when I go back home.

When I go to the beach I take both sheets out even to go for lunch, that's where the fast shackles pay off.

MN3

Word about quick pins: i have seen many seize up when left attached - i find it is best to remove when not in use (esp in tiller extensions)

I am NOT a fan of quick pins in critical locations - as a matter of fact - i stopped using them altogether. the only place i would use one now is my goose-neck and i really can handle 1 more ring-ding

I take all of them off. Sometimes at the beginning of the season they need some lubrication and work fine until next season.

I wouldn't use a quick pin on the standing rigging.
Other than that, I removed all rings that are used frequently. They got under my nails too often.



Edited by Andinista on Apr 22, 2019 - 10:08 AM.

Quote

The boat is normally on a lake, stored mast up. There I leave the jib sheets always on and keep the mainsheet on only while I'm there and take it out when I go back home.

When I go to the beach I take both sheets out even to go for lunch, that's where the fast shackles pay off.

Gotcha



Edited by MN3 on Apr 22, 2019 - 10:56 AM.

Soft shackles. 3mm dyneema. Easy to make; you don't need to tie a proper diamond knot, a really good granny knot will hold fine-my trap lines are attached to my rig in this manner, hold up great. Faster than a ring and MUCH cheaper than quick release shackles.

badfish

...Just make sure you're not speeding up at the cost of safety. So often I see people speeding through the process and then having to put the boat on its side because they forgot simple things like making sure the rigging isn't twisted. It takes what it takes. Go too fast and you'll find out what you forgot on the water.Edited by badfish on Apr 22, 2019 - 07:52 AM.

The ONLY thing I hate more than being rushed to get on the water is launching in the shallows only to find out the main blocks are twisted, or the traveler line is reversed, or the jib blocks aren't shackled, or the bungs aren't tightened or I have to pee,..

OK, that's several things. And the list goes on.

--
Prindle 18
96734
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Yes, but what about wife complaining that you take too long..

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Yes, but what about wife complaining that you take too long..

Rigging a 30' mast over cars and people can be stressful - very stressful if someone is "riding you"

I have told many couples to let the wife (or girlfriend) to go get some coffee and come back in an hour
it will eliminate a lot of stress for both the man and woman and give the day a much better chance of starting off fun (or at least not angry)



Edited by MN3 on Apr 23, 2019 - 08:17 AM.

I like your optimism



Edited by Andinista on Apr 23, 2019 - 10:14 AM.

haha
My x used to say Spinnaker was a 4 letter word

and any time i tried to pull it out she would start to use 4 letter words

i.e. take (me) home

the 18 minute man Cholley 1 2 has an open invite to sail with us. Usually we only have to put up our masts once a summer because we moor our boats. same true for me on Lake Emerald in Ft Lauderdale Fla up in nov down in late March, unless storms wreak havoc. Dont underdo tie downs to trailer, 2 trips from NY to Ft Lauderdale without a mishap proved safety first is a must. I also believe in masts with safety bolts at bottom to definitely engage them when raising masts. Jib blocks kept on if riveted into tracks but i always removed them from my cats that werent riveted in( prindle 16s, nacra 5.7, Dart 18s) Sister clips used on jib line prindle 16s, and the guy from the mid west who sold me my N5.2 used a quick pin on forestay -the first big gust over 25 knots that hit me sailing the cat in March from Bay Shore over to fire Island brought the mast down! thank goodness for cell phones(now have water proof device on board) & coast guard

I took MN3’s advice years ago and put cat on trailer backwards, it really does help getting the mast up so much quicker. Just slide it into place, pin it and it’s at a great angle sitting on trailer support to get under and lift it up. Even better if you can find a nice downward slope where it will stand up freely while you jump down and connect the forstay.

nofearofflying

the 18 minute man Cholley 1 2 has an open invite to sail with us. Usually we only have to put up our masts once a summer because we moor our boats. same true for me on Lake Emerald in Ft Lauderdale Fla up in nov down in late March, unless storms wreak havoc. Dont underdo tie downs to trailer, 2 trips from NY to Ft Lauderdale without a mishap proved safety first is a must. I also believe in masts with safety bolts at bottom to definitely engage them when raising masts. Jib blocks kept on if riveted into tracks but i always removed them from my cats that werent riveted in( prindle 16s, nacra 5.7, Dart 18s) Sister clips used on jib line prindle 16s, and the guy from the mid west who sold me my N5.2 used a quick pin on forestay -the first big gust over 25 knots that hit me sailing the cat in March from Bay Shore over to fire Island brought the mast down! thank goodness for cell phones(now have water proof device on board) & coast guard

Any time bro we had the boats out Wednesday in 25-30 gusting to 35 on clearlake near NASA in Texas. The boat was scooting. We reached into the mid 20's

--
Captain Chris Holley
Fulshear, TX
'87 Prindle 19 "¡Hijole!"
'74 sunfish "1fish"
--

car_guy

I took MN3’s advice years ago and put cat on trailer backwards, it really does help getting the mast up so much quicker. Just slide it into place, pin it and it’s at a great angle sitting on trailer support to get under and lift it up. Even better if you can find a nice downward slope where it will stand up freely while you jump down and connect the forstay.

I'm gonna have to try this method. So, I usually trailer with rudders on. If I trailer backwards, should I take my rudders off, or leave them on?



Edited by martyr on May 05, 2019 - 02:22 AM.

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Marty
1984 Hobie 16 Redline Yellow Nationals, "Yellow Fever"
Opelika, Al / Lake Martin
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For the rudders I drilled two small holes in underside of rudder cross bar and use two lines with old bungee hooks for quick connection. One line is run back to main sheet cleat, take less than a minute to tie down and is rock solid.

car_guy

For the rudders I drilled two small holes in underside of rudder cross bar and use two lines with old bungee hooks for quick connection. One line is run back to main sheet cleat, take less than a minute to tie down and is rock solid.

Not a fan of drilling crossbars
Why not just attach to the tiller extension swivel?
i don't mean to be rude but drilling your cross bar is asking for it to break in those spots if you ever put too much pressure on it (i.e. fighting with getting a rudder locked back in the down position, during a capsize or hanging on to the tiller extension during/after a capsize

lastly - I wouldn't travel very far with your boards on the boat like that
one good pothole and they will slam down - and that is not a good thing (can worm out holes, bend bolts and crack castings.

Quote

Not a fan of drilling crossbars
Why not just attach to the tiller extension swivel?
i don't mean to be rude but drilling your cross bar is asking for it to break in those spots if you ever put too much pressure on it (i.e. fighting with getting a rudder locked back in the down position, during a capsize or hanging on to the tiller extension during/after a capsize

I have to agree on this one. Most likely it will break in rough conditions. We had the cross bar break on our Tornado at the center hole where the tiller arm attaches. Of course it was during a tack in windy conditions with big waves. I am sure we would have been a sight with one of us at each rudder steering for the 2 miles back to the beach.

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Pete Knapp
Schodack landing,NY
Goodall Viper,AHPC Viper,Nacra I20
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Quote

I'm gonna have to try this method. So, I usually trailer with rudders on. If I trailer backwards, should I take my rudders off, or leave them on?

all depends
if you have a very short trip and very little bouncing you are probably fine IF you have enough room to drive with them down

If you have a long trip or lots of bouncing ... it is in your best interest to remove them
IF you don't have enough clearance with them in the down position - you should remove them (just incase they fall down during transit

either way driving with rudders on adds wear to them, the bolts, the holes, the gugions etc ...

In case you leave them on, make sure to limit side movement too.

MN3

car_guy

For the rudders I drilled two small holes in underside of rudder cross bar and use two lines with old bungee hooks for quick connection. One line is run back to main sheet cleat, take less than a minute to tie down and is rock solid.

Not a fan of drilling crossbars
Why not just attach to the tiller extension swivel?
i don't mean to be rude but drilling your cross bar is asking for it to break in those spots if you ever put too much pressure on it (i.e. fighting with getting a rudder locked back in the down position, during a capsize or hanging on to the tiller extension during/after a capsize

lastly - I wouldn't travel very far with your boards on the boat like that
one good pothole and they will slam down - and that is not a good thing (can worm out holes, bend bolts and crack castings.

None taken, I figured it's a single 3/16" hole in the bottom, If the pipe is going to break it will be in the center where it has a 1/4" thru hole. Either way the tube is very think, it's going to take some serious force to break it. I have a spare H18 rudder crossbar I tested as a righting pole and it handled 225lbs of me testing it in my backyard...

Agreed if the boards ever dropped on the road it would be fatal but I've never had an issue over thousands of miles. They are synched down very good, I cant forcibly release them by hand.

MN3

Quote

I'm gonna have to try this method. So, I usually trailer with rudders on. If I trailer backwards, should I take my rudders off, or leave them on?

all depends
if you have a very short trip and very little bouncing you are probably fine IF you have enough room to drive with them down

If you have a long trip or lots of bouncing ... it is in your best interest to remove them
IF you don't have enough clearance with them in the down position - you should remove them (just incase they fall down during transit

either way driving with rudders on adds wear to them, the bolts, the holes, the gugions etc ...

I use bungees on both sides near each rudder in such a way that they keep the rudders in the upright position. I haven't had any issues so far but I do see your point of course. I know one big jolt and a bungee could snap causing one side to drop and possibly do damage to the rudders. Yeah, I think I have just been convinced to remove them for travel. Lol.

--
Marty
1984 Hobie 16 Redline Yellow Nationals, "Yellow Fever"
Opelika, Al / Lake Martin
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I bought a new Nacra 500 in 06 and sailed it for 10 years. If I am correct in assuming the mast is the same on the 5.0 I feel I'm qualified to give you some advice. First off I'm in total agreement with a previous writer on having the boat backwards on the trailer and would like to add to that. The yoke on your trailer is your 2nd person and will enable you to step the mast by yourself. You will have to build two mast caddies, one for the trailer yoke and one for the center cross tube. The reason for a new one for the mast yoke is the mast on your Nacra has to be sideways prior to stepping. In other words, the main axis of the mast has to be parallel to the cross tube. You can easily build the mast caddies out of pressure treated two by fours and make the one for the center cross tube with an opening to fit down over the nylon ball. Standing between the hulls, slide the mast back to the ball and install your captive pin. Next, tie a line to your headstay and run it through your bridle and back to a cleat on your mast. Keep the mast sideways for at least half the distance when you walk it up! Take up the slack on that line, pull it real tight and tie it off. Now you should already have a piece of 3/16 tied to the headstay and run that through the ring or shackle on the bridle. Simultaneously tighten it while you loosen the line that you used to hold the mast up. I find it too difficult to use a shroud adjuster or turnbuckle. Just make a few loops to give purchase and you can get the rig plenty tight and finish it off with some half hitches. About the rudders. I always saved time by leaving them on. My friends disagree but if you do, tie them real tight and straight so there is no windage. Tie them so they cannot possibly come down. The little Nacra is a great single-hander and good for two when things really get going. Because it has diamond wires it'll take a little coordination to walk the mast up but I was 67 and 150 when I was doing it. Just be methodical!

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Bill Townsend
G-Cat 5.0
Sarasota
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