Hello ALL!
Recently picked up a Nacra 5.7, and have questions I'd like some opinions on.
1- Trailer rollers ok , or should I buy cradles? Trailer came with cradles on the front, but rollers on the rear.
Nacra manual recommends cradles. Rollers ok on Skeg area, or no?

2- Planning on adding some 4" screw in access ports to (a) give me a peek @ interior hull condition, and (b) aid in drying hulls out, (c) possibly one of those cat bags that fit inside the hull.
Is there an Ideal spot to put them? I've see boats with them in various locations.

3- Effectiveness of hyfield lever type shroud adjusters for helping with righting.
The ones I'm looking @ take up/release about 2" of the shroud.
I'm 200lbs, and have a Colorado BIG bag.
They're not awfully $$, and I'm replacing shrouds anyhow, so custom/shorter shrouds aren't s problem.
Just curious what level of difference they'd make. 5%? night-day?

4-What's your favorite wind indicator for bridle/forestay area? Wind vane? VHS tape?

5- What are you using between mast, and cross beam for trailering? DIY Wood blocks? PVC?

TY!!

jd91t

Hello ALL!
Recently picked up a Nacra 5.7, and have questions I'd like some opinions on...

Nice boat, I'm sure some 5.7 experts will be here but in the mean time.

1. Cradles are better but do make loading harder if both front and back. I use double rollers on back on H18 and cradles on the front.

2. With new deck ports you have to make sure you have a flat spot, or that the ports are matched to the curve of your deck. Something to check.

3. I'd take a pass on those. Practice your righting technique and make sure you have a good righting line.

4. Cassette tape, about ten inches on both bridles, last surprisingly well. Super cheap at garage sales.

5. I've used everything from PFD's, towels, and fancy fiberglass molded ones (get lost instantly). Currently using a folded up piece of EVA foam from those 2x2 ft floor pads.

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Damon Linkous
1992 Hobie 18
Memphis, TN

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I have cradles front and rollers rear. It was setup like that from 2 previous owners and has never been a problem.
(On a previous Nacra I had many years ago the skegs did get a little easy to repair damage from the rollers but I probably strapped it down too tight).

I have ports behind the rear beam. It’s difficult to get all the water out sometimes because the skeg is much lower than the drain plug. Having the port aft of the rear beam makes it easy to dry them out all the way.

Hyfeld levers are nice, but the shroud lengths need to be just right. I have them on my Supercat because it’s “factree”. But it would be too much math for me to calculate the length for the 5.7.

Before I added roller furling I used a basic bridle vane. It still works but is a little tricky to install. Many use cassette tapes. On my latest and only win, we used nothing. But the guy skippering my boat was A much better sailor than me.

I’ve used several methods for mast transport. Mostly several wraps of carpet and bungee cords. Lately I got one of the clamp on mast caddies but it fell apart in the first 20 minutes on the road. I also got one of the Hobie mast caddies but I haven’t used it yet. I think the easiest and best might be a couple pieces of pvc pipe split in half and bungled down but I haven’t tried that yet.

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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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1) i had cradles only and changed the rear ones for double rollers. They make a lot easier to slide the boat in and out of the trailer, as in this video, 8:40
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=By4RZe84RWs
The rollers should not damage the hulls unless you drive hard. You can add some sort of protection between the hull and cradle for the longer trips.

2) close enough to the beams where you might need to do some repairs some day.

Maybe I'm just lucky, but have had front and rear rollers on my trailer since 1986, and transported my 5.7 thousands of miles, including California to PA in one trip. By far, there is more weight on the rear skegs, but they are very strong on the older solid laminated boats (no core).

Deck ports used to be sold with convex lids and that made it easier to get a good fit. I think most ports sold today are flat. I am using Butyl Tape to seal fixtures and ports now. This material has good build and is a lot easier to remove than silicone. My 6" main ports are about 4" behind the crossbar and centered on the hull deck. Here is a link that discusses butyl tape among others https://forums.sailboatow…ed-it-butyl-tape.117172/

Your big righting bag will work if you have some size to throw at it. If not, there are lots of righting pole plans in the forum tech section.

I use the Davis Telo-Cat windvane and it works well. The sails have tell-tales both sides.

For a mast saddle, I got a 4 x 6 sch 40 Saddle Tee. The saddle carries the mast and the hub was cut to the radius of the rear crossbar. I positioned the mast on the saddle and held it on the crossbar to mark where to cut the 1-inch notch for the traveler rail. I don't have a picture of it, but here is one from the FlexPVC site to give you an ideal







Edited by tominpa on Dec 12, 2020 - 12:42 AM.

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Tom
NACRA 5.7 (1984 Sail 181)
Pennsylvania
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5) I made mine with plastic board (could be a cutting board) and a rubber bow stop:

I can’t claim much expertise on trailering as all my Cats sit mast up, on modified Seadoo lifts. However, when I trailered them home after purchase, I used rollers on the rear, with “drop in cradle”.
This idea a got from Dogboy. Simply add a piece of 2x4 onto the Center of the cradle, & space the rollers so the 2x4 drops between them. It’s easy to lift the corner of the boat & drop them in.
Don’t bother with the hyfield lever for righting purposes. Im 170lb, & can self right by hiking, if the wind is 20 or better. If less I have a Colorado Big Bag, attached to a 3:1 bit of line. Drop the bag, get some water in, then raise it via the 3:1, swing it over your shoulder & hike out.
The Nacras mast sits loose on the ball, rig tension keeps it in place. It would be a real b*tch to slack the stays & have the mast come off the ball.
Ports are a very good idea. The skeg boats are hard to drain, you really have to tip them up. I would not install them at the rear, you cannot sponge the water.
there is a bulkhead under the rear beam that prevents reaching forward of the beam. I would install the port near the deepest part of the skeg. That makes it easy to sponge or pump out the water. Don’t get hung up on exactly over the deepest part. The non skid deck plates sit on a lip, with some cross sections for rigidity. Move your port a bit to miss these X sections. The easy way is look at your boat on a frosty morning, the underlying structure will show through.
We have a Davis wind indicator on the 5.0. The other 3 Cats use old cassette music tapes, 80’s Disco, I mean what else is disco good for?

I had to use 2 bits of scrap wood necause I only have single rollers on this Trailex trailer.




Edited by Edchris177 on Dec 12, 2020 - 11:31 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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I believe there are photos of inside of 5.7 hulls this site/if they are of N5.2 they are relevant. I cant get my photos on this site so if you want photos text 9175624696 or email me at shawesq@gmail . com and if you want to talk thats ok too-hatch covers reasonable and good quality at west marine, however the powder blue covers on top of hull are removable

Thx for ALL the replies, and ideas everybody!
Answered my Questions, and then some :)
Andinista- that is Well engineered/built solution!
Tom- really like how you’ve modernized the look on your ole boat!
Also, thx for sharing that Butyl write up. Good info :)
Damon, and EdChris- I plan on some shallow water righting Practice with bag, and 4:1 setup.



Edited by jd91t on Dec 13, 2020 - 12:43 PM.