Looks really nice and good. Unfortunately it doesn't have anything carbon. From what I read it doesn't have the same setup or parts as Carfbon F16. Maybe we should ask Nacra directly about it?
14-16K is quite a deal when you consider a Hobie 16 is 13K
The rig on the 500 is the same mast as the Nacra 15 and F16, it's a super light mast, way lighter than any of you would have experienced. Way lighter than an F18 mast still within the realm of being durable. IMO a carbon rig is not durable, besides being easier to break, Carbon needs maintenance which is not really in the realm of most (not all) Nacra 500 owners. It's the same reason the F18 class doesn't go Carbon, and I can tell you I wouldn't want to go to a carbon mast in the F18. That being said, we might be able to convince Nacra do make a carbon mast on special order, but lead time would be long and a carbon mast is 4x the cost of aluminum.
There are a few Nacra 500MKIIs available for this summer if anyone is interested let me know.
ACTUALLY, if you consider our stupid hyper-inflation, the cost of materials, labor, etc. compared to very mass produced toys like motorcycles and ATV's it's pretty much on par. It's just sailors, being very independent by nature and self reliant are a cheap bunch of fools, and I land solidly in that camp...
Love the new NACRA's though - I see that the 570 isn't going to be in regular production anymore though. Shame, because I think that would be my "next one".
Desktoptuna, nice solo handling of the N-500! Your trim and balance is amazing, and the approach to the bouy at 06:30 is really excellent. Amazing to see what a solo captain can do on this clip.
Interesting how the "spinnaker" is on a furler, like a jib and REALLY flat. I guess it's more like a code 0 shaped sail? I wonder if that sacrifices any off the wind performance over a standard spin that's snuffed. Excuse the questions; just ignorant on the topic, but being that this shows one person handling a spin easily without the complexity of a top-down furler or bag setup up makes it appealing, even with a slight increase in windage...
Copper wire was invented by two sailors fighting over a penny.
-- 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 --
I have found you have to work more to keep the boat in the groove with the flatter chute. We had experimented years ago on N5.8s with a flat reaching chute and fuller one. The flatter chute dominated in the wind extremes. Having it on the furler makes it nice, when it rolls correctly, and can go terribly wrong when it doesn't. If I get something built for the Nader, I will go with more of a screacher design.
-- Scott
Prindle Fleet 2
TCDYC
Prindle 18-2 Mod "FrankenKitty"
Tornado Classic "Fast Furniture"
Prindle 19 "Mr. Wiggly"
Nacra 5.8 "De ja vu"
Nacra 5.0
Nacra 5.8
Tornadoes (Reg White) --
I have noticed I have to sail higher with the 500 spin than I would for an F18. Its okay though because the 500 is more for joy riding than racing . Fortunately the furled Spin on the 500 also has a cleated spinnaker halyard on the mast. Like one you would use to raise the spin out of a chute on a classic spinnaker system. So if you were in big wind and the furler malfunctions, you can drop the kite and lash it to the deck. You can see the Spin Halyard cleat on the mast at (7:03) in the video.