[quote=davebe]Edchris177: Ed (I presume), thanks for all the details. The flex I'm seeing on the top of the hulls are in the wider portions of the non-skid deck regions, presumably between the frame members. I don't recall seeing any flex in the white fiberglass fore/aft of the beam, though that is worth double checking. But when I pressed the heal of my hand in the center of the blue non-skid decking material, there was definitely flex. I was pressing firmly, but not putting my whole body into it. As I moved forward toward the bow, the deck was stiffer where it was more narrow. On the deck between the two beams, I noticed moderate flex where-ever I pressed in the center of the non-skid.. It didn't seem excessive - there were no creaking/cracking noises. I'm not sure how thick the decking material is, but some flex seems inevitable given the construction, especially after 30 years. There doesn't appear to be any reinforcement under the deck except along the edges and wherever the frame bridges the top of the hull. How serious is this? As long as the hull frame is solid, it seems like the main consequence is cracking/leaking or putting your foot or knee through the deck.
Your hull "inflator" is a nice simple technique. I don't this boat comes with an extendable tiller, but that is easy to add.
One concern I have is your comment that the 5.0 is a little under-powered in light winds. Would you say a Hobie 16 performs better than the 5.0 in winds below 15? This winds here in the warmer months typically run 10-15. it will occasionally be greater, but not consistently. If this 5.0 model will be appreciably more sluggish than the Hobie 16, maybe I need to reconsider. Too bad, because the more research I do, the more I prefer the Nacra. Would the 500 model do better in light wind?
DaveG: Good to find a local on the forum. I live about 50 minutes from West Olympia on Harstine Island. I've got plenty of wetsuits; so far have got by without a dry suit, but have considered it. Your videos will certainly be helpful if I go with a Nacra; great way to see all the parts and understand how it all goes together. I've already found all the photos and discussions on these forums very helpful. I'll send you a PM.
Dave[/quote]
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