Diamond wires and Trapeeze :: Catamaran Sailboats at TheBeachcats.com

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Diamond wires and Trapeeze

dustin601

Rank: Lubber

Registered: May 22, 2011

Last visit: Jul 09, 2011

Posts: 10
Posted: Jun 24, 2011 - 04:25 PM

I recently started saliling my first beachcat. It is a 81' / 83' Gcat 5.0, the 5.0 did not come with diamond wires and was origanally only rigged with one trapeeze. I would like to add a second trapeeze and was wondering if i would need to add diamond wires to accomadate the extra stress on the mast. Thank you, Dustin
erice

Rank: Mate

Registered: Feb 19, 2008

Last visit: Aug 26, 2023

Posts: 671
Posted: Jun 24, 2011 - 05:36 PM

i wouldn't bother with a spreader and diamond wires if i were you, quite a bit of work you'll have to do for only possible benefit

likewise these boats get weaker with age, not stronger, it's almost 30 years old, putting another trapeze on it and flying it with a possible 350lbs on the wire in 25knots of wind sounds like it would likely break things to me. and the boat is not common enough to simply pick up a port hull cheaply etc.
yurdle

Rank: Mate

Registered: Aug 22, 2007

Last visit: Jan 07, 2015

Posts: 742
Posted: Jun 24, 2011 - 07:44 PM

/agreed

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Rob
OKC
Pile of Nacra parts..
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MN3

Rank: Master Chief

Registered: Jun 20, 2006

Last visit: May 22, 2024

Posts: 7089
Posted: Jun 25, 2011 - 08:03 AM

where do you sail Dustin? We have a fair amount of GCat parts in my area (they were made in the tampa area)

I sail with Hans G (the designer/producer/owner of G-cats) all the time. He is a over 70, and small man (150lbs?) but sails the hell out of G's. He has no problems going out in 20 (solo). He is currently sailing a 30year old 5.0 without spreaders. It needed some work (reenforce) when he got it but he is VERY FAST on it.

It is pretty rare that you need 2 people on the wire, esp on g-cats. they are great cats but in heavy air the bows can dip in the water and if you dont correct that immediately.. your gonna pitchpole (or at least come close)
Wolfman

Rank: Chief

Registered: Jun 24, 2009

Last visit: Jun 15, 2023

Posts: 1555
Posted: Jun 25, 2011 - 07:29 PM

Agreed, you probably could put a double trap on the boat, but you really have to think wether you should. Unless you have some serious sailing skillz you probably shouldn't be out in the type of wind you would need a double trap for. Otherwise you very rarely need it unless you are trying for a cool photo op (nothing wrong with that! ).

I have a double trap on my 30+ year old boat but that is the only time I have ever used it (to take cool photos). I have new rigging all round, new dolphin striker and lots of work done so the boat is probably stronger than it was when first built. But when it is blowing enough to use it I'm usually too busy working the helm and sheets to be out on the wire and only hook in for extra security. I let my crew have all the fun!

D.

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Dave Bonin
1981 Nacra 5.2 "Lucile"
1986 Nacra 5.7 "Belle"
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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dustin601

Rank: Lubber

Registered: May 22, 2011

Last visit: Jul 09, 2011

Posts: 10
Posted: Jun 26, 2011 - 07:16 PM

Thank you all for the advise, i probably will not do the double this season but i plan on doing a lot of sailing on lake St. Clair, and the Great Lakes (Michigan and Erie). The plan for the double was to put my two sailing buddies on the traps and Me at the helm. MN3 I was fortunate enough to find a mint condidtion 83' set of hulls, crossmembers, and mast, between that, salty dog marine, and murry's it turns out I have a beautiful G-Cat 5.0. If i do run into a parts issue i will definetly be in touch. Thanks Again Dustin Geisler
Wolfman

Rank: Chief

Registered: Jun 24, 2009

Last visit: Jun 15, 2023

Posts: 1555
Posted: Jun 26, 2011 - 08:50 PM

Try it with the one trap to start with and see how it goes. If you don't find any problems you may just be able to get away with a double trap.

Everyone is rightly concerned because a 30+ year boat usually has a few skeletons in its closet that you will unearth, hopefully not the hard way. The diamond wires aren't the biggest concern (A hobie 16 doesn't have diamond wires either), it's the fatigue stress on certan parts over the lifetime of the boat. This is especially true at the beam connectins, the rigging tangs, the dolphin striker and mast. Keep an eye on those parts for fatigue cracks and problems with the fiberglass. All that being said you could have a lightly used well maintained boat, time and usage will tell.

Finally you can break any boat if put it out in a big enough blow with enough weight on the trapeze. A couple of people I know in Australia broke an F18 when they went out in a huge wind with 2 200+ lb guys on the trap and another on the helm. The powered it up so much that the boat essentially collapsed, rigging went and one hull snapped in half.

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Dave Bonin
1981 Nacra 5.2 "Lucile"
1986 Nacra 5.7 "Belle"
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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