Noob on a Nacra :: Catamaran Sailboats at TheBeachcats.com

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Noob on a Nacra

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om

Rank: Lubber

Registered: Apr 10, 2015

Last visit: Apr 24, 2015

Posts: 11
Posted: Apr 10, 2015 - 07:34 AM

Hey folks, first post on the site here. Seems like some good technical advice bouncing around so I joined up. I just found an old Nacra 5.0 w/o a trailer for cheap on craigslist. I modified an old trailer to fit and drove 3 hours to pick her up. She has been christened The Om, as I foresee many days of dudeness ahead. Thus far I've been scrutinizing the blurry vintage manual on nacrasailing and pausing youtube videos to figure out how this thing is rigged. It was surprisingly complete by the time I got all the parts sorted but I am missing a few things and need some advice. Number one $$ parts missing are the blocks that connect the mainsail clew(?) to the traveler car(?). Please correct my vocab freely. Sooo many new words. Anyway, this seems like a fairly expensive bit of gear. I do have the jib blocks but I'm thinking that on our first sea (lake) trials tomorrow we will start with mainsail only. How should I rig the line to the mainsail w/o the blocks? Can I use the jib blocks on the main temporarily? Also, I am going to get new sheets(?). Research says jib lines should be 5/16 and main lines 3/8? Is that correct? Can I use cheap rope for now and what material is recommended until I can buy higher quality. Lastly, do you have any general advice for our first day. I've sailed a sunfish and a 36' cat. So... let's say I have no beachcat experience at all. I get the uneasy feeling that this thing is gonna take off like a scalded cat so any advice is appreciated.
flyhull

Rank: Lubber

Registered: Jun 13, 2012

Last visit: Nov 23, 2022

Posts: 29
Posted: Apr 10, 2015 - 08:11 AM

you need a mainsheet with blocks, there is no way you are going to hold in 1:1. after you get everything else sorted out, get a mast rotator control. i used to sail a 5.o, ask me anything.
flyhull

Rank: Lubber

Registered: Jun 13, 2012

Last visit: Nov 23, 2022

Posts: 29
Posted: Apr 10, 2015 - 08:12 AM

the mainsheet blocks are expensive but essentiaal, i would not try jib blocks. the boat will perform will with main only, balanced, etc.
flyhull

Rank: Lubber

Registered: Jun 13, 2012

Last visit: Nov 23, 2022

Posts: 29
Posted: Apr 10, 2015 - 08:14 AM

you also need the hook that can be changed from hole to hole on the clewplate of the main. the top block of the mainsheet is hooked on and you can change which hole it goes it to alter sail shape while tacking (if careful). you can use a shackle but if you do you loose this feature
flyhull

Rank: Lubber

Registered: Jun 13, 2012

Last visit: Nov 23, 2022

Posts: 29
Posted: Apr 10, 2015 - 08:18 AM

it will not be like a scaled cat, it will be a rocket on rails. teh different things about cat sailing are: 1) apparent wind. when you start moving, the wind direction appear to chnage because of your speed. sheet in or bear off. you will be even more surprised downwind, you can tack downwind, jibing between legs, faster than "running" like a monomoran. 2) coming about especiallyu without dagger boards. be patinet, you will get th e hang of it. BTW, do not pinch upwind.
flyhull

Rank: Lubber

Registered: Jun 13, 2012

Last visit: Nov 23, 2022

Posts: 29
Posted: Apr 10, 2015 - 08:20 AM

get soft line for the sheets, braided of course, your hands and teeth with thank you. go with recommended thicknesses, thin hurts!
davefarmer

Rank: Mate

Registered: Oct 26, 2002

Last visit: Sep 23, 2019

Posts: 390
Posted: Apr 10, 2015 - 08:43 AM

You absolutely need the mainsheet blocks to be able to sheet in and hold the main. Browse the parts classifieds here for used parts, check with Pete Begle(a poster there), he often has mainsheet systems for sale.

Tacking will be easier with the jib than without. For your first few outings, choose light air days. This will give you the opportunity to figure out the boat's handling some before it powers up in stronger breezes. Browse these forums to get a clearer picture of righting procedures and tacking tips. And have fun! Which shouldn't be too hard....

Dave
davefarmer

Rank: Mate

Registered: Oct 26, 2002

Last visit: Sep 23, 2019

Posts: 390
Posted: Apr 10, 2015 - 08:43 AM

You absolutely need the mainsheet blocks to be able to sheet in and hold the main. Browse the parts classifieds here for used parts, check with Pete Begle(a poster there), he often has mainsheet systems for sale.

Tacking will be easier with the jib than without. For your first few outings, choose light air days. This will give you the opportunity to figure out the boat's handling some before it powers up in stronger breezes. Browse these forums to get a clearer picture of righting procedures and tacking tips. And have fun! Which shouldn't be too hard....

Dave
Andinista

Rank: Mate

Registered: Aug 18, 2003

Last visit: Dec 13, 2023

Posts: 880
Posted: Apr 10, 2015 - 08:56 AM

Tacking (turning) that boat without jib is not so easy, so starting without it just for simplicity is not necessarily true, I'd go with the jib right away if you manage to set it up. If tacking gets difficult, backwind the jib until you pass the irons and then set it to the other side. It's harder to turn if the crew weight is aft and the boat is sitting on the transoms, with the bows out of the water.. Have the hulls well balanced on the water by moving forward or aft depending on the wind. In light wind you will be closer to the front beam, as it picks up you'll see that you need to move aft, but when tacking you may find the boat sitting on the transoms again, be aware and move your weight as necessary. If it's still difficult to tack, release the main for a moment after it changes side. Also, don't target to adjust the jib at once, give it some sheet at first to allow the boat to accelerate and then pull as needed. The cat produces a lot of apparent wind, so the sail angle for acceleration is different than for cruise speed.
om

Rank: Lubber

Registered: Apr 10, 2015

Last visit: Apr 24, 2015

Posts: 11
Posted: Apr 10, 2015 - 09:32 AM

Thanks for all the quick replies. So there is no way to take it out tomorrow w/o the main blocks? That's disappointing. Now to make sure I understand the sheet rigging: for the jib, I have two small harken pulleys attached to the jibsail. I thread the line from the jib block that is attached near the side shroud on the hull, through the pulley on the jib, back to the jib block cleat, across the tramp, through the other jib block cleat, up to the second pulley on the jibsail, back down to the block, and tie it off. How long is that line usually supposed to be, total? What is the threading direction for the main blocks? In the old manuals, the main blocks each had 3 pulleys. Is that called 8:1?
om

Rank: Lubber

Registered: Apr 10, 2015

Last visit: Apr 24, 2015

Posts: 11
Posted: Apr 10, 2015 - 09:33 AM

Flyhull, what is a mast rotator control? I haven't seen anything like that on this boat.
flyhull

Rank: Lubber

Registered: Jun 13, 2012

Last visit: Nov 23, 2022

Posts: 29
Posted: Apr 10, 2015 - 10:15 AM

mast rotator is not stock but really handy to depower. it is a bar that faces forward from the foot of the mast and can be pulled to one side or the other (and cleated). murray's has the $29 pluss the cleats. you remove the mast bottom fitting and use a longer bolt though it to hold it on. by rotating the mast you control mast bend.
Edchris177

Rank: Chief

Registered: Nov 26, 2009

Last visit: Aug 10, 2024

Posts: 2531
Posted: Apr 10, 2015 - 10:37 AM

I have both the 5.0 & a 5.7(essentially the same boat, just bigger).
You do not need 8:1 on a 5.0, stock is a 5:1(quite a bit cheaper). On the 5.7 we use a 7:1.
PEte Begle, or Dan Berger,(both have classified here, both are honest), can probably set you up, don't even attempt to sail without it, unless you go out in 2mph wind.
Top of classifieds has a 5.2 being parted, call him, he probably has the main & jib sheet too. Cheap line is a waste of money, better to buy decent used line than spend even $30 on crap & end up replacing it anyway.
Not sure where you are, I'm in Canada & have a main & jib sheet for that boat.
Forget the mast rotator, it is NOT something you need as a noob, hell, most of the longtime sailors don't bother with it on the boomless rigs.
I removed it from my 5.7, as it in not needed most of the time, & if you forget to cut it loose first in big wind, you can lose the mast.
Here is an album with a bunch of my 5.7 photos, it rigs exactly like your 5.0. There is a photo of jib blocks, & reeving of 7:1 main blocks. In this forum,& albums, click on any embedded photos to blow them up to full size.
http://www.thebeachcats.c…pictures?g2_itemId=71715

Did you get BOTH Nacra manuals?
They are dated, but there is lots of good info there.
Harken has some good drawings on reeving, they sort of hide it under "manuals, or "technical", I'll see if I can find the link.

--
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
--
timinaustin

Rank: Lubber

Registered: Apr 24, 2014

Last visit: Apr 09, 2017

Posts: 98
Posted: Apr 10, 2015 - 10:48 AM

For reeving your blocks, just do a Google search for "Harken Block Reeving" and then look under the images section. There are several good examples of various setups that will get you going.

--
Tim
81 Hobie 16
87 Nacra 5.7
Austin, TX
--
om

Rank: Lubber

Registered: Apr 10, 2015

Last visit: Apr 24, 2015

Posts: 11
Posted: Apr 10, 2015 - 11:03 AM

How about this setup:

http://www.harken.com/content.aspx?id=3890
om

Rank: Lubber

Registered: Apr 10, 2015

Last visit: Apr 24, 2015

Posts: 11
Posted: Apr 10, 2015 - 11:14 AM

Alright now I'm seeing things more clearly. Thanks Edchris177 for the pics. So basically there is a line coming from the main block AND a line coming from the traveler car? Is that right? Which line do you use when on the move?
om

Rank: Lubber

Registered: Apr 10, 2015

Last visit: Apr 24, 2015

Posts: 11
Posted: Apr 10, 2015 - 11:31 AM

So to get a 5:1 I would need a double pulley with a becket on one end and a double pulley with a cam on the other?
timinaustin

Rank: Lubber

Registered: Apr 24, 2014

Last visit: Apr 09, 2017

Posts: 98
Posted: Apr 10, 2015 - 12:31 PM

Here's a link that shows how to rig the main blocks to the traveler. Look at pics #10-13. All beach cats are rigged pretty much the same way in this area.

http://www.cg.cfpsa.ca/cg-pc/Comox/SiteCollectionDocuments/EN/Sailing/hobie_rigging_basics.pdf

--
Tim
81 Hobie 16
87 Nacra 5.7
Austin, TX
--
nacra55

Rank: Mate

Registered: Nov 02, 2004

Last visit: Aug 07, 2023

Posts: 626
Posted: Apr 10, 2015 - 12:43 PM

omSo to get a 5:1 I would need a double pulley with a becket on one end and a double pulley with a cam on the other?

No, a triple with cleat on the bottom and a double with becket on the top gives you 5:1
Count the blocks to get the ratio. 3+3=6:1

--
Ron
Nacra F18
Reservoir Sailing Assn.
Brandon, Mississippi
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nacra55

Rank: Mate

Registered: Nov 02, 2004

Last visit: Aug 07, 2023

Posts: 626
Posted: Apr 10, 2015 - 12:55 PM

omAlright now I'm seeing things more clearly. Thanks Edchris177 for the pics. So basically there is a line coming from the main block AND a line coming from the traveler car? Is that right? Which line do you use when on the move?

Yes two lines, but they are one continuous line or the ends tied together. One end works the traveler, and the other the sheet. Think of the sheet as fine adjustment and the traveler as course. Traveler centered up wind and out at the hiking straps downwind.

--
Ron
Nacra F18
Reservoir Sailing Assn.
Brandon, Mississippi
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