I am 100% sure this topic has been beaten to death, but I swear I searched and cannot find it in the archives.
I have an older Nacra 570, need new lines and am a bit overwhelmed with options. What brand/type to buy, and where? Many sites, lots of options. I dont mind spending a bit of money on quality products, but I also dont want to overbuy (I am not racing, just having fun).
On that same topic, I could only find rigging specs for a 500, but I think it is similar. The online manual from Nacra is not very helpful. Does anyone have an accurate list of the specs? Size/length?
THanks for any help. I am new in the sailing world and am a bit overwhelmed
--Brian
Purchase New Lines
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Posted: Aug 26, 2022 - 06:09 AM
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Posted: Aug 26, 2022 - 10:37 AM
Very understandable. My biggest suggestion is to not use ultralight weight for mainsheet or jib sheets. You need some weight to pop them out of the cleat. I would talk to Jesse at Blackburn Marine. He has grown up on cats and very knowledgeable on lines and cats.
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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)
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Posted: Aug 31, 2022 - 12:02 AM
My "old" main sheet is Aplha Dcup kbase mix. It was good, but to big for my new GP main blocks. New sheet is Coppa Dura 5500; seems ok so far, no complaints. Both of those are probably too "racey" for your needs.
I have quite a few miles on Salsa and like it quite a lot. It's soft and has the right weight (like Scott mentioned). I think it would be a good one for you to try.
As far as other basic control lines, personally, I really don't like Robeline Dingy Control for anything that goes through a cleat for multiple reasons..... -
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Posted: Aug 31, 2022 - 11:37 AM
Since you're not racing, don't spend a ridiculous amount of money on exotic, super low stretch lines for your mainsheet and jib sheets. New England Ropes Sta-set Yacht braid is perfectly adequate. Black is more UV resistant and will probably hold up longer. Use 3/16ths for your halyards and down haul. Use either 3/16ths or 1/4 for tramp lacing. Use 1/4 for the line part of your trapeze. The main sheet and jib sheets are a little more subjective because a smaller diameter will run through the blocks easier but will be harder to hold. Try using the existing lines if you still have them to estimate the lengths of the new lines. Soak them in laundry detergent and fabric softener and you may decide you don't need new lines. Make sure you have enough mainsheet so you can trapeze even off the wind. The same goes for your crew with jib sheet length. Don't worry about your crew having down haul lines long enough to change down haul tension while trapezing. That's for racing. I believe the 570 came with an 8 to 1 mainsheet which is adequate but represents a lot of line, especially if you move up to a 10 to 1. The stock 570 came with a jib halyard system by which the wire part of the halyard and the line part are zipped into the luff. It's a clean system but far from "user friendly" when you're alone. There are alternatives to consider especially if you don't like your sail flogging needlessly and laying in the sand or water as you raise it.
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Bill Townsend
G-Cat 5.0
Sarasota
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Posted: Aug 31, 2022 - 02:26 PM
I am kind of in the same boat. After I sort out a weather helm issue on my Supercat 17, I would like to get some new sheets and there are a lot of options. Right now my main sheet is pretty fuzzy, and actually fairly comfortable but seems like it's extra hard to get that last pull to trim the main, especially upwind.
Want good bang for the buck that is comfortable but will still run through the blocks.
Jib sheet might actually respond well to a fabric softener. -
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Posted: Sep 05, 2022 - 12:20 PM
If you know what lines you need,
- for lower gauge line I often buy New England ropes spyderline - which comes in small spools and on a per ft basis is a damn steal. It's supposed to be 'control' lines but I use them for halyards, jib sheets, all sorts of stuff
- Amsteel Blue (not necessarily blue) is really good - it's dyneema 12 strand but a lot less slippery than most dyneema so goes well in cleats - not quite grippy as you'd want mainsheet/spinnaker sheet but fab anywhere else. Can be found at good price.
- More generally for lower cost line, Nautos-USA has good options. Generally a budget dinghy/cat/small sailboat marine supplier.
I get not benefits from the above recommendations – that's just my approach at buying new line keeping costs under control.
