G'day I currently have an older Nacra 5.8NA number 712 and one of my crews want's a spin for when we do longer distance sailing. Would I be a lot better off buying a newer 5.8 around number 1400-1500 or should I just get a spin kit? What features are better about newer ones?
regards

what distance races are you planning? If in Qld I might see you on the water with a 700 series 5.8 with kite

In aus we have three breeds of 5.8 0-1200 1200-1550 1550-1650 sail numbers.

the oldest series all weigh in around 200 kilos with the NA rig. 1200-1550 are more like 180kilos and the 1550+ around 160 kilos.

the reality is lighter stiffer boats go faster. just ask any laser sailor.

the 1550+ boats are laid up with a lot less fiberglass. when you look inside them you can see daylight.

I wouldn't bother with a kite for it, the bridal foil makes the pole too low. if you want to play with a kite then buy a f-18. plenty of good used tigers and original nacra's going for a lot less than you can add a kite to your own boat.

Thank's for the replys guys, I'm in SA, I've now done two 20km races in 3 weeks and we have another one coming up in April which is better. I don't really want a kite but my mate I sail with occasionally went on a Cobra with spin a few weeks ago and now wants one to play with. I have a local that wants to buy my 5.8 so I'm keen to upgrade so that we have two 5.8's and a 5.7 to race. Since you gave me the tuning tips Dazz I'm really enjoying the 5.8 and don't think I could change 2 up boats. There's not much weight saving on the newer ones is the mast just as heavy? I wouldn't mind if all the weight saving is in the mast.
regards

Most cat sailors i know (including myself) LOVE it when they get a spin and learn how to use it... it makes downwind sailing SOOOOO much more exciting and fun!!!!

Andrew I completely agree with you, sailing wiht the kite is the bomb! but the 5.8 is really not the boat for it.

the newer lighter boats (1550+) are not strong enough to take the loads. a number of them have had bulkhead failures from the kite loads.

Jeffs the newer masts are truck loads lighter, but you will need to buy a boat later then 2003, sail no about 1620. I got one of the first masts off the new die in 03, but it was still heavy compared with the taipan 5.7 mast.

Jeff,
Give me a call I can help with you questions and boats.

5.8's or Taipan 5.7 with kite

Some boats are just like working on a chain gang when you add the spinny.

Thank's guys, I'll give you a call Danny, Dazz we have a 5.7 at the club which is beautiful but as I'm not sailing to much of a standard, I find the 5.8's weight on the water comforting and by not cleating I'm quite confident to have a go. The thought of the spin being like being on a chain gang is appealing to me as it's my mates idea but this will be mainly for those light days. You've given me food for thought though as if theres no big advantage in upgrading I may as well just find another 5.8 like mine for the person looking to upgrade at our club.
regards

In my normal way of thrashing around looking at boats, I've started to consider an older Nacra F18. I know their not as fast as newer ones but what are the bows like for pitchpole compared to the 5.8? Can you give me any other things to watch out for on them? Are they much harder than the 5.8 to control?

Jeff,

in Australia you'll find nacra F18s with two different beams (the early ones were released with a reduced beam to facilitate legal trailering), two different centre boards (iirc aspect ratio was increased) and a range of spinnaker chutes (mainly hard unless fitted after market). They're great boats and at least as fast a Hobie Tiger, but they fell out of fashion really quick. due to the changes mentioned above and also some inconsistancy in the masts which resulted in "tuning guides" being hard to use as each mast seemed to react differently.

Go F18, you won't look back.

The F18 with its self tacking jib and more refined controls will be easier to sail than your 5.8

Getting your crew to trap downwind all but eliminates going down the mine.

Go bigger. I am looking to sell my ARC21 to get into a Tornado. The difference in bow bouancy and down wind spin performance is night and day. On the ARC21 I cannot PITCH if I try. On the H20 we still had to be very mindful. The extra foot and hull design is awesome for reaching and down wind performance.
Admit, I am not a top sailor but I have been on or observed most current designs. put some great sailors on the ARC21 and they will exceed the PN.

Somehow I can't see Jeff wanting to ship your boat to Australia

The boat Jeff's is looking at is advertised on catsailor.net with a tilting trailer. the narrow beamed boat didnt require that.

Almost certain that the $7000 F18 on catsailor.net is BarryKT1200LT's old boat. Now in Townsville, has had new genuine boom and dagger board a few months ago after hitting a sea turtle. I think it looks like a good buy. Barrys old add is still on catsailor.net, photos at:

http://s89.photobucket.com/albums/k227/BarryKLT/2003%20Nacra%20F18/

Jeff, I'm keen to compete in your Kingston beach race in Jan 2010 as I will be down South then.

Jon

I've seen photo's of the F18 and it looks fantastic value but I hear the early Nacra F18 is prone to pitchpoling up wind and my wife wont come out to play if the boat goes over too many times unfortunately its too far away to take for a blast to see for myself. I've been convinced that it's not worth putting a spin on my 5.8
Eric your gonna love the T, I've only just finished clearing out all my left over Tornado bits but a Arc21 is getting a bit big for our club
Be good if you could make it Jon the dates been changed to Feb 13-14 2010 to get away from national titles and the big puffs we get on the Saturday afternoon in early January. what Nacra do you sail? Our club loves distance racing, if you cant make that weekend give us enough notice and we'll probably put one on when you visit 3 cats is a race.

Jeff I raced against Nacra F18s for two years in NZ and cant remember any of them pitchpoling with any regularity (particularly upwind) ie. the might have capsized 2 a year at most. Two of these boats were sailed by complete novices. One had had a Hobie 16 20 years previously and the other had had a beater paper tiger for 6 months.

That's good info Scarecrow, I was given my info by another Nacra F18 sailor I probably need to hunt one down for a blast.
regards Jeff

Jeff, the NACRA I sail is the slowest one, a 4.5 with 14sq spin. But I'm a novice in my first year of club racing. I sail against that F18 and I haven't seen it pitchpole, often seen it capsize but generally because of spinaker troubles or they are unable to depower it in heavy breeze, once I finished ahead of it

I will be in Padthaway for grape harvest 2010, may make your race. Thinking of upgrading to a second hand F16, but I know from my previous sports you get more satisfaction beating others on inferior kit.

Jon

Padthaway is just up the road from us, are you a grape harvester? If you don't bring your own boat we will find a ride for you, we had to find crew for a cat this year. The 4.5 might be slower on a normal weekend but I take a 14ft Arrow out whenever club sailing is cancelled due to excess wind and have had a wild time on it. Then its the fastest boat on the water.
regards