Hello-
I am a long time keelboat sailor and recently sold my sportboat. A few years ago, I sailed my Uncle’s Hobie 18 with wings on a large inland lake in upper Michigan. It was like I have heard the effects of being on Meth! I keep thinking about it and want to experience what I did on that windy day in July. On my way to work, I pass a Nacra 5.8 that has been put out to pasture for the last few years. I have told the owner that I would be interested if he ever decided to sell it. As of now, it is not for sale, but if it does come up for sale, I have some questions:
1. I have looked at the postings in the open forum all the way back to December, 2005 and I have yet to find any information about the 5.8. What can you tell me about it?
2. How does it compare to the Hobie 18. Whaty do you call the Hobie 18 that has the wings option?
3. I weigh 205 lbs and would like to race with crew locally in a Portsmouth Fleet on Austin Lake in Portage, Michigan. What other boats would this Nacra be competitive with?
4. What is the Nacra 5.8 NA? How can I tell if this is one?
5. What is a boat of 1989 vintage worth? As far is I know, it has the original boomless rig.
6. Are these boats prone to any problems in particular (soft spots, etc.)?
5. Any other suggestions?

Thanks!

Try posting this question over on the CRAM web page
use to be a large number of 5.8s in that club
Fair Winds & Warm Water
Ted

I had a 95 5.8NA.

Great boat, handles weight very well, and is easy to sail and to set-up. This is a 19' boat that can be pushed hard on inland lakes and also Lake Michigan. Muskegon, MI has some great beach cat access for Muskegon Lake and Lake Michigan.

The Nacra cats are very durable and built with internal bulkheads.

Austin Lake is a good place to race weekly and they have an open fleet. Also make sure you check with CRAM there are a lot of events throughout the State of MI to race. There is also a great Nacra dealer in MI to support you with rigging tips, spare parts, and a pipeline to the CRAM racing club - go to www.cathouse1.com.

Good luck!

Ken

I have had H14, N5.2 N5.8 TheMightyHobie18 w/wings and now my second N5.8 which I was glad to get back to. The TheMightyHobie18 seemed sluggish to me compared to the N5.8 IMO. It is a horse and can really drive in heavy wind or chop. It is a little scary to single hand but a beautiful boat to take friends out for a cruise.

A regular Hobie-18 with wings is a Hobie-18 Magnum, unless it is sporting the taller mast and rig, then it is a Hobie-18 SX.

The NACRA 5.8 is a great boat. The NA refers to North American. The NA rig features an aluminum bow foil that attaches to the bow bridle tangs via short rigging - the forestay attaches to the middle of the foil. It's a way of getting a lower tack point for the jib, and therefore a bigger jib. Regular 5.8 has regular bridle wires coming together to meet the forestay, jib tack is a little higher, jib is a little smaller. NA gear can be retrofit to a non-NA boat. So, NA = bow foil and bigger jib. Assuming the boat isn't parked out in the field fully rigged, you'll have to see the gear that goes with it.

The older boats do not have foam core in the hulls. I forget which year the change was made. The newer foam cored boats are worth more, but a non-foam boat is plenty good. Just look in the inspection ports into the hulls, you should be able to tell. Assuming it's in good shape, I'd still get it if it's not foam, but you might use that to get a better price.

The 5.8 is faster than the 18. It has more freeboard and handles higher crew weights better (especially in rougher water), and the hulls lack the drag inducing deck joint that the 18 has. The 5.8 will weigh less than the 18, although the 18s range a bit in their weight. My 18 felt far heavier than the 5.8s in our Fleet. But then it felt heavier than my van at times...

Speed-wise, it's faster than the 18, similar to the Prindle-19, a little slower than the Hobie-20, a bit more slower than the Nacra 6.0na. Similar in rating to a NACRA I-17R, Taipan 4.9 as F16.

It's been a successful boat in our Portsmouth Fleet, at times we've had three or four, one guy took top honors a couple years in a row on an older one. We've had one that the skipper regularly single-handed, always a threat when he sailed.

I'd say if it's in good shape, buy it. Especially if the local Fleet you want to sail in is Portsmouth. But if you're looking for one-design action you probably won't have too many others to play with these days.