I lost my first cat about 2 months after I bought it. It was a '78 NACRA 5.2 with solid glass construction (no foam core). The previous owner had done a very poor job of installing ports just forward of the cross beams after doing repairs. We were about 2 miles of Va Beach when we flipped it for the first time (big lesson learned). It began to take on water and we could not right as every time we hiked out, water would run to the back and it would just roll over backwards. Finally a power boat spotted us and took us under tow. The towing only exacerbated the leakage rate and it began to sink. The Coast Guard finally showed up and took us on board. They also took on the task of towing the boat for about 15 minutes, but my crew began to show signs of hypothermia and the Coasties decided the best thing to do was to cut the boat loose and get my crew back to shore. Meanwhile, some of my friends who had been sailing out from the beach to check on our status witnessed the NACRA slip into the deep, never to return. The only thing to float was one daggerboard which they rescued and I still have as a reminder. We were very lucky that everything turned out OK. I was undeterred and within two weeks had purchased another 5.2, this time I spent twice the peanuts to get an ’83 (also solid glass) which I have put many miles on and still have today.