I have been sailing a Hobie 18 for about 20 years, for fun and competetitively. In an effort to be more equal with a local buddy on an Inter 17 I bought a used Nacra 5.5 UNI (1997 model in really nice shape). He an I have traveled together and raced with and against each other for almost that whole 20 year stretch.

I figured out how to put the boat together and mostly what goes where and how stuff works, resewed the tramp, replaced some lines, the boat is very light and fast, but I need some help with sailing it well or at least better than I am now.

First, where should the traveler on the main sail go? This boomless thing is very different to me. Minor changes in the position change the shape of the sail a lot, I need some advice. Rotator, on the 18 we can limit it on this I can over and under rotate it, do the lines cross under the mast or is it something I change on every tack? How critical is it?

The boat came with a roller furling Hooter from Calvert sails on a technofiber pole is great but I appear not to be able to go anywhere near deep enough to keep pace with the I 17 off the wind, he has the I 17 spinaker. How far do I travel the main out? How much do I treat it like a jib or is it a down wind or reaching sail only?

I can go to weather and tack just fine, or at least I can keep up with my buddy, the boat feels OK but not it also feels like I am leaving something on the water.

It feel like I am on the very steep part of the learning curve and could use a little help.

Last, the rudder system SUCKS, is there any kind of retro fit set up for this thing. The rope down and bungee up (some of the time) is just plain awful. Has anyone put the newer rudder system on the older boat?

Been a cat sailor magazine subscriber for a long time but this is my first post on the forum. Thanks in advance, Ricardo.