Sparky, thanks for taking the time! Wait, I have to go put on my 18-squared theme music mix tape, with extra bass tracks, entitled "Menacing Dance of the Wicked CAT", LOL!
I used to own the Nacra 18 Square, but never used a tilt trailer... In the stock boat, there were two fore-and-aft tubes that went from front to rear beam. These are used to prevent the beams from rotating. On the boat in the picture, these fore-and-aft tubes and their fittings were moved outboard to along side the hulls. The trampoline was modified by moving the sleeves for these tubes outboard. Now the boat is put back together and the trampoline is laced and tightened. From this point onward, the trampoline assembly, including both beams and both tubes, could be removed in tact. Now the boat can be easily put onto a trailer that is no wider than about 7’ wide, the distance from the front to back beam. To do this, the trampoline is turned 90 degrees when trailering.
Excellent idea and modification, plus out of knees-way!... how'd it work out on the water, re: tramp sag and torsion resistance? i.e. I can see why the factory would place them farther inboard, both to provide shorter unsupported tramp spans, and to have the torsion-resistance members closer to where the mast is "working" the crossbeam.
We avoided the tilt trailer because one of the Michigan fleet used the tilt trailer and it got blown over while trailering, destroying the boat.
Makes an impression, those type o' things...
Uses the exact same hulls and daggers as the present day NACRA 5.5 (18') uni/sloop boats...? The hulls were slightly modified with the introduction of the N5.5 Sloop and Uni. The 18 Square had a visible seam along the bottom and the beam spacing was a little different. When the 8-1/2’ wide Sloop and Uni came out the seam disappeared (cleaned up, which I did to my boat when I repainted it) and the spacing of the beams was different.
Ahh soo... so the beams are only 7' apart, moving the mast aft, making the long bows even longer--WICKED!
I guess when current PerfCats sales lit claims of the 5.5 Uni "The hulls are identical to the 5.5sl and the 18 sq, which provide greater speed and buoyancy.", they are talking about the wetted parts, not the topsides... check.
In pics, looks like the gooseneck/boom attachment is 2mm above the front crossbeam... gotta belly crawl to the other side?
Since you were at the back of the tramp when tacking, the crawl was not difficult.
True, but as a rec boat, I shall sometimes have a "crew"... but since no jib, they are free to go 'round the front of the mast--extra thrill--LOL! Perhaps a bridle-foil (compression member) and big net cruising tramp between the bows? ;')
Seriously though, that boom APPEARS to be right on the front crossbeam!
The only concerns I would have if adding the spi-genny is that the sail needs to come around the forestays, making for a very long pole, and that the rudders seem to have significant weather helm, even at the extreme adjustments allowed by the stock system.
Key insights from experience on the rudders. (Is it just me, or do Prindle rudders look more "serious" than NACRA's?) Also, due to no jib and unsupported LOOOONG bows, those bridles Vee WAY up before joining... hmmm... oh well, never been a downwind/chute fanatic anyway... downwind's a chance to relax the biceps and re-hydrate...
With a single-handed spinnaker boat, you need to let go of the helm while raising or lowering the spinnaker. The rudder system on the newer Nacras deals with this extremely well, but the old system does not without significant modification. On the plus side, I have seen the modern rudder system adapted to the late-model N5.5 Uni.
I doubt I would ever go deploying and dousing and all that spi-stuff while single-handing... though I got fairly proficient at knee-toe steering the P-16 while lying out on the bow, paddling home in DEAD air.
These are double surfaced sails, like the Stars and Stripes catamaran that defended America’s Cup in 1988. The most famous of the 18 Squares, “Wild Turkey” had the wing, but it was a pain...
Oh, I thought that was a solid wing. Cool either way. The 18-sq just SEEMS like a platform with a lot of potential... and a lot of parts still in production (assuming mast and crossbeams are same extrusion as current 5.5s, just cut longer...?)
I'm pretty sure I saw an 18-SQ smokin' across Lake McConaughy ("Big Mac") in Nebraska many, many moons ago... he flew the hull too high and it blocked out the sun! We were like "hmmm, tramp way wider than it is long, WTH is it?"... understandably I had trouble overtaking him in my P-16, to get a closer look.
