Tom - great boat! I think you will be pleased.

I have heard all the grumbling about the pull down cleat but I never had a problem with either of the Nacras I owned (5.2 and 6.0). There is a trick, however, and that is to purchase cheap polyester 12 strand knobby line from a hardware store to use for your rudder hold downs (their regular 1/4" line - Lowe's has it white with a red tracer). This stuff grabs really well in the v-jam cleats and I never had a problem with it including several distance races (two with over 20 hours straight on the water). My rudders never eased at all. I probably wouldn't use that line anywhere else except to tie auxillary stuff to the trailer in a pinch.

I think people run into problems when they use a slick high-tech line and it's too hard and slickery to hold fast in the v-jam cleat.


Jake Kohl