My new to me 1976 5.2 #185 hase some funky issues. This is my first Nacra so maybee its me. The mast rotation controll seems to be set up on the wrong side of the boom.

It should be on the top of the boom as the boom mounts below the rotator. Why would it be set up on the bottom of the boom, the same side as the bails for the main sheet?

It also has some kind of a reefing line led out behind the outhaul car.

my '76 5.2 had a straight rod as the the rotator arm that I removed and put the regular arm that you can buy from Layline or Murray's for about $20. My NACRA F18 has it mounted on top of the boom. Some have them on the bottom of the mast, really doesnt matter, as long as it works for you and doesnt bind when rotating.
BTW, save the straight arm, as it made a really good striker for a windsurfer tapered alum mast that I turned into a spin pole.

I rember now that the mast is not original to the boat. and I think the seller of the boat got the mast just before i bought the boat. He never used it with this mast.
The mast has the new style rotator and the old mast probaly had the straight rod below the boom.

This is how mine was.

airborne

Mine is like Airborne's. IT works well and makes for easy adjustments.

I will switch the gear on the boom from the bottom to the top.
On another note, I noticed that one of my rear beam attachment straps seems to short. I am attaching a photo. What do you think?

Are you tightening with a torque wrench? 19 ft-lbs or so? Clean, greased bolts? Perhaps the other side of the strap was cinched down all the way first? Is the other sides wedge/washer installed correctly?

not saying it was right, but mine was like that too..and still is. It never tightened down all the way on any of the bolts. Jake, did yours?

there are references in the nacra manual to the beam straps being different lengths from front to back. but it's possible you have a short where you need a long

as the manuals often cover 6 models i haven't quite worked out if the 5.2's straps are all the same length or not. if not they must be very close

during my winter pull down i will lay a bit of paper over the contours of the free straps and mark their lengths to check

a minor trainspotters detail on the mast rotators is that you can see from above that airborne's 5.2, (2410), arm has been formed smoothly from 1 bit of stainless and then a small section welded in to form a large vertical hole for the rotator control line. this is the style you see for sale from murrays etc, but the rotator arm on mine (2158), has been made of 2 bits of stainless crimped together with a small horizontal hole holding a shackle and a small pulley for the control line

very nice work on your barber haulers airborne, think our lake is too small and i'll be too busy solo to bother with them, spins or hooters

Before you do that...

and

annnnd.

So, there might be a reason your boat is set up that way. First look for telltale holes that would indicate aftermarket change. Then look for reasons for the change. Somebody did it for a reason........

It would keep it off the foot of the sail, that would be nice. But mine works fine!

I noticed that the front and main beams use different part #'s for the straps. The strap that does not fit on the rear beam fits fine in the front. So I ordered a new rear beam strap.

Nice carbon mast. Do you know the part # of those diamond stay Tangs? I am upgrading what I have.

JM

No, just reference photos I keep for my projects and I thought they might come in useful for understanding how the under boom spanner might be set up.