I'm planning on putting a self-tacker on my Nacra 5.8. My first thought is to just buy the F18 setup from Nacra, but is there another system out there worth considering?

just curious, why are you doing this?

Because I'm putting a spin on it. As to why I'm doing all this stuff to a 5.8 rather than getting a newer boat, there's no good answer.

For all the cost of a spin, snuffer, jib, self tacker etc. you might as well get an f18.

If you mean a used F18, then yes I'm spending nearly what I could have got one of those for. On the other hand, used boats tend not to come with spiffy new sails.

But anyway, I'm long past the point of no return on this project.

It may be possible to use the Hurricane 5.9 SX kit from Andy Webb at AW sailboats awsailboats@rya-online.net Telephone +447941 940459 (day) or +441255 554769 (eve)
The boats are pretty similar in size so the track radius could suit (possibly better than the F18). The suitability of the jib however would also depend on the forestay length/angle. The full kit includes jib + track and fittings plus spi pole and fittings over - pole glass snuffer tube and kite. I'm sure that AW would sell bits 'as required'.


Cheshirecatman

Take a close look at your jib, if it's the standard 5.8 jib I'll bet it is way too big for a self tacker. Just rig it and hold the clew at the mast, if it overlaps the mast to the rear, it will have to be recut to work on a self tacker. The jib clew must be shorter than the distance from the tack point to the self tacker track, plus the clew shackle and block.

You should get up close to a Nacra F18 with a tape measurer and check the distance they are have, jib tack to jib self tacker track, then check yours, to about 2" infront of your mast on the main beam.

Most of the earlier (pre Inter 18/20) Nacra's had big footed jibs that overlaped the mast, won't work on a self tacker.

Of course you could just buy the F18 jib as well. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Yeupppp - the NACRA 5.8 had a big jib - though about doing this myself with my old 5.8. After pricing everything out common sense got the best of me.

Nothing like being double trapped on a 5.8NA on a screaming beam reach with that big jib

Can you still adjust the shape of the self tacking jib or is it pretty much set for upwind, and expected to use a spin for all downwind?

. . . and to add, the NA is deadly fast downwind when sailed correctly.

Of course. I'm having a custom jib made for the boat. I'm keeping the NA foil but going to an original area jib with a longer luff and shorter foot.

Anybody have experiance with this Holt Allen kit? http://www.apsltd.com/Tree/d285000/e282847.asp

Yieks!!!!! with shipping you're looking at $700. Why not just go with the Harken H2700 micro car, and Harken micro track and attach it to the front beam. Parts are available from Swensens in Alameda CA or even West Marine, and the cost will be 1/3.

Thanks Philip, having to do it over again, I wouldn't have taken the time or money to put the spinnaker on the 5.8 NA - the boat rocks in it's stock configuration w/squaretop

Was it fun to sail -absolutely, did it look cool - Jame Dean had nothing on me, was it worth it - I have a mixed opinion leaning towards "should have put that money towards a boat that was designed to have a spinnaker from the start."

Yeah, the price is outrageous, so I was thinking of copying it with Harken parts. Should be pretty easy to get track bent, and then fab up an attachement to the main beam.

But I'm not averse to paying real money for something if it's worth it.

Is it necessary to have a floppy self tacker (allowed to pivot about the axis of the main beam)? I guess it would help with alignment of the loads, but in light air I can imagine it would pull down on the jib

Yes,

The kit for the Hobie Tiger should work and is quite robust.

The self-tacker on our VectorWorks Marine Blade is rigid (not "floppy").

Rhino, Send me an email.

jeremy@surfcitycatamarans.com

Any opinions on the Hobie Tiger system vs. the Nacra F18 system?

Opps!!!! Open mouth change foot - I kept forgetting about you guys up there in Santa Cruz - sorry I didn't refer Rhino to one of the only true catamaran dealers left in CA.