I was just wondering if anyone knew how Nacra came to build the 5.2, 5.5, 5.8 and 6.0....???

It seems to me that the 5.2 was such a popular boat and then out comes the 5.5 which didn't seem to catch on as well...and not as many were built or have survived.

I guess Performance bought Nacra soemwhere in there.

What really happened?

Anyone know???

Yawl ever make to CA Tom Roland still hangs out in Ventura harbor and loves to talk about the 5.2 over a beer; and once in a while Roy Seaman pops his up for a race.

I think the progression was 5.2, 18 Square, 5.8, 5.5 & 6.0 at the same time. I think they stopped making the 5.2 in the mid 80 as I was never able to find one that was 85 or newer. The 5.5 SL was it replacement. As for the 5.0, 5.7 don't know much there. I believe Performance (at the time Lear Singular Marine) bought NACRA and moved it all to Santa Ana, CA, I believe in 1984. Year before last I had coffee with Tom before one of our ocean races. Great guy and made mention that you could take a sledge harmer to the 5.2 and the boat would keep sailing.

Buying a beer and being able to chat would be a nice way to hear the history.

Maybe next time down.

http://www.nacrasailing.org/files/d...PSESSID=6465bf6eb37b132eb95808082bf0d096
http://www.nacra.com.au/about-us
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_American_Catamaran_Racing_Association
History

The first NACRA's were built and designed by Tom Roland in California. It was a revolutionary boat with vertical seams and a teardrop hull shape.

He established the Nacra name with the creation of the Nacra 5.2 and 18sq.

His idea and design have been a major influence in today’s multihull world, with many large multihulls still using this hull shape.

NACRA catamarans are currently built by Nacra Australia in Brisbane, Qld, where Nacra has been produced since 1985, and by Performance Catamarans Inc. in California, USA.

In 1985 Nacra Australllasia took over the rights to manufacture the range of Nacra catamarans, before this we were an active Nacra dealer. Over this time we have developed many new models that have been added to the Nacra range which are now sailed worldwide.

These models are the Nacra Sirocco, Nacra 14sq, Nacra 16sq, Nacra 4.5, Nacra 17 and the new Nacra 36R.

Nacra was made famous by its timeless hull shape, featuring its round bottom and tear drop shape, to which most new Catamarans are made the same today.

Nacra’s burst onto the catamaran scene in the late 1970’s with the launch of the Nacra 36, this boat was 36ft long, 20ft wide and featured a crew of 4 on the wire.

This boat was way ahead of its time and was made to be a big fast catamaran and it certainly is, it has been clocked at speeds over 30 knots.

Then the Nacra 5.2 was launched. Even though this boat gave away feet in waterline length plus sail area, it could easily match and out perform its competition.

It set the standard with its many high tech innovative ideas as standard which has help to make Nacra famous.

Then the Nacra 18sq was made - 18ft long and 11ft wide, the ultimate one person catamaran.
In 1985 Nacra launched the Nacra 5.8 and Nacra 5.0.

The 5.8 has gone on to be Australia’s largest big boat fleet since being launched. It offers true high performance in a one design format at a very realistic price.

The 5.0 has revolutionized the boardless catamaran, making sailing a Nacra simple yet still giving performance.

Both these boats feature the boomless sail plan which makes sailing safe and easier.

Through the late 1980’s and early 90’s Nacra introduced the Nacra 14sq and Nacra 16sq of one person boats. Both these boats are still very popular and are feature Nacra’s timeless hull shape.

Nacra also released the Nacra Sirocco and Nacra 4.5 which have proven popular in resorts through out the Asian Pacific region, also making great recreational boats.

Early this century Nacra launched its light weight high performance cat the Nacra 17, which has proven successful throughout the world. This can be sailed either one up or two up.

Then the Nacra 36R where it all began has been revitalized featuring the latest in hull shape and design techniques.

Also in our range we now have the Nacra 570 and the Plastic playcat plus many other new and exciting Nacra’s. That gives us one of the best ranges of catamarans on the market today.

Now Nacra’s design team have come out with the World Champion winning F-18 catamaran, the Nacra Infusion which is taken the world by storm.

It is the first production catamaran to use the Infusion technology.