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Nacra trap wire and sail questions #279858
07/10/15 04:06 PM
07/10/15 04:06 PM
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 1
S
Scarg Offline OP
stranger
Scarg  Offline OP
stranger
S

Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 1
Hi there, new to cat sailing and new to the forum. I'll update my profile another time, I just need to get a couple of answers ASAP.

Been having the time of my life sailing an '06 Nacra 500 that I bought from a guy back in March here in Vancouver, BC. My wife and I took our CANSAIL 1 course, and we've been loving this boat since.

A couple of questions

1.) The shock cord for the traps is worn and needs replacing. I'm a heavy guy (240lbs), and I'm wondering if I need to get a beefy diameter replacement? What diameter is ideal? Also, about how much length would I need for each trap wire?

2.) Last weekend I had my wife put the battens in the mainsail. She didn't push them in far enough, or tighten them enough and so they weren't sitting all the way in the pocket when we went out. When we took the main down, 3 of the battens had punched through the sail right beside the pocket (the wind had put too much pressure on them). Should I take that to a sailmaker for repair? Can those types of sails be repaired? Any idea on a ballpark cost to fix? They're just three small holes on one side of the sail at each batten, and I'll make damn sure that those battens are pushed all the way in from now on. To a rookie, it looks like some tuck tape over the holes would be fine...but something inside me tells me that's pretty stupid.

Any help and direction you can give me is very much appreciated.

Thanks!

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Re: Nacra trap wire and sail questions [Re: Scarg] #279865
07/11/15 09:08 AM
07/11/15 09:08 AM
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 774
Greenville SC
bacho Offline
old hand
bacho  Offline
old hand

Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 774
Greenville SC
1. Your weight would not require heavier duty shock cord, I use 3/16" cord for that application. The length required depends on your set-up, I would plan on 10-12' of cord. Its not a bad idea to have a couple spools of shock cord around, for me it wears out quickly and everything works SO MUCH better with good cord on it.

2. You can purchase sail cloth repair tapes that would be much better than duct tape for these repairs. A sail repair shop could sell you some patches, or you could purchase a roll online for a few bucks. This would be a permanent repair whereas duct tape will fall off after a short time and leave you with a mess of adhesive.

http://www.sailrite.com/Insignia#!Insignia

Re: Nacra trap wire and sail questions [Re: Scarg] #279871
07/12/15 11:11 AM
07/12/15 11:11 AM
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 351
Santiago, Chile
Andinista Offline
enthusiast
Andinista  Offline
enthusiast

Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 351
Santiago, Chile
1. Consider a modification on the shock cord configuration: put two small blocks, for example under the front beam, close to each hull. Instead of going side to side under the tramp, go to the block on the opposite corner, then to the other block and then to the grommet at the other side. This way you have more than 3 times the original length. This way, when you go out on the trap, the shock cord will extend by a much lower percentage of its full length. So the tension will be much more constant and you avoid having the traps loose when unused and too tight when you are aft and out on the trap. For the front trap, you can do the same with small blocks inside the from beam.
2. Ditto

Re: Nacra trap wire and sail questions [Re: Scarg] #279875
07/12/15 05:06 PM
07/12/15 05:06 PM
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,383
Kingston SE South Australia
JeffS Offline
veteran
JeffS  Offline
veteran

Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,383
Kingston SE South Australia
^^ spot on


Jeff Southall
Current boats
Nacra 5.8 1703 Animal Scanning Services
Nacra 5.8 1667 Ram Raider
Nacra 18 Square
Arrow 1576
Re: Nacra trap wire and sail questions [Re: Andinista] #279887
07/13/15 08:55 AM
07/13/15 08:55 AM
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,658
Florida Suncoast, Dunedin Caus...
catman Offline
Pooh-Bah
catman  Offline
Pooh-Bah

Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,658
Florida Suncoast, Dunedin Caus...
Originally Posted by Andinista
1. Consider a modification on the shock cord configuration: put two small blocks, for example under the front beam, close to each hull. Instead of going side to side under the tramp, go to the block on the opposite corner, then to the other block and then to the grommet at the other side. This way you have more than 3 times the original length. This way, when you go out on the trap, the shock cord will extend by a much lower percentage of its full length. So the tension will be much more constant and you avoid having the traps loose when unused and too tight when you are aft and out on the trap. For the front trap, you can do the same with small blocks inside the from beam.



Not sure the N500 is has an open side lacing to attach the blocks to. You can put the blocks at the dolphin striker and rear beam and achieve the same advantage. !/4" shock cord works well also.


Have Fun
Re: Nacra trap wire and sail questions [Re: Scarg] #279890
07/13/15 10:12 AM
07/13/15 10:12 AM
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 890
Dunedin Causeway, FL
David Parker Offline
old hand
David Parker  Offline
old hand

Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 890
Dunedin Causeway, FL
I have a Nacra 5.0, similar boat. I put little blocks on the rear beam lacing under the tramp on the corners. Shock cord runs down through tramp, diagonal back to rear beam block, across along rear beam to the other block, then diagonal across and up through grommet to the other trap line. It takes 22 feet of 1/4" shock cord.

This long length has 2 practical results. First, when the top two feet of bungie gets rotten in the sun you can cut off the 2 feet above the tramp by pulling some of the long length and reattaching it. You'll never notice the change in stretchable length. Second, and most important, when you take that inevitable trip on the wire out to visit the bows the bungie won't break. Don't ask me how I know.


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