I just purchased a 1984 Nacra 5.2.
I'm a bit confused on how to rig the jib blocks.
There are no jib tracks on the decks.
There is a cable on both sides running underneith the trampoline from the rear cross bar to the the front one.
There are two slits in the trampoline about midway just over the cable on both sides about 6" apart.
There's a line tied to each cable at the rear crossbar eyelets. The length of each reaches to about the center of the slits in the trampoline.

So do the jib blocks attach to the cable through the trampoline?
Does the line from the rear cross bar come over or under the top of the trampoline to the jib block?
I also heard that some kind of insulation can be used on the cable (hose tubing?).

Any input on this would be great!


Thanks

Cable comes up through the rear slit and back down under the front slit. Line follows the cable to the top of the tramp. Jib blocks are attached to the cable on top of the tramp and the line is attached to the same shackle. The line is used to move the block forward and aft.

Good Luck,

Also, the line should run through a small block on the aft beam. The small block is attached at the same point where the cable is attached. The line then surfaces to the top side of the tramp while heading to the opposite side of the boat to a cleat on the aft beam. Thereby, you will be able to adjust the jib block from the windward hull.

That clarifies things. Thanks Kris.
I'll need to re-run the cable since the previous owner did
not have it running through the tramp.

Where do you suggest putting the cleats on the rear crossbar?

Here is an example with the entire cable on top with the same line. When I ran the cable as described before, under-over-under, I installed my cleats in the same location as this picture but facing the opposite hull because the line coming from the other side of the boat. Also, I angled them down slightly, pointing to the small block that the line is leading from.

Tim - I just got a 1985 Nacra 5.2 and have been trying to figure out the same thing as you - the jib blocks. Like you , my tracks run up thru the tramp and then back under again. When I got it they were tied in a fixed position to the back cross beam. I have since added a line from the block to a turning block on the back cross beam and then across to a cleat on the other side, so that I can adjust the block from the windward side. But - this allows me to only really adjust them towards the stern - there is nothing so far to pull them forward if I need to - just wind pressure, and in lite winds that does't do it. If anyone gives you and idea on how to move the block both forward and aft, from the windward side, I'd love to hear it!

Dick
N 5.2 - #3002, "Cats Paw"

I am ashamed that my boat was ever that dirty

LOL Jake. I tried to protect the innocent and not reveal boat's owner. Err....It must have been after Isabel...yeh that's it...Isabel.

Yes. The setup relies upon pressure on the jib to pull the blocks forward. However, I sailed better in light winds with the blocks mostly aft. I moved them forward when the wind picked up and corresponding chop to power up my 5.2. When things really started to blow and the jib started to over power, I moved them aft again.

Cheers

Kris - if you wanted to see a confused look you should have seen me after reading Jake's note, thinking that somehow he had seen my 5.2, since you clearly had not identified that yours was his at one point! Mine is getting "undirty" after sitting unused for over 5 years.

I notice the hiking straps on your 5.2 Any comments on how well they work or if you would do it different? I will be single handing my 5.2 almost all the time, and feel adding hiking straps will help in the non-traping times, and am just looking at how to best add the straps.

Dick

I rarely use hiking straps and honestly, they scare me a bit. If I am hiking, I usually hook in to the trap line and drop my butt off the side. Call me crazy (you wouldn't be the first!) but I get concerned about having my leg stuck in the hiking strap during a capsize. I've come close to this myself and I've heard of serious knee injuries this way.

I do, however, occasionally put my heel on the hiking strap as an additional foothold but by-and-large do without them.

Nothing like a picture to get a description across.
Thanks again Kris.

What threw me off with my initial question was that I was almost certain the cables under the trampoline were secured
with a riveted eyelet on both ends.
After further inspection last night I noticed the aft portions were shackled making the transistion to up-through and back-under the trampoline a whole lot simplier.

Dick - I imagine you could set up the same system for the
forward block adjustment as is set up for the aft, but I'm not sure if it's really necessary?


Tim

On my 5.2 I used regular nylon strapping and some hose to make nice cheap footstraps. You can bolt them straight through the hull, easy since the 5.2 has those lovely inspection plates. I single almost always and i find thse make life easier in big swell (its not uncommon for me to be out in 10' swell or bigger) As for the jib blocks, I did away with that system, I made my jib self-taking, I also moved the fore-stay clear out to the front of the boat, which allows me to use a 5.8 Jib, if I'm a little camakaze.

Tim - thanks for the note. I'm not sure either and I'm in a club that has one other cat sailor who has never seen a Nacra of any kind. I'm finding it surprisingly hard to fine a group of Nacra 5.2 sailors out there - for talking and sharing. Jake has been a major help to me, but I've found it difficult to get a number of folks to respond to what I am sure are beginner and basic questions. Maybe the number of 5.2's left out there is small and not many are racing it these days. I know I love mine, and just hope I can learn from others any tricks to go faster sooner!

Dick

Dick - No problem and thank you. There aren't many here either so racing is a bit out of the question. Although there's Tuesday and Friday night races on the Bay here for any class so if I was to race I might just win them based on speed alone.
I'm pretty new to Nacra's except for the ride I got 23 years ago on a 5.2 which absolutely changed my outlook on catamarans, as I was sailing a lot of Hobies. I just never had the opportunity to buy a Nacra until now. Gotta sell the 14 now.;-)

This forum and I'm sure others like it seem to be the best way to get info for the 5.2's. I did extensive searches via google and still couldn't find answers to basic questions, unlike the Hobie's.

If there's anything you come across that suits 5.2's let me know. I'll be reading and will do the same.

As they say down here in the south - "Back at ya". If I find any nuggets or goodies I'll pass them on to you. My one suggestion is to realllly look over your hulls and make sure there are no cracks of any kind, and if so reglass them, as Nacras with hulls filled with water are reallll slow - trust me on that! LOL!!

Dick

Actually there are still a considerable number of 5.2s around. I know of several in FL and there's a significant local fleet in the midwest somewhere. It was a very well respected boat in it's time. At Spring Fever, there were four preregistered (although none of them except me showed up due to the bad short term weather forcast).

Regarding the rigging, except for a few nuances, all catamarans are rigged in a similar fashion. Keep the questions coming - we'll keep answering!

OK - here is one more that I know I'd like some help with and maybe Tim will too at some point. I downloaded from the Performance site the PDF file for the Nacra assembly manual that like you said seems to apply to most all models. On page 27, step 61 they talk about installing the jib sheet jam preventor, a 7' piece of stretch cord. Somehow you are supposed to attach it to the mast, somewhere, and then down to both ends of the dolphin striker.

Did you ever need this and if so any hints on how/where to put it on the mast would be appreciated. The PDF download does include a photo but it is so blury I can't make out what they expect.

Dick

Dick,
The idea is to prevent the jib sheet from sliding under the mast base and getting pinched or stuck there while sailing (which does tend to happen). On my Prindle, which uses the same setup, I run a bungee cord on each side (personal preference instead of the line) from the flat dolphin striker bar about a foot and a half out from the center post up to where the diamond wire attaches near the base of the mast. When sailing, the jib sheet stops at the bungee cord instead of sliding under the mast base, thus acting as a "jib sheet jam preventer". I must admit, I was puzzled by the manufacturer's manual as well--I thought, "Hey, the guy that sold me the boat left something off!"

Kevin
Prindle 18
Largo, FL

That jam preventer also keeps it off your downhaul cleats. That brings up a good point, install a downhaul that is adjustable from both sides, so you can crank on it in a blow. Anybody got a pic? We use the pivoting exit blocks, and if you look at them, and their placement you can see that the jib sheet can get tangled around them preventing the sheet from going to the other side in a tack.

The 5.2 is a fine boat, we have 2 in Columbia SC, you say you are from the south? Where are located?

David Mosley
www.seacats.org

Run the bunji (use 1/4" or smaller) from the mast (rotator bar or higher - I had a small eye strap for this purpose about 18" up from the bottom of the mast.) to the connection of the bridle wires and the forestay - just under the jib. That will keep the jib sheets from jamming on anything on the mast.