I just bought a used Nacra 5.0 and love it. So far, I've sailed with only the main sail. I'm ready to try it with the jib, but am trying to figure out how to get out to a place where I can attach the nylon guides on the sail onto the fore stay. Although I've got fairly long arms, I can't reach the fore stay when either standing on the front edge of the trampoline or sitting/kneeling on the front section of either hull.

I keep the boat on a buoy on a city lake, so I don't have the option of rigging the jib on land with the aid of a ladder.

Is there some sort of tool to do this with?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

No tool thoughts. What is the lay of the beachfront? Can't you set the bows on the beach to rig the jib? How about using a temporary mooring that is in shallower water for the purpose of rigging/derigging?

I´m curious about the ladder, you don´t mean a 25 ft long one, do you?

Here is what you do. Move the boat up into knee deep water.
Hop off the boat into the water and go to the forestay. Position the boat into the wind. Attach the top of the jib to the jib halyard and attach the top jib nylon clip. Pull the halyard to raise the jib up enough to attach the next nylon clip. Continue until all clips are attached. Tension jib halyard and tie off. Your ready to sail.

Did I leave out anything?

Regards,
Mike

If you use an inflatable boat to get to the buoy, don´t try to do what Mike describes standing on the boat. Especially if it is a cheap one like those you get on the supermarket.. I can tell you by experience... <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

Thanks for the beach or shallow water suggestions. I'd been hoping to find a way to do the rigging from the dock or buoy, and without getting wet. But, the water's getting warmer here in Minnesota, so I guess a shore landing to raise the jib wouldn't be too bad, except for the extra time it takes to do it. I sail frequently during the weekday evenings, where I've only got an hour or so to actually sail, after rowing to/from the buoy, rigging, etc and then doing it in reverse before it gets dark.

After I posted, I started pondering whether a jib furling system would be a solution.... I am willing to leave the jib on the boat between sailings. However, I have no clue how furlers really work, and whether I could perform the wrapping operation while sitting on the trampoline. Did I mention that I'm still kind of chicken about standing up near the front of a hull? There's not much to hold onto out there for balance.....

Hi Karena,
I would not leave a furled jib on the boat unattended. It doesn't take much for the wind to get a part of it to start to unfurl and start shaking the whole rig apart or flip the boat. Also, the stock jib is not made of UV resistant cloth, so it will be in shreds by the end of one season.

Perhaps you could have a wire sewn into the luff and hoist the jib without the hooks (like a Hobie 16 jib)?? Or skip the jib and get a small spinnaker...

The 5.0 is a great boat.

Good luck!

Steve
Hobie FX-1
Sail #211

The furling system has a line to roll up the jib, which can be done from the tramp and then you unroll it using the jib sheets, after releasing the line. I would justify it only if you are willing to leave the sheet and the blocks on the boat too, which doesn´t seem a very good idea. Otherwise, I don´t think the time saved would be significant. Also, in my case I always need to reach the forestay bottom end anyway, because it is where I attach the line that goes to the buoy (I tye it to the boat before taking the boat to the buoy and don´t like to keep it attached to the forestay bottom end while sailing (excuse me for my basic language). Attaching that line to the middle of the front beam is not a good idea, in case you are doing that, the boat tends to "sail" around the buoy.

I can tell you have an older 5.0, like I had, without the jib luff zipper and internal halyard (ie you have a wire halyard down the front of the mast). Even if you do not attach ("hank on") the plastic clips ("hanks") you would still need to attach the jib tack at the bridle! From your post it appears you may be short? I used to be able to sit on the bow, slide out to the bridle and do this but it was a reach for me even. I had modified my 5.0 to a furling jib so that is certainly doable, but leaving on the boat full time, as mentioned, would be bad unless you invested in a jib cover- but then you would have to leave the cover on while sailing (think of a long "sock" that is pulled down over the sail when through sailing and pulled up to uncover it while sailing). Sounds like you have a dock- you CAN hank on the jib from a dock, by either pulling the boat bows first straddling the dock (by the way- I don't think anyone's mentioned to put the jib on before you raise the main??) or pulling the bows over the top of the dock. Additionally, another way to store cats on a lake is to leave them on top of a floating dock and launch off that- want dock slightly above the water, rollers at the edge and carpet under the hulls. The 5.0 is great for this since the hulls are board straight on the bottom from the bow to the keg! Investing in a roller furler is still a good idea since you can furl the jib at will (if the wind comes up) or when launching/returning. The 5.0 is a great boat for beginners- but don't try to tack unirig with more than 2 people on board!

Kirt