nacra 20 single hand?

I am considering purchase of nacra 20 and need advice on single handing. Is this feasible? ...both from a setup/launch and sailing standpoint? My previous experience was years ago on a nacra 5.0 which I remember being heavy and a handful even for two. I'm a big guy, but concerned about righting boat by myself. Boat I'm looking at appears to have aluminum mast/boom. Intended use: mostly recreational, single or with 1-2 crew, do not want a twitchy boat or one that will pitch pole. Will a n20 disappoint?

Is this a Nacra 6.0 or a Nacra Inter 20? Sounds like it's a 6.0 which had a little less volume in the bows than the Inter 20. I could right my Inter 20 alone ( at 190lbs.) as long as there was enough wind to get under the mast and help lift the sail up, say 8+ knots, but that was with a carbon mast. Don't know about the aluminum one.

Oh, and you can pitch pole just about anything if you try hard enough, but the 20 foot boats have a bit more resistance than the 16 foot 5.0, as they have the much longer bows.

Boat is '02 Nacra I-20, which some have suggested is more forgiving than F18 and price is right for intended use.

'02 I-20 should have a carbon mast. It is painted, which may make you think it's metal. All of that is of course, assuming that the mast was not replaced. Boom is aluminum.

I-20 is very pitch pole resistant - extreme buoyancy in the bows. You can pitch anything, but you need to work harder to pitch these.

Weight is comparable to a 6.0, ~400 lbs. The carbon mast is nice to handle, boat rights fairly easily in anything you're likely to capsize in.

I've single handed ours, not a big deal. Choose your conditions to get used to it. John McLaughlin single handed an I-20 for a whole C-100, kicked all of our butts, but then that's John!

I find the original gen 1 rudders to give the boat a very responsive, almost twitchy feel. If you don't like that, the newest generation rudders give the boat a more settled feel. There are three rudder versions available, folks have their preference.

Overall great boat, they seem to stand up extremely well, so just look for the normal wear and tear items.

The 20 is a little less pitchpole prone than any of the F18's but it is a monster of a boat. I have single handed them periodically but not while being serious about it. It's a big powerful boat meant for two grown people. It's not practical to move it around on the wheels by yourself either. All I20's should have a carbon mast unless someone did something funny with it.

In the next 45 days, a lot of N20s, A-Cats, and F-16s will be rigging for the season at WRSC. Probably will be able to get first hand experience with rigging and sailing each platform. If interested, we can get you in contact with the club members. BTW, there is also an N20 for sale there.

But where is the WRSC?

WRSC: West River Sailing Center ... it is located on the West River which is located south of Annapolis Md on the Chesapeake Bay on the western shore. (approx 6-8 miles below Annapolis)

"Lucky Duck/Ed, John McLaughlin and two or three other F16's sail/race on the West River also.

HarryMurphey

I have to agree that if singlehanding is your thing, then the F16 is the boat for you.

I've single handed mine many times. Light to medium air. Even to Catalina Island once or twice by myself. It really is a pretty forgiving boat but can get overpowered quickly. If it's a great deal, get it.

Sorry but this is wishful/ dangerous thinking. Sure under the right conditions you could right a forty footer! But in reality you will need to be rescued 99.999% of the time.

Well, you can actually singlehand a 70 footer even, (vendee globe) but I wouldn't recommend this to mere mortals.

Regulary singlehanding an I-20 seems a bit of a stretch to me, especially in any gusty or stong conditions. I remember depowering the fricking sh!t out of the rig in 20 knots conditions with 2 80-90 kg guys hanging off the side (400 lbs total).

I break my back only thinking about putting it on its road trailer, beach dolly, in its birth or on its side singlehandedly. My experience is that the less appealing these activities are, the less inclined you are to go sailing.

But really your own statement provides the answer you are looking for; you wrote :"My previous experience was years ago on a nacra 5.0 which I remember being heavy and a handful even for two"

If you think the Nacra 5.00 was too much then their is absolutely no reason to expect any improvement on these point when buying a I-20. It is both significantly heavier and requires alot more skill to depower or handle in challenging conditions, ESPECIALLY when singlehanding it. I personally feel the Nacra 5.0 is actually one of the best designs for the usage you state. I.e. : "...mostly recreational, single or with 1-2 crew, do not want a twitchy boat or one that will pitch pole."

Basically the only lesser point of the nacra 5.0 is maybe its somewhat more pronounced diving tendency, but this is one of the lesser problems of all problems you can encounter on a highly tuned up racing boat.

What is the reason you are getting rid of the Nacra 5.0 ?

Wouter

<quote>
I break my back only thinking about putting it on its road trailer, beach dolly, in its birth or on its side singlehandedly. My experience is that the less appealing these activities are, the less inclined you are to go sailing.
</quote>
Chairperson, I second the above statement.

I have owned a Nacra 5.2 since last year and it has given me lots of aches, bruises, some cuts and a busted shoulder (awful!). Not once because of the on-the water handling which is simply excellent, but from dragging it back up the beach after hours of fun sailing.
I have to motivate myself to go out because of the terrible on the beach handling and I need to co-ordinate my return at all times so that I can get help and don't need to wait for high tide to beach the boat after 18:00 hrs... (kinda s_cks to explain to the wife I came home so late because the tide was out!) (it s_cks worse to have to come in early!)

My next cat will probably be an F-16, but first I need to get my sailing abilities up to par in the school of hard knocks!

It really winds me up when this question comes up.
Someone always uses it as an "I've done this, and I've done that" excuse and gives the impression that it is a good idea for someone, that admits they are uncertain [cos they are asking the question], to go and get a two-hander to single-hand.

Well "SO WOT" [I can feel a song coming on] - Talk some bloody sense!

Paul

Hi Dennis,

I actually got one of the heaviest F16's around, as it is a homebuild. Mine is 121 kg ready to sail in 2-up mode and indeed 125 kg is about as far as I'm willing to go with respect to singlehanded handling of any catamaran. I can put this boat on its trailer and in its birth singlehandedly. Putting it on it dolly, flipping it over and right it again or dragging it to a point above the flood line is very doable in my opinion, but again I don't want to go passed 125 kg overall. Each added kg starts to measure in more heavily then the single kg added before. I too would love to own a modern F16 that are between 107-110 kg in 2-up attire. You do notice that 11-14 kg reduction, let alone the 45 kg that is the difference between an aging N5.2 and a new F16 !

Every now and then I'm asked to help a fellow club member to help raise the mast, flip the boat over or lift the bows to place the dolly underneath. Ever single time I thank the dear lord that I had seen the light about 10 years ago and have gone lightweight. I have never looked back ever since.

Wouter

some *cough*most*cough* of us aren't wussy men and can actually move a 400lbs boat around on the beach with a friend :P

<quote>some *cough*most*cough* of us aren't wussy men and can actually move a 400lbs boat around on the beach with a friend :P
</quote>
That's just "macho speak" for "Guys, I need help getting it up".

Yes, moving it around on hard packed wet sand was easy, even alone, but humping it up hill in soft sand was always a bitch! Even dragging my 230lb. F16 uphill in soft sand is tough. His question (I thought) was more to the point of "Is a 20 footer more pitch pole resistand than an 18, or 16 (5.0)?" I say yes, certainly, especially the Inter 20 because of those big bows. But as others have pointed out, you will suffer the consequenses of dealing with any 20 foot, 400lb. boat on shore.

I usually had to rig mine alone because I usually had my 10 year old son crewing for me, and he was no help when it came time to get it on/off the trailer. It can be done alone unless you are a little girl. I didn't say it would be easy or smart but it can be done.

After my back surgery my doctor told me not to sail anymore, but I decided to get a lighter boat and work out rather than give up sailing.

A better solution might be to learn how -not- to pitch pole your 5.0, if you still have it. Unless you are flat out racing and really pushing the boat for speed downwind, there is no reason it should pitch pole, unless you have too much weight on board. If you have that many friends who like to sail, then they can help you move the Inter 20, which is a much nicer ride for 2-3 adults vs. a 5.0.

But if you go out alone, you will have your hands full on a windy day. I always pulled my boards up a foot or so sailing mine solo, this kept it under control. And you can ease the traveler out a foot too.

I've been an owner of an N20 for a long time. Seems like you are getting a mixed message here. Do not buy this boat to singlehand. This boat is way to powerful for singlehanding. It is twitchy as hell when you singlehand it. Getting it up on the beach by yourself is almost impossible unless you have the perfect hardpacked flat beach with no incline. Me and my crew have stuggled many times trying to get it back on the beach after a long day of sailing. The boat is very hard to right singlehanded with the carbon mast but it can be done in howling conditions.

If you don't have a lot of experience with cats this might not be the boat for you.

PS. If you don't buy it would you mind passing along the seller to me.

That last comment aside (sounds like you have a motive there Mike!), Mike is absolutely correct. Don't buy a 20 with the intention of single handing it. It really is a monster of a catamaran with a lot of power.

Ellen McArthur, a little girl at 5'4" and age 24, sailed a 75 foot triamaran around the world alone. If you studs can't sail your Inter 20's alone, maybe you can get her to crew for you and show you how it's done. It's not that hard to do alone given the right conditions but you have to use some common sense.

I would not go out in the North Atalantic -alone- in 20+ knots on anything but a Laser or a 75 foot tri, but on an inland lake or the intercoastal, or a protected bay, with warm water, etc. all of that figures into the equation.

Depending on skill and sailing location, and of course, weather permitting, it can be done safely. You have to use your head and sometimes you have to say, Nah, it's blowing too hard for solo, I'll find crew or go to the bar, or both...

Now, should we rehash the "What is the perfect boat" thread again? Like I always say, we each need at least 2-3 cats, one for each situation. As you see Jake and some others have figured it out, by owning more than one boat! I'm still saving up for my own 75 foot tri!

I only want one boat. One that adapts to all conditions. It gets bigger or smaller depending on what I'm sailing in (swell, wind, surf, etc).

AND, it only has one string and a tiller to control 3 sails. Oh, and I don't have to pull that hard.

and I can push it around on the beach/trailer with one person.

It won't ding or scratch or sink. Carries up to 20 scantily clad dancing girls (mast is made of brass-like material) but I can singlehand. And a beer cooler

And costs under $2000 delivered.

I've got one, but it looks a lot like a rubber dinghy in a swimming pool at spring break!

How big? 6'6" 280#?

I'm 6' 200#s and have sailed my N20 alone. I've single handed it when crew turns out to be less than usefull; one race while doing everything and trying to encourge "crew" to just throw-up already.

With only half the crew weight on it, it is "twitchy"; not a-class "twitchy" but twitchy.

2001 Nacra I-20 -- Excellent Shape 2 Jibs 2 Spins New Dagger Boards $7,500 More info andrew.mason@ymcadc.org 240-731-7291 (MD)(Feb)

Yes and at my club that "friend" is usually me !

Despite the fact that I never ask for a similar favour in return !

What a good friend I am, not ?

Wouter

See my avatar.

That's me, singlehanding (well, OK, I was using both of MY hands) my former N 6.0na

Sure even a moron can sail her solo but that's not the point.

Soo...what -is- the point?

The main point is a safety issue because you can not right the boat solo! The minor point being that you will need some help moving her back up the beach after a sail especially in soft sand.

I have righted mine several times, solo, but as I said, you have to get the bows into the wind, get the wind under the mast, and get out on the low board and lean back. I weighed about 190 at that time. If there is enough wind to flip you, there is probably enough wind to help you right it.

Years later, in lighter wind, I could not right my own F16, because there was not enough wind under the sail to help. I could get it half way up but then my body would hit the water and it would stop coming up. It is much easier to right when the wind is blowing, but that's most likely when you might flip too.

Another time, in very light air, with my 8 yr. old son driving my Hobie 18 and me lying on the tramp, a small puff came along and before I could roll over and unclete the main, we were over. The two of us could not right it, not enough weight or wind to help. Luckily a jet ski came by and lifted the mast tip up out of the water for us.

My point is, if you have good conditions and you know what you are doing, you can do it. To say it is unsafe is to say all cats are unsafe, because at times, in bad conditions, well, they are. Too windy or too light, those are the times you should be in the bar.

Nacra 20 is not the boat you need if single handing is your priority. It is the BEST boat ever made, but if singlehanding most of the time is your gig get an A-cat or a Nacra 17. The 17 can carry other folks as well and has a kite. I have an I/N 20 and have singlehanded it and have righted by myself, when my crew abandoned ship. But I wouldn't get one counting on that option. It was blowing over 20 when I had to right mine, and it wouldn't have been possible for me in any less.
Tawd

OK, I'm gonna say it.... HIT THE F'N GYM!!!

Someone left YOU!?

I don't believe it...

not for a second :P



Don't let Bill Roberts hear that :P

As a comparison, I singlehand my HT all the time in the summer when its light, usually under 12 and pretty steady. Flying the spin by myself is fantastic. I can right it by myself with a righting pole and I carry a water bag for backup.

The HT mast is a foot longer than the i20 and the sail area is about the same, so the righting effort is about the same as the i20. I'm 200lbs.

Tyler Burd's Red i20 (he sold it recently, was Struble's at one time) had a custom trailer with long wood planks instead of cradles, the trailer was very low and the boat slid easily off the trailer onto the wheels. That boat was the easiest to get off a trailer as compared to any boat I've sailed.

I think its do-able if you are careful, rig a righting pole, carry a water bag and some sort of communication device and have a launch area with a hard pack or small hill.

It wouldnt be my first choice if it lived on a trailor and I had to rig it solo each time I went sailing.

You can't be serious anyway you can very easily check while still on land, just flip the boat over and give it a try. And while you are at it take a couple of pictures so you can prove that you’re not just making this up.

I think the general consensus is that something as big as an F18 or N20 is probably not a "first choice" for you if your primary sailing will be single-handing. Unless of course you:

are really buff
Preferably over 220.
Have two pairs of hands for all the control lines, tiller, etc.
Only sail in flat water with steady wind under 15 kts.
push boat around on hard surfaces and not up steep hills/ramps

Did the Buccaneer call me a moron?

Oh well, I've problably been called worse, BUT,

It's MR. moron to you!

Anyways, the pic in my avatar, was very close to the Texas City Dike(before Hurricane Ike), with other boats around, etc. I'm no moron, well, maybe I am. And no, I couldn't right my 6.0 myself, hell it was hard enough with two adults!

There is alot to be said for sailing solo however, and often quite fun, even on a boat like the N6.0, and many others.

OK it's clear now.

That is not to say the N20 is not an awesome boat in fact I would jump at the opportunity of owning one. Just not designed to be a solo platform, for that you need a boat you can consistently right without need for assistance (self reliance).

>>>"Just not designed to be a solo platform, for that you need a boat you can consistently right without need for assistance (self reliance).<<<

Then you had better get a Laser or Sunfish, because there are times when you can't right a cat, no matter the cat.

OR...you could use some -common sense- and not go out in conditions that would be difficult or impossible to right your cat, or when there are no other boats around to help you right your cat. And you had better tie yourself to your cat any time you are sailing solo too, unless there are others (cats, mono's, jet ski's, what ever) in the area that can assist you in recovering your cat.

Here's an example, I will be as vague as possible to hopefully not embarass anyone. There was a regatta a few years back. Day one it's blowing stink, 20-25 with gusts to 33 or so.

There was a fleet of Inter 20's there, about 8-10 of them on the beach. The RC cancelled racing but a couple of the I-20's went out to "have some fun". There was a new guy there who had just bought his I-20, he was new to cat sailing in general but had years of racing mono's. His crew had less experience.

Several of us were standing on the shore watching the two boats that went out, they were flying! Litterally at times. They both flipped in the gybes but got right back up and kept going. Awsome stuff to watch!

But these were two of the top Inter 20 teams in the US at the time. The new guy starts to put up his mainsail. Several of us went over and asked if he was going to go out. "Of Course, why not? Those guys went out."

Well a few of us tried to talk him out of it. He wouldn't listen. Then just before he left the beach, he asked, "What should I do to de-power the boat?" So we gave him some tips and he went out.

He made it about 100 yards off shore when the first gust flipped him. The lake is shallow and his mast tip got stuck in the mud. The two of them spent the next 30 minutes trying to right the boat. I was sure the mast would snap because they were doing it all wrong, but to eveyrone's amazement, they eventually got it upright with the mast in one peice.

He then sailed out into the main body of the lake. We were more than a little worried about what would happen to him if he flipped again wayyy away from shore, because there were no rescue boats out there, racing being cancelled of course. And the wind was blowing away from our shore. Talk like, "OK, Who's going to go out and bring him back?" was going around, with no volunteers.

BUT, his main halyard ring had come off the hook and his main was slowly sliding down the mast, which was really a blessing for him as it was being reefed for him!

When he figure out what was going on, he tacked and came back to shore on the jib alone, main half down and flogging. So, in over an hour, he spent maybe 5 minutes sailing and the rest of the time trying to right the boat, with two adult males on board.

Now, there were conditions when some went out, some didn't and some did who shouldn't have. All with the same boats, same conditions, very different skill levels and results.

"A man's got to know his limitations."

Oh, we never saw that guy again. I think he sold the boat shortly after that experience. Too bad he wouldn't listen or take someone else who had more expeirience.

I would argue that you could always right an acat not matter what the condition.

I had to help one one time and I don't recall that his mast was filled up with water. "What happend?" "Why couldn't you right that LALB?" "don't know"

Bill, that might be true, if you are anywhere near your A cat after you crash and maybe not if the mast tip is stuck in the muck.

You've outed me. I just make this stuff up to put people in harms way. C'mon man, do you really think I'm lying on this one? I'm 5'11" and about 250lbs. I right this thing solo ALL THE TIME!! With crew, I've righted it in barely over a minute from splashdown to back on the boat. It's called athleticisim! If you can't handle it, go buy a Playstation III. I was simply reffering to hauling it up the beach on my last post. If you're too big of a wuss to get yours up the beach, get in a little better shape! Hit the gym before calling me a liar. Maybe boats are just a little harder to right and move around in Thialand I guess. Next meal, instead of rice and fish, try some meat and potatos.

Good then it should be very simple to take a couple of pictures I think we could all benefit to see your awesome technique.

Yes the Thais have a fairly healthy diet. Never know but perhaps even a great big guy like you could loose some weight and improve your quality of life by eating just such a diet.

Hell mate !

In the F16 class we already qualify that amount of total weight belonging to a 2-up crew !

Lets face it your build is not to be considered normal by demographic data. You are in the top 5% of weights for US males and therefor more like the exception then the rule. You have an obessity factor of no less then 35% ! (Look up BMI index)

So what are you arguing here ? That YOU and some 4% of the others can singlehandedly right the I-20 consistantly. That still leaves 95% of the people struggling for dear life if they are not careful.

That I do call bad advice form your side.

Sorry,

Wouter

I too have handled I-20's (of friends) on the (soft sand) beaches and trailers. I sure as hell do not rate that as pleasant. We have a small incline to the beach as well and I'm fit. Still all F18 and I-20 sailors at my club use an electric winch to get the boats into the parking spaces. The F16's and A owners and one or two H16 and P16 owners are the only ones still doing it by muscle power.

I don't know what kind of level concrete slabs you guys are using at the waterfront but I too would like to envite your 250 lbs body to do the "walk of manhood" at my club !

Ask Tim Bohan for details if you don't believe me.

Wouter

Pulling the Tornado up a concrete dinghy launch ramp alone was hard enough to make me wary of taking it out alone, and I consider myself athletic. Also was ridicilously overpowered in all but the gentlest winds. I expect the I20 to be the same or even worse in both aspects. Two-up boats are just that, two up..

I can't beleive that you left your name on the bottom of that post

LEE WICKLUND everybody......... LEE WICKLUND>>>>> [Read it again and weep].....

Yep,
It's a horrible thing to post your thoughts and actually stand behind them with your name signed at the bottom...gasp.
Todd

FWIW, I'm 6'6" 240lbs, and I've righted the N20 solo.

Trey has righted his solo at 210 lbs.

Its not impossible. It is however, not pleasant to sail the boat by yourself.

Before you judge by mere weight, keep in mind that I played Pro-Football for 7 years and at that weight I ran a 4.78 second 40 yard dash. Endurance? Playing Arena Football, we had to play Offense and Defense. Being a first stringer, it wasn't uncommon for me to play EVERY snap of the football in a game. I'm sure your little walk of manhood wont be too tough for my fat butt to traverse.
BTW, we don't have any concrete slabs where I sail from, just beach or grass. Some pretty steep.
I see your point on the advice part. But I never said I expected everyone to do the same as me. When someone asks for opinions on this subject, should I just keep my experiences a secret? Enjoy your little 16 and I'll keep sailing my air craft carrier.

Okay !

That would do it, I think.

I regulary try to get it up the hill solo for kicks and it sure feels like pushing a defense made up of big boys aside for a 30+ yard stretch. Completely anaerobic and when your muscles are out of oxygen you drop to the ground without a hope to recover. In the soft sand you move ahead by 10 inches and push you feet backward through the sand another 10 inches. That in itself is mentally wrecking.

I do alot of (fast) cycling and tend to have a little more oxygen reserve in my leg muscles then most, but often enough I need help of a friend for the last few meters. But it is just up the ally of an American football defense player or rugby scrum specialist.

Best of luck overthere!

Wouter

I've righted mine solo, and I'm 5'9 and 190.

You MUST use the technique Rick White has taught in his book, Catsailing for the 90's. You sit on the low bow, wait for the boat to turn so the bows are pointing 45 off upwind and the mast and mainsail are 45 off the other side of upwind. The jib and mainsheet must be uncleted of course and the spinnaker snuffed, of course. Now, the wind will help right the boat by going under the mainsail, while you get out on the board and lean back.

Do we remember the tale from last year's Tradewinds where an Inter 20 righted ALL BY ITSELF?! With NOBODY on the boat, the wind got under the main and righted it. Proof it can be done, with NOBODY even on the boat!

As I said way back at the beginning of this way overdone thread, if the wind is right and you know what you are doing, it can be done. In light air, no way, I would need more weight. But chances of me flipping the boat in light air are slim, I would hope.

As far as moving the boat around in soft beach sand, that sucks no matter what the boat is, but obviously the heavier the boat, the harder the job. Wouter's beach is HUGE, and it's a very long drag from the water all the way up hill to the parking area. I would want help even with a light boat there. They were smart enough to install a great rope-winch system for the heavier boats.

I do like the idea of the rope winch system. Kind of like the old ski pull lifts? That's what I'm envisioning. When I had my H16 and no beach wheels, it was a bitch pulling it up the sand to high water.

putting an electric winch that powers a set of cat-trax wouldn't be that big of an engineering nightmare

They have a big drum-spool and a very long rope, run by an electric motor up at the club end. You need one person at each end, one to turn on the motor, one to lead the boat.

They just drag the rope down to the boat on the beach, the drum on freewheel, and tie it to the cat track ropes, or main beam, whatever, then turn on the winch and up she comes, at about a walking pace. The only drawback being they can only drag up one boat at a time and then take the rope back for the next boat.

It is not a closed loop system (like a ski rope tow) with another wheel on the beach, because of the huge tidal range, but that would be nice to install at a lake location where the tide won't cover it up.

How about a single handed regatta, have to bring a double handed boat, rig, right and sail yourself?

None of this sissy Tybee double handed stuff.

I think that political thread is turning him too.

I'm in.

I've always wondered why the Alter Cup is always on a two person boat, never Mano -a- mano.

A good crew can make an average skipper look very good, and vice versa. The next Alter Cup will be on Vipers, they could race them solo, or maybe use the Nacra F17, Waves or an A cat. It might be a problem getting any one manufacturer to supply 10 brand new A cats though.

Racing solo with a spinnaker in big wind is what separates the men from the boys, but I might just be a little biased.

(that's a joke, I don't want anyone getting their panties in a wad over this, we all know how they separate the men from the boys in Texas...)

Actually that is not true. We often do 3 to 4 boats on one tow.

We tie the line to the centre of the beach dolly axle and leave lots of line at the unsecured end. This can then be tied to next boat. And so on. Basically the only limitation is the number of boats that can be placed in the flat spot in front of the winch.

Wouter

Thanks for the full story Wouter, it is an impressive set up, but then all your cat clubs over there are fantastic!

Is that all you got. I'm 81 lbs. 4' 2" soaking wet, and I righted my stilletto 27 7 times by myself while drinking a half gallon of rum during a hurricane. You buncha sissies aren't man enough to carry my limes.DDOOOHHHHH!
Tawd

I read in one of your responses re solo righting that you can solo right the nacra 20....Do you stand on the dagger board to accomplish a solo right ? I thought that the weight would break or damage the dagger bd . please advise ! thanks Bill

I used to stand on it, yes. I didn't jump up and down but just stood there until the mast tip came up out of the water.

I have great confidence in the Inter 20 daggers, they are quite heavy and seem very solid, I have not heard of one failing except maybe if run aground very hard, but even then I know several who have done that and their boards didn't break. The Inter 20 is a very solid boat overall, there are many that have done the Worrell/Tybee several times over.

Additionally, the I-20 daggerboards operate under 100 kg sideways load when a 150 kg crew is double trapped and lifting the luff hull while sailing straight. During cornering the loads can easily increase significantly. I'm guessing by as much as another 100 kg.

But the best story I have is of some prototype Blade F16 daggerboard. These same maker did the daggerboards for the 2007 Alter Cup Blades. He tested a new way of producing the boards. The new ones are 1.6 kg per boards (less then 4 lbs) and are theirfor about halve the weight of an (minimum weight) F18 daggerboard (as required by their class rules). He challenged me to jump up and down on the tip with the board clamped in tight and raised above the floor. I dared not to make a real effort so he said :"let me do it". No he is a 100 kg guy (220 lbs) and I say him oscillate up an down by as much as 10 inches, on the very tip, and the board took it without any complaints.

That is when I realized what kind of loads these boards can take when they are well designed and produced with great care. It was very impressive. But I don't think all catamaran builders put the same amount of attention into their products; So I'm still not advicing you to try this at home !

Wouter

I slipped off Karl's hull with my "fancy" (read: 11 year old) surf booties while righting it at Hirams, and bounced off the lower daggarboard and it didn't break. I'm 6'1" and 185 lbs. More of a glancing blow to the daggar than a full on "cannon ball" type hit, but nonetheless...

Both Karl & my first thought was "s!" I hopre I didn't break something!

There is nothing under built on the N20! Except for that batch of rudders they used at the Alter Cup.

2002 Nacra I-20 Sail #1001

http://www.biztoolsone.com/i20/index.html

Thats a fast boat. I raced against that boat for the last couple years and it always beat me :P

The driver beats you not the boat... But I do love the pics that have been posted of this boat so that I can compare the rigging to mine! Thanks!

I thought the :P indicated the sarcasm in my statement, that communicated the idea that you conveyed

May I offer its the crew that beats you on the N20....

Nah, it's the driver :P

right...its the crew that gets the beatin'

If it's the driver, I'm not grinding the main sheet anymore!

Oh, you've only just begun to grind! ;-)

Having the crew grind the main is passe (pronounced 'pass-ay') already. We've now hired trained chimps to do it for us.

Gets kinda hairy when they try to eat your face when they get fed up with the game tho.