I'm looking to get a used Nacra 5.0 and just wanted what kind of things I should check if I go see it.
I've never had a Nacra but have been on some, and so I don't know what things to check etc to know it's condition?

Also, how much does it cost to replace the mast tensioner bar? I found one that has a broken one and wanted to get an idea how much that costs.

there is not much to the 5.0 (early to mid-80s hulls are stringers, I don't know about newer), just make sure the hull/deck area feels pretty stiff and look for damage. The online stores here and at murrays.com have lots of Nacra parts, if by mast tensioner bar you mean the post that the mast sits on it is around $50, if it is the dolphin striker V-bar then I don't know.

I think he is talking about the diamond wire spreader bar...right? I would not think that they would be to expensive but the repair might be tough.

Check the rudders and make sure all the system is in working order.
Depending on the year it might be foam core or solid laid fiberglass. My 5.2 is solid and really stiff, but either could be bad or good.
Just check the normal things, sails, tramp...etc.

Check the mast step, see if the ball has been changed out to the newer style or if it is the older style. Finding the older style ball can be really tough and if you can't it is about 100 dollars to change out to the newer style because it requires a new mast base and a new dolphinstriker.

That is about all I can think of right now.

yes sorry I meant the spreader bar.
Can anyone let me know a more exact price for the new spreader bar and what the repair involves?

Also, yea I was referring mainly to the hulls, do they get soft etc, like Hobie 16 hulls? or are they more stiff?
Also, one of the only ones I can find and may look at is a 1984 nacra 5.0

I don't know anything else about the spreader bar, or the repair there but it may just be one bar rather than two which shouldn't be hard to replace, it looks like it just runs through.

If they are 1984 you should check and see if they are the laminant hulls or the solid fiberglass with the stringers. Both will have problems, in my mind I kinda like the solid fiberglass because if it gets beat up I can fix it and I don't worry about delam. But I guess they do lose their stiffness quicker.

We have a couple of adjustable spreaders (the stock original was a straight nonadjustable). I think they'll work for you. You will need diamond wires if you get these spreaders from us

I believe your '84 will likely be solid 'glass. The glass boats were somewhat flexy from the get-go. What you want to look for is to make sure that:
--the longitudinal stringers (half-circle bits along the inside of the hulls) are still attached to the skin
--the bulkheads (inside the hulls, under the beams) are still attached to the skin. Reach in and push on the bulkheads - they shouldn't move.
--the outer decking shouldn't have any splits longitudinally, the boats were built in two halves and glued together. The glue line/flange acts as a stringer as well.
--although flexy, the hulls should not be mushy. Oilcanning (flexy) is ok, mushiness is trailer crush.

All of these are easy enough to fix, if you're willing to mess with it and the price is right. Just make sure the price is RIGHT.

Boudicca -
How much does the spreader bar cost, along with diamond wires etc, and what all is involved in the repair?

Also, on your previous statement... can you please explain what all those words mean? lol
I haven't been sailing tooo long, I don't know what alot of those things mean (like longitudinal stringers, bulkheads, diamond wires, etc)
Also, how can I see the inside of the hulls? Does the 5.0 come with port holes?

Also, is it easier to repair soft/mushy spots on Nacras than on hobies? I've tried doing it on a h 16, wasn't the funnest thing, I rushed it though and wasn't as successful as I'd hoped.

also gree, can you please show me pictures of your spreader bar?
thanks

Well to start

Stringer- They look like a half a paper towel roll on the inside of the hull. It provides stiffness to the hull so that it isn't just a sheet of fiberglass. If it has ports looks about half way up the hull.

Bulkhead- These should be around where the cross bars connect, it is a vertical piece of fiberglass perpendicular to the hull that provides support, you can reach past them except under where the water can run.

Diamond Wires- The wires that form a diamond like shape on the mast, you called them mast tensioners. They are used to control the bend of the mast, and can be used to intiate prebend. Starting out...just make sure they are there.

I will try and get some pictures soon.

ok sounds good, and if you could please show me pictures of stringers etc, that'd be great.
I have no idea how I could see the inside of the hulls though unless it has port holes?

Also, I'm still confused what bulkheads are, and additionally what does boricadda mean by "trailer cushion"?

Finally, do you guys think it's easier to fix a soft spot on a Nacra than on a hobie 16?

also, by port holes i mean inspection holes

stringers are structural members that run the direction of the hull on the inside sides. In the 80's, most Nacra hulls had a horizontal fiberglass stringer that went the length of the hull on the inside. It was literally a piece of cardboard tubing overwhich several layers of fiberglass were laid. This gave the sides of the hulls additional stiffness. Somewhere around 1983, Nacra started using foam core construction instead of solid fiberglass. The foam core boats may not have this stringer and are constructed just like it sounds - two layers of fiberglass sandwiching a foam core (most boats today are built this way).

Bulkheads are vertical plates inside the hull that should be attached almost all the way around. They are usually open on the bottom to allow trapped water to escape sections of the hulls. The bulkheads should be located at about the rear beam and the front beam.

The boat will have to have forward inspection ports for you to see most of these structural items.

If the boat is solid fiberglass and is getting soft, repair will be difficult.

You can find info about parts here:
http://nacra.us/nacra/nindex.html
(Nacra parts - older)

Here is a source of prices, don´t know how it compares to other dealers. Do a search for the P/N you are looking for
(i.e. C270):
http://murrays.com/prices

Jake, how would I know if the boat is solid fiberglass or not?

Also, the older boats are the ones that are solid fiberglass, the newer ones are the ones with a foam core correct?

If the boat doesnt have inspection ports, how can I go about checking all those things? lol

Also, I take it the spreader bar is $21?

Well, first of all. Where ARE you? Maybe someone here is near you and can go help you look at the boat. That would sure make all this much easier...

Dating the boat: look on the top outer edge, behind the last (after) beam (crossbar) on the rightward (starboard) hull (may be on the port/left hull). There should be a series of numbers. The last two numbers are the date.

I don't have experience with the 5.0 in particular, but in the other NACRA, there should be portholes aft of the forward (front) beam. It's very hard to offer advice without seeing the boat...

Look to the marine store here, or Murray's Marine, for prices on diamond wire. If you're close enough I'll just give you the spreaders - they're scavenged from my husband's wrecked boat.

FWIW, if the boat is foam-cored, it's very unlikely that it will be delaminated. I've NEVER seen a NACRA delam, unlike Hobie boats. Not to say it can't happen, but I've been around NACRAs for a few years now and I ain't seen it yet. If the boat is foamcore and it's delaminated, the repair will be like that on the H16. If it's fibreglass, the repair is much much easier.

And, Boudicca, where are YOU? It would make everything a lot easier to help people if everybody would put their location (at least generally) in their profile so it appears with their posts.

The boat is in austin, if someone could come with me that'd be great <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />
The link to the boat is http://austin.craigslist.org/boa/301622664.html
I talked with the guy a few times and I'm going to see the boat tomorrow around 6:30. If someone could come that'd be great. It doesnt have inspection ports.

Also, ya thats why I want a Nacra, I want a boat I can pound through surf and waves and not worry about the hull breaking etc.

Also, jake said if it was entirely fiberglass it'd be a hard repair, yet you said if its entirely fiberglass it'd be an easy repair...?

Any other things I should know about Nacras? Like I said, I'm coming from a H 16 that I raced in a few regattas <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Maybe you guys can tell some things from the pictures there? I plan to take some more pictures after I see it so I can show yall more.

I was planning on spending ~$2000 for a nicer Nacra but I cant find a damn one anywhere, so hard to find!

I have an older solid glass Nacra 5.2 and it is pretty simple to repair as long as you can get to it from the inside. Otherwise, you would have to use foam to create a back stop to lay up the glass on.

-Rob

in addition to my question above... anyone hear anything about someone adding their own inspection holes? I have no idea how else I'd get to the inside <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />