Adjustible outhaul for boomless cats

I have a Super Cat 15. It also has a boomless main. Besides moving the mainsheet attachment forward or aft on the clew plate I don't know of any possible adjustment.

Could you get your hands on a boom and add it on? Is there much to be gained performance-wise?

Back when I bought my last 5.5 sl main, 15 years ago, the track, car and cleat was about $350 new. No telling what they are now. To save money you moved it to the new sail. I did have an extra at one time but sold it.

The sails that were made for them had a bolt rope sewn into the clew and have 3 bolts that go threw the sail. The car allows you to adjust on the fly, as conditions and course direction change. Pulling the car forward as wind increases to flatten the sail and limiting the mast rotation a bit. Or letting it out to increasing the draft of the sail to go downwind or more power upwind.

Where to find one? The 5.5's and 6.0 came with them and many racers added them to the 5.8's and later the were stock on the 5.8's. Someone with an old 5.5, 5.8 or 6.0 sail or a sail maker like EP sails would have them. I have seen them on E-bay but it is rare.

I think there is one in the ads. You don't want to put a boom on a boomless rig. Booms induce rotation while boomless don't, the geometry is off, you will need to add a clew cringle to the sail, etc. It can be done but you end up changing your rotation controls, why bother. Check with Harken and see if you can still order the item. A lot of times they will have these items warehoused in NOS.

Changing the position on the clew plate on the water is not hard at all. I would KISS, if you can't find the clew traveler.

I didn't realize that it is not stock item. I found one on locat CL but it is for Nacra 6.0 and little too long. It apears that it need to be sewd in by the sailmaker.

Like Philip said, changing clew position on water is not that difficult but I always have that vision of sail ripping out of my hands when I am doing that.

Is it worth of doing it? - I like to hear from somedy who have done it before I jump in and spend money.

The 6.0 and 5.8 share the same clew traveler. If you can find one I would buy it. It will mostly benefit you with a new sail or the convenience factor.

I removed mine when I had a new main sail made and added a boom. I have everything but the car if you want it (for free). I'm going to keep the harken car for a new self tacking jib. You should be able to use a simple genoa track car on it and that would cost less money.

David 😎

Nacra 5.5SL
San Diego,CA

davidsd wrote: I'm going to keep the harken car for a new self tacking jib.
David 😎

Nacra 5.5SL
San Diego,CA

FYI the modern curved self takers that I've looked at have all be captive ball cars.

May want to check but I think the tracks may be different.

clew traveler from a Nacra 5.8 mainsail.
http://thebeachcats.com/pictures/?g2_itemId=105784

you asked if they work well? yes, quite well in controlling the power in the sail.
j

Edited by arch on Sep 21, 2013 - 10:10 AM.

The pictured clew traveler has been modified. The Nacra supplied set up has a Harken 140 pivoting exit block.

Might want to give this guy a call. It looks like it is missing the pivoting exit block, which you can buy anywhere.

http://www.thebeachcats.com/classifieds/catamaran-parts-for-sale/p13016-nacra-catamaran-parts.html

I added a picture of mine so you can see details.

If you are getting a new sail, you will need this. If you are going to add it to your existing sail, you will have to modify your sail by adding a bolt rope. Even then, you might run into problems because the sail thickness will make it difficult or impossible to slide the traveler on, which has a very narrow slot.

davidsd wrote: I'm going to keep the harken car for a new self tacking jib.
David 😎

Nacra 5.5SL
San Diego,CA

nacra55 wrote: FYI the modern curved self takers that I've looked at have all be captive ball cars.

May want to check but I think the tracks may be different.

Self tacker tracks are 13 mm
and the clew traveler care is 22 mm

The pictured clew traveler has been modified. The Nacra supplied set up has a Harken 140 pivoting exit block.

well go figure.........i have two different sails, from two different sellers set up this same way.
not trying to be perfect here.....just illustrating what it looks like to those who've never seen one.
j

Arch's photo is how they were in the early 90's

Philip's is from the mid 90's

Thank you guys for the pictures.

P.M. wrote: Might want to give this guy a call. It looks like it is missing the pivoting exit block, which you can buy anywhere.

http://www.thebeachcats.com/classifieds/catamaran-parts-for-sale/p13016-nacra-catamaran-parts.html

If you are getting a new sail, you will need this. If you are going to add it to your existing sail, you will have to modify your sail by adding a bolt rope. Even then, you might run into problems because the sail thickness will make it difficult or impossible to slide the traveler on, which has a very narrow slot.

Yes, this is the one I was looking at and comunicating with.

I think it comes with a piece of previous sail's foot which may be sewed onto my sail in case it doesn't fit the track's slot. However I don't think it will be as strong as bolting it directly to the sail. My sail doesn't have a bolt rope at the foot and need to be modified.

Adam,

The bolt's functions are to prevent the track from moving forward and aft on the sail, and to prevent the slot of the track from flexing open when under load. You will need the bolt rope to carry the load. If you simply bolt a track to a sail (without a bolt rope), it will tear away the moment you put a load on it.

Using the seller's included piece of sail's "foot" as he has pictured, might work on your old sail, if there is enough surface area to sew it together, and not interfere with the "plate" if there is one (see Note). You should buy the track before I do, as they are rare, and it is a bargain. 😉

Note: The more modern sails that EP built used a plate instead of a bolt rope. What the seller has might include the plate. The modern cloths (PE series) "wrapped" at the foot, and the plate was inserted (slid in from the leach side) and the bolts went through the track, cloth and plate, and the plate transferred the load to the sail.

Give me a moment and I will add a photo which will help illustrate much better than a thousand words. Either way, you will need to have a sail shop or other source, work on your sail.

Here are some pics (plate version, not bolt rope) of what I was describing above. This might be what the seller has, who BTW, is a top notch seller. I have purchased from him.

Thanks Philip, that helps a lot.
This will make good project for off season.

Great tool for shaping the sail. I highly reccomend.

davidsd wrote: I removed mine when I had a new main sail made and added a boom. I have everything but the car if you want it (for free). I'm going to keep the harken car for a new self tacking jib. You should be able to use a simple genoa track car on it and that would cost less money.

David 😎

Nacra 5.5SL
San Diego,CA

David,
Do you have the cleat on pivoting block, the type that is shown below?

P.M. wrote: