In 2006 I bought a new Nacra 500 from a dealer that was going out of business and at 50% off I couldn't pass it up even though I was currently sailing...

Don't wax them. Where you're sailing is pretty high latitude and only warm months so I would expect the oxidation to be minimal.

Essentially the same boat. I disagree. The 5.0 and the 570 and the 5.0 and 500 are alike in the hull shape but that's about it. Different sail plan,...

Congratulations...the N5,7 is the best dammed simple sailing cat you can buy. No boom, no boards, no hassle. Put roller furling on your jib, the drive...

Over the hull for sure.Thankyou. Intuitively I always knew that was the case. What added to my confusion is the fact that lots of "righting systems"...

Where the righting line is attached to the boat makes zero difference - the only thing that matters is the location of the CG. Okay, which is better?...

Tossing the line over the hull makes it easier on your arms, but it doesn't _actually_ give you mechanical / leverage advantage. I don't quite under...

You can really overthink this one. You will have some mechanical advantage by throwing the line over the hull. A coil of line tied to the mast step ...

Dana, it will take years for that to become a problem. If you're still concerned, bedding it with silicon should do the trick. I trailer my boat bac...

I bought the cheapest one I could find 3 years ago, it's painted not galvanized and it has very little rust so far.

Don't bother changing the mast hound (tang) for the sole reason of getting one with two holes. Two holes are so you can have your trapeze wires on a ...

"If it works, don't fix it."

One thing I forgot to consider when I mentioned the idea of moving the jib blocks to the hull is the Tornado has a 10 ft beam and the blocks probably ...

You could also move them to the inboard part of the hull (like a lot of cats) and this will free up some space on the tramp. A short piece of travele...

Moving the jib blocks to the main cross beam will certainly free up space but you'll have to have the foot of the jib recut because the sheeting angle...

When I bought my 500 back in '06 it came with an owners manual that showed everything with detailed photos. Perhaps you can access it on line. Never...

I owned one of these for ten years and hated the factory jib rigging system. Can't comment on the spinnaker. At the apex of the bridle was a fitting...

The lack of diamond wires on the Getaway should make a huge difference in being able to step the mast. With diamond wires you have to change your gri...

It is only out of your league if you attempt to sail it the first time without the help of an experienced cat sailor. There's many more ways to get i...

I've always used a rubber non- skid tape purchased at West Marine. Lasts a few years then clean with acetone and replace. The other stuff is a lot o...

I tried something similar once, the problem being that whatever you build, not only will you have to tilt the motor up when not in use but the motor b...

The cheeta bracket is usually mounted with stainless rivets. I don't see the holes weakening the cross tube enough to worry about. If you decide to ...

Don't trust any boat that has been sitting around for several years with water in the hulls.

I have to deal with a similar situation. The manual winch on my trailer gets plenty of sand on the drum and I've been using it for three years. Unle...

When you are racing you want the downhaul to be easily pulled by your crew from either a sitting position or on the trapeze. That's the reason for al...

The 3 to 1 is not enough. You would have to be Superman to get the right downhaul tension. The same is true for the mainsheet. A 6 to1 is fine for a...

Don't see the need for one unless you're cutting a lot of line. Wrap tight with masking tape, make your cut with a real sharp knife against a piece o...

Decades ago in CA I saw an inflatable catamaran called a Catapult. I watched the owner set it up and when he sailed away it looked pretty fast. I lo...

You are probably right. I never reef, but if I did I would look for a beach or a shallow area and anchor. I always carry one. Hove to works really ...