[quote=catsailordude]I have purchased 2 Nacra 500s (a 2008 and a 2010) on behalf of a comunity sailing club in Toronto. They are great boats and are actually simpler than a hobie 16, as there is no boom and the rig tension is not adjustable when sailing.
They are great boats and have met with much wider acceptance in the club than the Hobie 16s did, as they are harder to capsize, easier to right, easier to rig and less crew weight sensitive.
I think the "3 hitches" suggestion is the simplest way to deal with the jib cunningham.
The Portsmouth and Texel ratings for the Nacra 500 are about the same as for the Hobie 16, but I think the Nacra 500 should be slightly faster since it has more efficient sails and lower resistance hulls. The Dart 18 is a couple ticks slower but still in the same ball park. The Hobie 18 is a couple ticks faster.
The mast rotation on the 500 is automatic. As you sheet the main sail tighter for upwind sailing, the mast will rotate back (less rotation) and as you ease off the sheet and/or travel out for downwind sailing the mast will travel out. It's not perfect, but it seems to work pretty good.
There are a bunch of Nacra 500 videos in here: http://www.youtube.com/user/catsailordude
Ed
F18 Infusion
Bladerider Moth
Nacra 500s (community club owned)[/quote]
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