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[quote=Edchris177]The 5.8 will handily beat the 5.7, there is quite difference in Portsmouth ratings. I've heard the 5.8 can be a beast, but that is secondhand as I've been on one in calm conditions in Cal-I-forn--i-a, but never seen it solo, or in a blow.
[quote]so remove all 4 inspection hatches [/quote]
My 5.7is an '84, the other I was on was '85...neither of them had any ports. If it does, do as Eric said.
[quote]mast - 1984 should have swept spreaders?[/quote]
Both 5.7s I have been on had swept spreaders. Mine was freshwater boat, & they could be turned with fingers. If they can't it's no big deal, they won't corrode to the mast, it is only the adjustment to change the bars length that corrodes. Dan berger usually has spares.
Look closely at the big ticket items, tramp, sails, hulls, mast. The sail tends to wear at the bolt rope, towards the bottom, near where it feeds into the mast track. Also look closely at the head & clew plates, I had one come totally apart, the rivets were corroded.(cheap to fix) Make sure all battens are present & not broken,(pull them out & check)
If you look hard you should be able to find some flaw. Ask about it, then ask if the hulls leak. If the PO lies about the first flaw, you know his answers about the hulls are suspect, along with everything lse he tells you. The boat is 27 years old, as long as they tell you what's wrong, you can plan to fix it.
I've only ran boat to boat with H16, H17, Dart 18, & can point as well. You might not be as fast as a boat with boards, but if you get the leeward bow buried you can point nearly as well.
I don't subscribe to the theory of going easy on them because they're old. I drive the crap out of mine, & so does Nacraman57. I've had 2 on the wire & myself on the upwind hull, braced against traveler casting, fully powered, in 20 kts of wind. You hear some creaks, but not much has given way. IF it does, I guess I'll have to buy a new cat.
You can drive them hard, bow under the water right up to the front beam, & they won't pitch. You can cruise in big wind with 5 adults on a totally clean tramp. If you are in shallow waters, no boards are an asset.
They are all glass, but may feel "soft" in places. The hulls will "oil can" when you step on the sides(when capsized), especially between the bulkheads.
I solo mine more often than with crew. I only weigh 170 lbs, I can't power up fully if the wind gets over about 12 mph. Just travel out whatever you need to keep it right side up, or do more "pointing" on windy days. It's a blast on the wire solo, surfing down the rollers after a blow. Anything over 20 mph solo gets to be work, & 30 is survival.
Used parts are available, but not like you would find for an H18, or N5.2. I bought the only spare 5.7 sails I've found used, but they do come up occaisionally.
I don't know much about solo raising the mast, I've never done it, two people is easy. It is easy to right if you have another person, I need a wee bit of help solo, unless I get things just right.
There are two manuals here under tech stuff for them, look through them. If the boat is in good shape, with good sails, & the price is fair, or better than fair, try it out. You can always sell it a year later for the same money.
I sail with an H16, H17 & Dart 18, a couple of gents who have been sailing for nearly 50 years, on lots of boat types. They were both impressed with the 5.7. They are not cutting edge, or the fastest boat built, but they are pretty dammned good.[/quote]

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