Hello I picked up a NACRA 18 Sq a few years ago.
What can I do to make her go faster?
Or should just get a newer bigger cat as I am 6' 2" 290 lbs, and the winds are pretty light around here.
http://www.flickr.com/pho…31840888@N08/6202014849/
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NACRA 18 SQ uared
Okanagan, BC, Can
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NACRA 18 Sq Need More speed
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Posted: Oct 01, 2011 - 09:54 PM
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Posted: Oct 02, 2011 - 01:01 AM
Are the problems only downwind, or upwind as well? You are already sailing the largest one-up beachcat out there! try adding a really flat cut assy spi or screacher. And a new squaretop main maybe.
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Stefan, Denmark.
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Posted: Oct 02, 2011 - 03:04 AM
I tried adding a jib I picked up but it turned out badly when it unfurled in its shore rack. Nuff said.
At the end of this year I found an Allum scaffolding tube and added a hooter(Heavy I know but the price was right untill I can find a cheap windsurfer mast). It seemed ok but I only got to try it once and I don't think I will be able to use in higher winds. I also added a 2:1 purchase to furl closed better.
I was also thinking about adding an outhaul, but I don't want to lower the boom any lower in doing so.
I was thinking about putting some sort off U slide on top of the boom with two bolts thru the boom which would slide along a cut out groove? Using internal sheaves for the purchase?
Oh I'm also working on a very tight budget.
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NACRA 18 SQ uared
Okanagan, BC, Can
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Posted: Oct 02, 2011 - 06:47 AM
If you're sailing an original NACRA Square, it'll have a fairly bendy mast, and putting a headsail on it is a very bad idea. You will break that mast.
Glaser is the man for building mains for Squares.
You should have an outhaul on your boom already. Bit of track with a car on it. If you don't, then do like the more modern cats and just make a loop of HM line around the boom with bungee return and line-to-cleat out. No need to add weight and complexity. Actually I think I've got an extra boom somewhere but I really wanted to sell all my parts along with my Square.
The usual MO for stock NACRA Squares is to add another foot to the mast height (from 30' to 31' mast) at the top. I found a NACRA 5.5uni mast and did that to it, so now mine is a prebend mast. That said, I have a custom Ullman main for my Square.
This is from the now lost Square website, but the advice is valid, that is, for a dacron main and stock 'bendy' mast:
"TUNING THE NACRA EIGHTEEN SQUARE METER
John Brink - 1980 Class Secretary
The NACRA 18 Square Meter is one of the fastest sailboats in the world. However, it is very sensitive to sail and rig adjustments. While there is no guarantee that you will have the fastest NACRA 18 Square Meter on the water, if you set your boat up as follows, you will have a good starting point for further adjustments and your boat will be very pleasant to race.
Believe it or not, the best starting place is at the top of the mast. The NACRA 18 Square Meter is set up so that, if you wish, you may convert to an internal halyard by adding a sheave in the after side of the section near the top. Consequently, the geometry of the rig is based on the premise that the sail doesn’t go all the way to the top of the mast section. Make sure that when your halyard lock is engaged, the sail is a few inches shy of being fully hoisted. If the sail goes up all the way, the boom will be too short.
Now, to adjust the rest of the battens. The theory behind modern (1980) sail batten combination is to use relatively flexible battens and tie them in without much tension. Because the battens are flexible, the sail will take a nice shape in light air without much tension, and when the breeze comes up the sail will flatten itself as you sheet harder and as the wind blows the leech open. If you tie the NACRA 18 Square Meter battens too tight, the sail will be hopelessly full.
Let’s go back up to the top again. The three upper battens should be very loosely tied, perhaps not even quite taking the slack out of the line. The fourth batten down should be slightly tighter, perhaps just barely taking the slack out of the line but no tighter than that. With the fifth batten and on down, tighten the lines just enough to take out most of the vertical wrinkles along the batten pockets. However, sometimes even this may be too tight. Loose is better than tight!
Next, adjust the diamond wires until you can touch them both against the mast about three feet up from the lower diamond tangs. This is a good starting point. There is some give and take between the tension on the lower battens and on the diamond wires. The diamonds can be looser with tighter lower battens. Finding just the right combination is a matter of trial and error.
Now let’s rake the mast back to where the sail is sheeted as hard as you ever want it and with the sheet blocks almost together. Set the shrouds up with plenty of tension so that the mast won’t jump around when going through the waves. The shrouds will stretch some when new, so you might as well sail the boat hard a few times before you get too concerned with rake adjustments.
Another adjustment that is critical to both good handling and speed is rudder alignment. It helps to bend each tiller arm inboard about six inches. Whether you do this or not, you should check to make sure you have the rudders set with a slight amount of toe-in. That is, the leading edge of the rudders should be slightly closer together than the trailing edges. If the reverse is the case, besides slowing the boat, they will make the boat difficult to steer.
Now, to steer it fast. When sailing a sloop, most good sailors will pay very little attention to the main. They sail by the seat of their pants and keep an eye on the jib. With a uni-rig, there is no jib to keep an eye on and many sailors may make the mistake of transferring their attention to the main. If you look at the main, you will inevitably end up sailing too high and going slow. Sail the boat by the seat of your pants and direct your gaze ahead. You don’t have too pinch the boat (sail too high) as the extra width that comes with a NACRA 18 Square Meter allows you to drive off and build speed – perhaps covering more "ground" but at a much faster rate of speed. But, on the same hand – don’t be afraid to sail high to cover an opponent or force them over the line early. The uni-rig NACRA 18 Square Meter will out-point and sail higher and faster than most boats, especially those that are sloop rigged. You can pinch, you can foot, but either way you will be the fastest one out there after some practice and experimenting with different setups." -
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Posted: Oct 02, 2011 - 10:38 PM
Thank You for your response!
As far as I know she is an original 18 SQ.
I don't intend on using the Hooter/screecher in any kind of heavy wind.
It is just that the winds here in the Okanagan are so light I feel I need more sail.
Would tightening the diamond wires help or upgrading the spreaders to the swept back kind? Save the mast from damage?
There isn't a Outhaul. Just a bracket to pin the clew plate in one of two positions.
[quote]modern cats and just make a loop of HM line around the boom with bungee return and line-to-cleat out. [/quote ]
What is HM line?
Would Kevlar line do the job?
Does anyone have a good example of this setup?
Once again thank You for your help!
PS: Thanks for the setup tips. I need to revisit those again.
Edited by nl_expatriate on Oct 02, 2011 - 08:52 PM.
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NACRA 18 SQ uared
Okanagan, BC, Can
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Posted: Oct 03, 2011 - 06:37 AM
Tightening the diamonds should help, but then the main probably isn't cut for prebend. Swept-back spreaders are another typical upgrade, but then, you'll still need another main cut for the prebent mast. Frankly, your best investment would be in a new main and a decent boom from the sound of it.
HM stands for "high modulus" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultra-high-molecular-weight_polyethylene ,and yes, Kevlar is one example
Is your main loose-footed? I've never seen a Sq w/o an outhaul.
Here's a pic of something like I had in mind.
the difference for you is that you'd make a loop of HM line thru the clew round the boom, provided it's a loose-footed main. This is instead of a car and track and what will hold the clew to the boom. Also, from the clew to some point forward on the boom, you'd attach a bungee so the clew will come in automatically, as it were. If your boom is rectangular, as is mine and all the other stock Sq I've seen, the loop round may not run as smoothly as you might like and you might have to rig something different. But it's easy/cheap/simple to see if that works for you.
The Formula 18 cats have something similar although their booms are simple carbon tubes. You can find something like an old windsurfing mast etc to use to fabricate same. -
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Posted: Oct 03, 2011 - 11:28 AM
Yes she is loose footed. Here is a closer pic of the boom area.
That HM line outhaul with a bungee return and cleat tension absolutely sounds like my best bet.
Thanks for helping with this!
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NACRA 18 SQ uared
Okanagan, BC, Can
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Posted: Oct 03, 2011 - 12:45 PM
When in your shore rack remove the jib sheet and tie a line or bungee or something through the clew and around the rolled up jib to keep it under wraps. That way you don't have count on just the furler line staying cleated to hold it all in place. Does the Jib have a sun shield built into it? If not you might not want to leave it up anyway or get/make snorkel to cover it that will also keep it in place.
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Dustin Finlinson • Magna, UT
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Posted: Oct 03, 2011 - 01:48 PM
Expat, your pic isn't showing for me...
and I would say, now that I'm looking at the little pic I put up, I'd use a small camcleat and fairlead rather than a jammer. -
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Posted: Oct 03, 2011 - 02:42 PM
No need to remove the jib sheet, there is plenty of room in the grommet to loop a 1' length of line through, as well as the jib sheet. Just leave the short line loose while you sail, it won't get tangled & is there when you want it after furling.
Once furled you have 10' of line. I use it to make a few wraps around the mast, as insurance if it comes out of the cleat, the short line through the clew is insurance against the furling line breaking.
I couldn't make the fullsize image copy, this is from the thumbnail.
The URL works from my computer.
http://www.flickr.com/pho…2014617/in/photostream#/
Edited by Edchris177 on Oct 03, 2011 - 02:48 PM.
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Hobie 18 Magnum
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Posted: Oct 03, 2011 - 04:54 PM
I've removed the jib configuration and am now trying for a hooter as the pics will show.
Sorry about my feeble attempts at posting a pic I was cutting from the address line not the rt click pic.
Old Jib set up wasn't working for me.
Hooter set up.
Pic showing non outhaul and stock boom setup. Ignor the cross beam jib up front.
Hope this helps.
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NACRA 18 SQ uared
Okanagan, BC, Can
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Posted: Oct 04, 2011 - 12:38 AM
I'm actually going to use a 1:2 purchase for this attempt at a Hooter. This makes the hooter lines furl around the sail at least three times.
So hopefully I won't get any unplanned unfurling. No I don't have a snorkel, yet.
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NACRA 18 SQ uared
Okanagan, BC, Can
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Posted: Oct 05, 2011 - 11:54 AM
Ran across this today while wasting time in Hong kong. This was back in '84. The first part is a Nacra 36, (there is one in S Ont now) Watch the end of the video to see a fast 18 square. Great acceleration around the 4:40 mark. It may still be around, but the shippinhg would kill you!
http://www.nacrasailing.c…&catid=35:news&Itemid=49
Edited by Edchris177 on Oct 05, 2011 - 11:58 AM.
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Hobie 18 Magnum
Dart 15
Mystere 6.0XL Sold Was a handful solo
Nacra 5.7
Nacra 5.0
Bombardier Invitation (Now officially DEAD)
Various other Dock cluttering WaterCrap
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