Nacra 5.8 Buyer's Guide
The Nacra 5.8 on the used market is a 1982-onward Roy Seaman design built by Nacra Catamarans: a 19-foot fractional-sloop racing catamaran with daggerboards, a double trapeze, and a class history stretching over two decades in Australia. Anyone shopping one is buying a true racing machine with large-volume hulls, not a cruiser, and the brokerage examples will reflect that intent.
Layouts on the Used Market
There is no enclosed accommodation to evaluate. The 5.8 is a racing catamaran whose “layout” is two volume hulls joined by round cross beams with a grey mesh trampoline stretched between them. A buyer should expect open hulls, a central trampoline, and a helm station built around the Harken traveller and positive Ackerman steering rather than any cabin or berth.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
A trampoline is an often-seen item on these boats, and the class-standard rig already includes a Harken mainsheet system, adjustable diamond wires, a double trapeze, and kick-up rudders. The bridle foil, square-top Pentax main, and vertical-cut Dacron jib are part of the racing specification; a buyer should confirm the sail inventory matches class standard rather than chase owner-added comforts.
What to Inspect
The components most likely to show racing wear are the carbon-reinforced rudders and daggerboards with the adjustable kick-up rudder mechanism. On a specific hull, check the rudder blades for delamination or crushed carbon at the pivot, work the kick-up adjustment for free movement, and confirm the daggerboard trunks are not cracked where the boards load. The grey mesh trampoline should be taut with no pulled stitching at the cross-beam attachments, since a slack trampoline changes crew position and boat balance.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Typical markets for the 5.8 are the United States and Switzerland. For a viewing, run this short list:
- Confirm trampoline tension at both cross beams.
- Work the kick-up rudders for free travel.
- Inspect carbon rudder and daggerboard edges for crush.
- Verify Harken traveller and mainsheet run clean.
- Check bridle foil and jib attachment for wear.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Nacra 5.8. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 1 row
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 26 | 1 | $950 | — |
Where they're listed
Nacra 5.8 listings appear across 1 country. United States has the most listings with 1.
Country view
1 listings · 1 country| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $950 | 1 | 1 | 100.0% |