Performance Catamarans Prindle 18-2 User manual

INTRODUCTION
This owner’s manual is provided to ease assembly,
maintenance and use of your Prindle Catamaran. We
believe these instructions portray the simplest methods.
Do it our way the first time and learn from us. Then, if
you discover a better method, feel free to tell us about
it by faxing [phone] or e-mailing pcat@perfor-
mancecat.com. You may see your idea appear in the
next edition of the owner’s manual.
We are sure you will enjoy your Prindle Catamaran and
hope that this manual will make your enjoyment easier
to come by.
Make sure you join the Prindle Class Association - it’s fun
and it’s free to any new owner of a Prindle Catamaran
($20 annually after the first year). You will receive the
Performance Sailor, our official class newsletter. This
newsletter contains feature articles, news and results of
regattas, photographs, timely tuning tips, special
announcements and contests. As a member of the
Prindle Class Association, you will also be entitled to
enter and participate in all of our Class sanctioned regat-
tas.
One design racing begins at the local fleet level leading
to regional qualifying regattas and culminates with the
Annual National Championship Regattas held in a differ-
ent region every year. Even if you are not a racer, join
the Prindle Fleet in your area. Our fleets have held such
fun events as watermelon hunts, hull flying contests,
group cruises, Prindle barge picnics and clinics. It’s
much more fun to share the joy of sailing a Prindle
Catamaran. If a fleet does not exist in your area - start
one! All you need is a few enthusiastic owners!
Make sure your dealer fills out and submits your war-
ranty card for your new boat. Not only does it validate
your warranty, but it will also automatically register you
as a member of the Prindle Class Association. If you
have purchased a used Prindle, please send us your sail
and hull numbers as well as your complete address.
Make sure to notify us when you move too, the
Performance Sailor does not get forwarded.
Keep in touch. We love to hear from our owners!
1800 East Borchard Avenue
Santa Ana, CA 92705
[phone]
[phone] fax
www.performancecat.com
CONTENTS
SECTION I: ASSEMBLY
Preparation 3
Crossbars 3
Trampoline 5
Standard Jib System 8
Deluxe 4-Way Jib System 8
Jib Sheet 10
Rudder System 11
Castings 11
Tiller Crossbar 11
Tiller Extension 11
Rudder Blades 12
Rudder Lock Bolt 12
Adjusting the Helm 12
Rudder Alignment 13
Operation of Rudder System 13
Mast and Rigging 14
Spreaders 14
Diamond Wires 15
Mast Rotator 16
Masthorn 16
Shrouds and Trapeze Wires 17
Forestay and Jib Halyard 17
Main Halyard 17
Raising the Mast 18
Diamond Wires 20
Sails and Battens 21
Mainsail Battens 21
Hoisting the Mainsail 22
Boom 23
Mast Rotator 23
Downhaul 23
Mainsheet and Traveler 24
Jib 24
Jib Sheet Jam Preventer 26
Righting Line 26
Tightening rig tension 26
Centerboard 27
SECTION II: SAILING
Sail Trim
To Weather 27
Reaching 28
Downwind 28
Downhaul Systems 28
Trapezing
Lacing the Harness 28
Trapeze Positioning 29
Launching
Onshore 30
Offshore 30
Tacking 31
Jibing 32
Balance 33
Righting 33
SECTION III: AFTER SAILING
Loosening the rig 36
Lowering the sails 36
Trailering 38
SECTION IV: MAINTENANCE
Dolphin Striker 40
Battens 41
Foam/Fiberglass Battens 41
General Maintenance Tips 41
Hulls 41
Rudders 41
Sails 42
Outhaul Systems 42
SECTION V: TUNING PERFORMANCE
Mast Rake 43
Mast Rotation 43
Barberhauler 43
SECTION VI: SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
Major Parts of a Boat 44
Glossary of Terms 45
Knot Illustrations 46

Prindle 18-2 & 19 Owner’s Manual
Section I:
ASSEMBLY
Preparation
Tools needed:
✔large screwdriver
✔pliers
✔needle-nose pliers
✔1/2” offset wrench
✔combination 1/2” & 9/16 box-end wrench
✔adjustable wrench
✔silicone sealant
Your Prindle Catamaran comes packaged in
two hull containers, one large hardware box
and one mast box.
Place the two hull containers approximately 6
feet apart with stapled seams at the top of the
cartons facing each other. This will insure that
both hulls will be facing the same direction.
Open the hull containers. Leave the hulls
standing on the cardboard supports.
Open the hardware box and familiarize your-
self with the major parts of your boat. The
contents of the hardware box should include:
Open the rigging box. The contents will be
listed on the sheet enclosed.
CROSSBARS
Put a dab of grease (included in bolt kit) into
each hole in the hull for the front beam bolts.
This is very important! Put a small amount on
each of the 3/8” hex head front beam bolts
before assembling crossbars. The front beam
bolts are tapped into an aluminum plate.
boom
battens
rear crossbar
sails (may be packed
with hulls)
trampoline
rudder box
tiller crossbar
tiller extension
3

Lay both the front and rear cross bars on the
hulls with the outside edges even with the out-
side edges of the hulls. The curf (groove) on
the front crossbar should face aft and the curf
on the back crossbar should face forward.
To attach inside bolts on the rear crossbar,
insert one of the 5/16” flathead screws
through the inboard hold of the rear crossbar.
Apply silicone sealant to washer and nut and
tighten with fingers only.
Align holes in front beam with the holes in the
hull. Carefully thread all 4 of the 3/8” hex
head bolts, with grease on threads, through
the beam and into the hull until they are about
1/8” from being completely tight. CAUTION!!!
If the 3/88” bolts bind at all, remove the bolts
and check fit of bolt without the beam on. DO
NOT force bolts as you could strip out the alu-
minum plate inside the hull. If the bolt con-
tinues to bind, use a 3/8-16 tap and rethread
the hole to rectify the problem.
Tighten all rear beam bolts until about 1/8”
from being fully snug. This allows beams to
properly align themselves. Snug down all 8
bolts and then tighten all 8 bolts.
4

TRAMPOLINE
Lead trapeze shockcords before putting tram-
poline on hulls. Tie one piece of 1/8" x 2’
paracord to one end of shock cord using a
small bowline knot.
Feed the line through the white fairlead on
side of hull and out the other side. Continue
across to the other hull and repeat procedure.
The trapezes are continuous from one hull to
the other.
If one of the fairleads should come loose dur-
ing assembly, simply apply some silicone
sealant and push into place.
To install the trampoline, first unzip and
remove the rear section. Slip the front of the
trampoline onto the front crossbar.
5

Slide the sides down each side of the trampo-
line track. Two people are needed here.
Slide the rear piece and zip the two pieces
together.
Center the trampoline in the front. Lace up
the back of the trampoline with 1/4" x 19’ lac-
ing line. Begin by tying a double overhand
knot in one end of the line and thread through
the right/aft grommet.
6

Always tighten rear lace line first. Stand at the
back of the boat and tighten lines by bracing
your foot or knee on the rear crossbar for
leverage. Pull tight. Tie line off under trampo-
line. Do not trim excess line as it leaves
something to hold onto when re-tightening
trampoline.
Lace up the side of the trampoline with 1/4" x
19’ lacing line. Begin by tying a double over-
hand knot in one end of the line and thread
through the forward/inboard grommet.
Tighten starting at the front.
Complete lacing.
7

STANDARD JIB SYSTEM
Attach jib block to padeye on side jib tracks.
Note: there will be an aluminum cleat on the
deck just forward on the jib track, this is for
future addition of the 4-way jib system as is
the "sock" on the trampoline.
DELUXE 4-WAY JIB SYSTEM
The parts are included in a separate bag.
If the jib cars have installed padeyes remove
them since they will not be used.
Attach jib adjuster plate to both sides.
Attach jib crosswire to adjuster plate, leading
wire through the tramp sock, choosing one of
four middle holes on each side so the wire is
snug. NOTE: You may find it necessary to
remove the plate to put the "O" ring on the
clevis pin.
Attach the small bullet blocks to the forward
most hole on each adjuster plate using a
3/16" shackle.
8

Shackle the jib blocks to each of the two bul-
let blocks on the crosswire.
Adjust the cleat angle as high as possible
using the side set screws. Most people prefer
this position.
The jib blocks have a ratchet which can be
turned off and on by using the button on the
side of the block.
Tie each 1/4" x 8 1/2’ line completely around
the jib block shackle – not through.
Lead the line around the bullet block on the
adjuster plate and through the aluminum
cleat on the opposite side of the boat leading
line through the trampoline sock.
9

Lead the shockcord through both loops in the
lines around jib shackles and tie shockcord
together. Slide the knot into the sock to hide
from view.
One side of 4-way system completed.
Entire 4-way system completed.
JIB SHEET
Tie a 1/4" shackle to the middle of the 3/16"
x 6’ line provided.
Tie the small jib clew blocks to each end of the
line using a small bowline. Thread the 5/16" x
33’ jib sheet line by tying off one end to jib
ratchet block with a bowline. Thread through
small jib clew blocks, through cleat of jib
block, across trampoline and through opposite
jib block in opposite direction. Jib sheet
should be one continuous line.
10