The Nacra Sailing Nacra 500 Sport Sport 1998 vs Nacra Sailing Nacra Inter 17 1998 comparison sits squarely in the category of decisions where specs alone won't tell the whole story: intended use, storage, and long-term ownership costs all factor in.
Both boats sit in a similar displacement bracket - 328 lbs for the Nacra Sailing Nacra 500 Sport Sport 1998 and 309 lbs for the Nacra Sailing Nacra Inter 17 1998. Comparable displacement means broadly similar seakeeping behaviour and load capacity, though hull form and ballast ratio will still produce noticeably different sailing characteristics.
The Nacra Sailing Nacra 500 Sport Sport 1998 is rigged as a fractional_rig_sloop while the Nacra Sailing Nacra Inter 17 1998 carries Sloop rigging - a meaningful difference in sail handling complexity, upwind performance, and the size of crew you'll need to work the boat comfortably.
Both the Nacra Sailing Nacra 500 Sport Sport 1998 and Nacra Sailing Nacra Inter 17 1998 are listed as trailerable, which opens up the freedom to explore different sailing grounds without paying for a permanent berth.
Bottom line: The Nacra Sailing Nacra 500 Sport Sport 1998 and Nacra Sailing Nacra Inter 17 1998 are closely matched on paper. A sea trial on both in representative conditions is the only reliable way to find which one suits your sailing style, home port, and intended cruising ground.