Got my new TI last week and took it out solo, my wife was sailing an AI.
When we are both in AI's we sail very close to the same speed. The boats sailed close to the same speed when sailing DDW (dead down wind) but on a reach or close reach the TI left the AI in its dust. Winds were gusting to around 15 or so and we were in a bay so no problem with big swells. The AI had a GPS/Sounder on it and my wife says she was doing around 7 knots. I spent a lot of time blasting ahead of her and then turning around so nthat we wouldn't get too far apart.
The TI tacks much easier than the AI. It didn't stall once while tacking.
I was sailing with my plug in the mirage drive hole and at times had a geyser of water coming up the hole behind the plug. It was a lot worse than the AI. I'll probably figure out some way to enlarge the top of the plug in the future. (By the way in head to head tests against my wife with our 2 AI's the boat with the plug in it always sailed circles around the boat with the mirage drive installed. We tested it both ways on the same day in the same conditions and the boat with the plug in it was measurable faster.)
I rigged my main sheet for a 3 to 1 purchase and was glad I did. It would have been tough to handle with the original configuration. If I want to pass control up to someone in the front seat it is a simple matter of re-running the sheet which would take about a minute on the water.
The position of the stearing handle in the rear cockpit puts it
under my left thigh which I didn't like. It also took a lot more effort to turn than the AI but the boat was very responsive.Now all I need are my trailer cradles and I'll be all set to go.
Jerry D
St. Johns, Florida