AI2 Availability?

Pete, Looks like Appomattox River Company in Richmond Va has a papaya in stock. Not too far from where you are. This is where I purchased my TI earlier in the year. I was very pleased with the dealer.

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2015 Hobie Tandem Island

The check I got for all my windsurfing stuff was close enough.... so, my ramblings about a used pre-2015 to the contrary, I pulled the trigger on a 2015.

In the past I have always shied away from buying anything from Texas because of the wide-open regulatory environment, but AustinKayaks had the color I wanted and the shipping netted out against the Pennsylvania sales tax that I did not have to pay.

Delivery projected, but not promised for Tuesday, 8/25.

If they sent the right boat, and if nobody has run over it with a fork lift, and if both the boat and I survive getting it on/off my F-150's roof racks, maybe I will be sailing on the weekend.


Stay tuned....

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2015 AI in "Dune" - "The Grey Pig"
2017 Trailex 450 Trailer
Pre-September 2015 cradles
(anybody want to buy a slightly-used AI SpinKit?)
eMail: [email protected]

You might want to check with your state DMV. In Florida if you are a resident and buy a boat out of state to avoid sales tax, they charge you sales tax when you go to register and title the boat in Florida (it's pretty foolish not to title and register an expensive boat). You have to show the reciept (showing sales tax was paid), and you cannot register or title without the certificate of origin which by federal law should be included with the purchase of any boat. Only the dealer that sold the boat initially can get that certificate. If you don't get one you are totally screwed (the boat has no value if it can't be titled (just like a car), and it can't be titled without that certificate.
Especially the TI which is a very expensive boat (any theft is an automatic grand theft felony (just like a car) and thieves know this.
Our insurance agent insisted we title and register ours.
I have never fished in my life but every year buy fishing licenses. All the sales tax, fishing licenses, boat registration fees, etc go into building better boat launches, kayak parks, paddle trails, marine patrols, etc. I'm gladly paying my fair share (a few bucks a year) to enjoy the states stuff. In other states it may not mean much, but here in Florida we really enjoy all that stuff all year round.
Bob

I used to fish and spearfish a *lot*.

Then one day we were walking on the beach and this fat-and-forty woman was reeling in a striped bass, giggling and laughing.

My reaction: "Nice striper".

My wife's reaction: "That thing is fighting for it's *life*."

Then I got this image in my mind of a steel hook through the roof of my mouth and from then on started feeling sorry for the fish....

Really screwed up one of my favorite pastimes... -)

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2015 AI in "Dune" - "The Grey Pig"
2017 Trailex 450 Trailer
Pre-September 2015 cradles
(anybody want to buy a slightly-used AI SpinKit?)
eMail: [email protected]

.. thats why I only fish when I'm going to eat my catch.

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Alan W.

Papaya AI2 to replace my well worn V1
TheTwins - His/Hers 2007 Papaya Hobie Adventure Island's (v1.00.01)
.. and a Hobie Outback SUV

Pete - did your AI come in yet? Curious to hear how the online order process went .

It arrived yesterday but the process is still in motion because of carrier-inflicted damage.

So far, I give AustinKayaks 3 or 4 stars.... maybe five by the time the dust settles. Stuff happens and the test is how people handle it when it does - and AustinKayaks has been as responsive and helpful as anybody could ask for.

OTOH, in the future, I will decline any purchase that is to be shipped via Estes Express. Not because of the damage - like I said, "Stuff Happens'.... but because of their poor delivery status system and because of the unacceptably poor way they coordinate (or, more correctly, do not coordinate) delivery with the customer.

Tangentially, I knew the main hull weighed 106# - and had tried a 90# test load on my Hullavators.
But the extra 15 pounds plus the bulk scares me when I try it......... This is a *heavy* 106#.... -)

I know people rooftop these things, and I kinow some of them are using Hullavators... but what I saw/felt put me off.

Also the comments by NoHuHu and FusionEng about regular rooftopping after salt-water use rusting out roofs ring true to me.

So I guess it's trailer time..... been flipping back-and-forth between sewing up a trampoline and shopping for a trailer most of this morning.

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2015 AI in "Dune" - "The Grey Pig"
2017 Trailex 450 Trailer
Pre-September 2015 cradles
(anybody want to buy a slightly-used AI SpinKit?)
eMail: [email protected]

Double check the capacity on the roof rack, you might get lucky and the stated capacity is per rack (90x2=180). Wishful thinking.
Actually we ended up with a T-bar hitch mount (500 lb capacity) and didn't use any coomercial rack system, in the front the boat just sat on the cross bars of our Yukon's roof rack. We the just stuff pool noodles under the hull to spread the load better ( our TI stays strapped to the roof weeks at a time in the hot Key West sun at times. I swear by the T-bar rack which supports the majority of the weight.
There are a million good ideas out there. For many years we ran the malone wings with their combo extenders on both front and back so we had 4 contact points, worked fine with our TI( we still stuffed pool noodles under the boat to help even the load). We alway take the noodles out with us anyway and use them on the water and beach.
FE

Roof racks are pretty strong - as in 500# per crossbar. They are on a pickup truck and mounted to the bed. Muy fuerte.

Can you recall the make/model?

And what degree of decrepitude do you think could deal with loading via the T-loader? It swings backward to accept the hull, then you push it vertical, right? ..... rust concerns aside, if it looks like it's going to live at the beach and only be transported a couple times per year the T-loader, at half or a third the price of a trailer, seems attractive.

So far, I see this guy that was $500, now $400: http://www.amazon.com/Strongarm-StrongA ... B00SA8JGIG

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2015 AI in "Dune" - "The Grey Pig"
2017 Trailex 450 Trailer
Pre-September 2015 cradles
(anybody want to buy a slightly-used AI SpinKit?)
eMail: [email protected]

If you scroll down on the same amazon page, the one I have was like $72 bucks tricam or somethin like that. Mine doesn't swing down. But it looks pretty easy to drill a hole and modify with a dril and hacksaw to make it swing down.
FE

If you want a reasonable trailer you can just do some minor mods ans Academy is in your area you may want to consider the following. If you get the cradles it works great for an AI2.

http://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/mcclain ... tid=161404

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James

2006 Quest
2015 AI