We have two great new accessories for Hobie Islands!

I just got back from taking out my 2015 Tandem Island with Spinnaker kit. Downwind, Broad Reach, and even some beam reach makes the boat much faster. In 10 mph winds, the TI really moves with both sales deployed downwind. I really like the speed.
There is some added complexity. I rigged it wrong and had to fix it on the water... twice, ugh... Also, some more things to remember. My girlfriend found the mast tip rotator in the sand as we were leaving. I forgot to stow it.. Whew..
The Spinnaker is easier to deploy facing downwind and easier to stow in a headwind. In the beginning, I had problems getting it back into the snorkel bag, but, I got the hang of it.
Downwind, the Spinnaker really lifts the bow ! This is great when you are riding swells coming into the marina near the breakwater. It really helps keep you from nose diving when riding swells.
On a almost beam reach with both sales tucked in tight, the TI is quite a site with both sails, it really moves.

Here are some pics and a video. Downwind, coming back, I had the spinnaker left and the main sail to the right. In this case, the Spinnaker Halyard line does seem to limit the main sail movement to the right, but, I think you could reef the main and tuck it under if you wanted to.. I would like to get some opinions on that. I guess to get a true "butterfly", you have to reef the main under that halyard line and then unfurl it behind the halyard line (back stay) ?

Anyway, in the video, the boat is picking up lots of wind and the boat is moving at a good clip. Yay !!

Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJsXqxXCURw

Pics:









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Looking Good!

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Hobie Island Sailing since 2006

Thank u. Could u tell me your impresdion when u are at 90 degrees from the Wind? Side forces? The sail collapses?

For my Tandem Island,
Downwind or on a broad reach, the sail rides high in the air and pulls the bow up. Spinnaker sheet line out and hooked on the last eyelet on the Aka bar... You can see well, because you can see under the Spinnaker sail.. The boat just cruises high and up in the air through big following swells downwind..

On a beam reach, you trim both sails, the spinnaker trimmed on the near eyelet and a tight sheet line, then hold on ! The boat really moves and the Spinnaker stays full of wind... but, you cannot see anything on one side of the boat. The sail is riding low and blocks your view..

I was out in 9 mph wind with 13 mph gusts. That is probably pretty close to the limit on a beam reach with both sails deployed. It is a lot of surface area.

In wind conditions under 10 mph, in all cases where both sails are usable, it probably adds 2 or 3 mph to the TI boat speed. It makes that much of a huge difference !

All in all, great fun !

6 mph vs 9 mph.... And I can get 6 in almost any wind if I pedal hard enough.

9 Seems pretty close to hull speed for me.

Now-and-then I will see 10.something mOmentarily when it's really blowing, but low nines is pretty much my top end per SpeedPuck's 20-second averaging feature.

I am starting to feel a SpinKit coming on.

Some actual speedometer numbers from an AI user just might nudge me over the brink.

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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]

What the heck is a speed puck anyway just curious
FE

Electronic compass knotmeter , http://store.velocitek.com/SpeedPuck

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2015 TI Hibiscus " Bazinga"
Harbor Freight modified trailer with TI cradles
Heavy duty scupper cart with cradle
Hobie tramps- black

I probably did not say that right... maybe 1 or 2 mph more ? I guess a better way of saying it is this: Previous to the Spinnaker kit, I usually would not take my TI out for a sail unless the wind was 8 mph + , now with the Spinnaker, I would take it out in any conditions where the leaves are moving.

IMHO that's more to the point.

In spite of my seeming obsession with numbers, I am finding that absolute/numeric speed does not have as much to do the fun factor as I would have thought.

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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]

The Spinnaker kit stows well, everything goes into the snorkel bag and then you fold the bag. I left the bow traveler pulley assembly on the TI and secured it with the bungee cords. I left the Halyard line threaded through the sail and stowed in the snorkle bag. I also left the sheet lines tied to the sail, rolled them up and stowed them in the snorkle bag, along with the mast tip rotator assembly. Should be pretty fast to rig next time. Here are some pics.

I see that two great minds, given a similar situation, reach the same conclusion vis-a-vis the rope handles on the fore hatch bungees: https://www.hobiecat.com/forums/viewtop ... 15#p268471

Unsolicited Suggestion #2,148: If your hands like those rope handles, they will probably also like a six-inch piece of garden hose over the Mirage Drive bungee: https://picasaweb.google.com/1081497986 ... 6838037506
A bicycle handlebar grip would probably look/work better.... but I had the garden hose...

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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]

Austin Kayak notes a Ship Date a couple weeks out.

The one other vendor I checked said "Accepting Orders".

So.... are SpinKits actually in the hands of any USA dealers?

If not, does anybody have any dates?

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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]

Hobie Dealer in San Diego has some and they will ship out right away. Nice people too.
Fast Lane Sailing and Kayak Center
Mission Bay
San Diego, CA
619-222-0766

I got mine early from Southwind Kayak in Irvine, California. About 1 hour drive from the Hobie Factory. Great People and they have everything.

YAY! Welcome aboard Pete, that's what I have been trying to tell you all along!

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Tony Stott
2012 Tandem Island "SIC EM" with Hobie spinnaker