New Aka brace shear bolts ?

I agree don't drill a hole in your AKA arm and put a bolt in. Just adding a couple dollars of rope and clips gives you everything you need. Just take a length of 3/16 or 1/4" nylon (stretchy (not no stretch line), nylon works the best. Tie a cinch knot to one end. Now run the line around the outermost front AKA hull brace, loop the end of the line thru the cinch loop and pull tight. Now take a stainless clip and clip it to either the center stainless padeye in the center of the AMA on 2014 or older AI/TI's or if you have a 2015 molel just attach the clip to the front web of the lifting handle. With the AMA out and locked just run the end of the rope thru the clip so it is kind of taught (not too taught) and tie it with a double clove hitch. This shouldn't take more than 5 minutes to do and you never have to remove the lines ever again from the boat mine have been on my boat for five years now (same ropes same clips). When done sailing I just unclip the clip and stuff it into the mesh pocket for transport (the ropes are never removed from the boat.
The reason I added the clips was because on our second time out with the brand new TI the AKA bar popped out with my wifes sister on the tramp and she went in the water (I still hear about that one often (one of many mis-adventure with the family, now they have trust issues with me (lol). Both the AKA bar and the front Mast holder were wrecked and had to be replaced (not cheap). About a month later I got a package in the mail from Hobie with apperently re-designed clips that I had to install on all my AKA bars, along with a little metal plate that goes on the rear of the hull to protect it from the sail lines (Hobie is very pro active at such things IMO). You only have so many family members and I didn't want to burn any more bridges with family members refusing to go out with me, so I came up with the rope trick, I'm happy to say I have not lost anyone since (well not for that reason anyway, but those are other stories lol). That simple rope fixes 3 things, first it prevents both the front and rear AKA bars from popping out, even if they do pop out, they cant come out far enough to wreck the AKA, now If I see one out I just stop and snap it back in (no damage). I have also broke a lot of those nylon sheer bolts, the rope prevent the AMA from folding in all the way so you can stop and repair without capsizing. I too thought the tramps would prevent the AMA's from collapsing, but in my case it just snapped 3 of the tramp straps like they weren't even there and the had to be replaced.
The third thing that silly little rope does is if fairly tight it prevents the AMA's from rattling around (that drives me nuts) and prevents the AMA's from over stretching the bungys and coming off (yes that would happen a lot with the old original 1/4 inch bungys). All that from just a simple piece of rope.
Alternately you can also attach the rope to the front padeye of the boat if you desire (has the same effect.
Hope this helps
Bob

Ok, I'll hold off on the drilling

I may be able to attach the safety line to the rear aka, outboard of what I use to pad it for the hakas.
The rope won't be able to ride up any further than the haka.

Thanks
Chris

If you have hakas fitted, there is no need to change the shear bolts or even add safety lines, as the hakas will prevent the ama suddenly coming in and causing a capsize...

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

I wondered about that. Even better.
thanks
Chris

Totch: I would sure like to see your photos. I was sailing my 2015 TI recently when the brace pulled out and I went over. I don't have tramps. I devised a flat hard plastic attachment to the brace that keeps the spring-loaded cap from coming off without turning this device, but I am concerned that this will not be enough if the pin sheers. I have tried to upload pictures of my solution, but I am still trying to figure out how to upload them. The pics are on Imgur.
Thanks, Rolias

To post images from imgur just copy the BBcode link and paste it between the "IMG" tags.

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2015 Hobie Tandem Island Hibiscus
"Third Normal Form"

• Trampolines
• Hobie cover
• Davis Spar Fly
• Kayakbob's Sprayskirts
• Spine Board Hakas

The hakas are a real question mark in all of this discussion. If they are "tight" fitting, they effectively make the system rigid. A friend of mine has suggested the hakas could have a "channel lock," i.e., channel underneath which would effectively lock them on the aka, and, in the process make the aka so rigid it could not fold back. Again, this is in essence a system similar to the SS pin to replace the nylon shear pin. The virtue of such rigid systems would be prevention of the open water capsize I experienced due to my unexpected shear pin break. The downside is if you have a rigid system, and you have a real collision--a submerged tree or post, a channel marker, another AI/TI--serious damage may result to your boat.

In my case, with my Keep-Out lines doing the job of preventing folding of the aka/ama if a shear pin breaks, I will be fitting my new akas rather loosely--only if the aka/amas fold back significantly will the hakas come into play.

Keith

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2015 AI 2, 2014 Tandem

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex ... It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." A. Einstein

"Less is more" Anon

Tight tramps will do a better job of preventing a collapse. Hakas will only slow the process, unless they are tied in with hardware, like pvc halfpipe fastened with pipe or hose clamps.

I would still recommend using safety lines for open water sailing, or hotdogging.

This is all new to me as I have AI1 and I guess you are talking about later model Solo AI's?

Anyway, Stringy, can you point me to that article by Bob for rigging the backup line?

I do sail in the ocean here but only on the good days, with Radio to Marine Rescue and always Upwind initially.

There is nowhere outside the Harbour locally that you can safely beach, (Steep surf beaches that could wreck you), if you get yourself in a position where you cant make it back in or lose an AKA or some-such.

The sea is terribly unforgiving of any incapacity or neglect.

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Fair Skies, Max.

Here you go...

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Hobie Island Sailing since 2006

Thanks Bob,

Is the 2015 AI also capable of suddenly shedding the AKA?

My 2008 AI has been OK in chop so far but I see in you're photo it's a different system.

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Fair Skies, Max.

Possible.

Mine had aka leashes before it first hit the water. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice...

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Hobie Island Sailing since 2006

It's an easy and cheap precaution so I would feel dumb if I needed it and hadn't bothered.

I'm reminded of a guy I knew who built a high performance sport aircraft from plans back in the 80's. The designer recommended the installation of the optional Wing-struts if any high-G flying or severe turbulence was in the Aeroplane's operational profile.

It was, so Trevor ordered the upgrade kit and Two weeks later pulled a split-ass Port turn at low Alt and the outside wing folded up, he was killed in the resultant ugly crash which was recorded on video, I wish I had not seen it.

The upgrade Struts were still in the corner of his Hangar, he hadn't got around to installing them yet.

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Fair Skies, Max.

Here is a little different idea I’m going to try on a TI. The fast setup of the TI is one of the things I really like about it so I want to try and preserve this as much as possible. Also, I’m always sitting in the rear and need to be able to easily fold either side ama in for a particular lake I sail at.

The idea here is to put an eye strap on each end of the brace and then a line attached to the aka on one side and to the hull on the other side. If either the ball attachment or the nylon bolt break, you still have a captive rigid bar connected to the ama and the hull. It will allow the ama to collapse some but should restrict a complete collapse either forwards or backwards. When I need to collapse the ama, just remove the quick connect. I think this backup still needs some sort of "fuse", maybe just smaller line?

Im not done yet.. this just shows the idea..

I mostly implemented this idea and did some testing.

First shot - all I have to do is connect the quick connect clip - thats it. If I want to collapse an ama, just unclip and pop the ball cap. The eye strap on the hull has a large 1/4 inch thick aluminum backing plate.



Second shot - other end of the brace



Third shot - I took out the nylon bolt to similate it failing and this is how far the ama will rotate forward



Forth shot - the nylon bolt is removed and the brace is popped out of the ball. This is how far the ama will rotate backwards



Fifth shot - this is with the nylon bolt in place but a failure at the ball connection.



Its not perfect but for how easy it is to use Ill take it. In the picture with the total failure of both the nylon bolt plus the ball popping out the ama rotate back "a ways" but once it reaches this angle its fairly rigid - wont collapse more and hopefully that is enough to give you some time and not end up capsizing.