If a Ti is right for me

In the end, it's going to come down to whether you're willing to use a trailer or not. Even though Jerry (dosjers) is a huge advocate of the TI, he's stated in the past that he would not consider attempting to car-top one. There are a few guys who manage to carry their TI's on roofracks, but they all seem to be well short of retirement age. I stand willing to be corrected here.

_________________

I have never had a problem reefing my TI. If you let the sheet out the mast straightens out.

I agree the AI is a little easier to learn on because it's a smaller boat but after sailing both I can't imagine trading my TI for an AI. On the other hand, my wife would tell you the opposite.

_________________
Jerry D.
St. Johns, Florida
2010 TI
2008 AI

Hey Chris,

Just to set the record straight I wouldn't want to carry an AI on a car top either. It's partially because of the weight but mostly because it's so much easier not having to put the boat together before you launch it and then take it back apart when you're finished.

_________________
Jerry D.
St. Johns, Florida
2010 TI
2008 AI

On a beam to broad reach while surfing waves, I can't seem to let enough sheetline out in the TI to adjust the reefing (which in the AI we do often). I've had to turn into the wind to reef and if the wind is gusting above 20k, it's still been difficult. Maybe my mast is 'more bendy' then average?

_________________

Hobie Island Sailing since 2006

So Bob, just out of curiosity, is the TI now your default boat when you're out sailing solo with your friends?

_________________

Great question, was wondering that myself because I know that there will be some solo trips in store for me as well. Forward or aft?

Nope, mainly tandem so far. When I have sailed it solo, I've sailed from the front (backwards from most). When in the back, I don't like how the front lifts in the wind, and how far from the line cleats I am. All that can be corrected with ballast and re-rigging.

I equate my AI's as the little sport car of day sailing, and my TI as a Mercedes.

I'll get more time in it solo and tandem this winter.

_________________

Hobie Island Sailing since 2006

Good metaphor Bob. I've always felt my AI felt like driving an Austin Healey Sprite (did they have those in the US?)



Except of course, the AI doesn't leak oil .

_________________

Maybe your sheet isn't long enough. I can let mine out untill the sail is flogging on a broad reach so there isn't any pressure on the sail or mast.

_________________
Jerry D.
St. Johns, Florida
2010 TI
2008 AI

Starting to get a pretty good picture from all that has been offered, Matter of fact I have picked a few things I want and a few things that are needed. I'm not sure if any of my ideas will appear on that final list but its sure fun dreaming of a Ti or Ai in my near future. Half the fun that I have always had on every new boat purchase has been the special rigging that sets mine apart, I like things to match and really stick out at the ramp. Will never sacrifice quality for looks but it sure does feel good when you make that find that solves both! That said, I believe that this little trimaran will turn heads without my touches, there aren't many sailing vessels in that area for one and never that I'm aware has there been a saling kayak. Without a doubt in my mind now both would work for us, the Ai is really more than plenty for what I need but that picture won't go away that tells me how fun it would be to introduce someone new to the sport by sharing one of those seats! (thus I would have others to venture out with). Without more ramble, I have saved and posted pictures of the things I've picked thus far,

http://s1036.photobucket.com/albums/a45 ... 0Makeover/

There comes a point of diminishing returns with the gear. I can get my boat from roofrack to basically set up ready to sail in about 10 minutes. By the time I add my favourite gear (sprayshields, GPS on mount, phone in Aquapac, rear seat, etc.) it takes another ten minutes. If I add various elective toys I have collected (tramps, radio, nav lights, anchor, drift anchor, boat hook, stakeout pole and more), add ten minutes on top of that. So it can take up to 30 minutes to get set up with everything in its place.

If you use a trailer, you can have a lot of your gear pre-stowed, but, depending where you're launching from, you can add the time it takes to find a place to park the trailer, the time to manipulate the trailer into place and the time to wheel the boat back to the ramp.

On top of all that, you inevitably have to contend with fielding questions from the crowd of assembled onlookers and admirers who gather when you are setting the boat up. The men all want to know how fast it goes and the women all want to know what colors it comes in. Don't worry about standing out at the boat ramp. There will be days when you will wish you could just hide and get the boat out onto the water.

I try to find little beaches to launch from, to avoid the crowds, the queues for the ramp and the parking hassles.

_________________

You are spot on Chrisj, I laughted out loud at what the ladies will say, what color does it come in or come on sweetheart we are burning daylight, HeHe. I'm also aware of how big a hassle it is to prepare, I woke this one morning near 3 am, loaded the boat, rigged poles, stopped and got ice, made sandwiches etc. I set out to drive the 35 mi. to the launch sight looking forward to a full day of fishing. The forcast was very much in our favor as well. Fishing buddy arrives and we unload the boat and just at the moment i arrive back from parking the truck he drops the big bomb,"I have an appointment and have to be back in 2 hours. We haven't spoken since!!!
That won't happen now, if I buy the Ai my wife will be the only one going and I will prepare the boat the night before, get a good nights sleep, wake and have breakfast and just walk outside and grab the handle at the bow and walk with the boat on her cart 1 block, launch and go. Starting to feel lucky with such a set-up. We are just getting the cabin, haven't moved in yet but I can amagine! Obviously we will want to venture elsewhere later but we will cross that bridge when we get there. Your comments sure make me think of what it would be like with each model, Ai Ti HeHe

The toils and tribulations of owning a cool Hobie sailing kayak!

I know what you mean with setup getting long at times. I've got all my normal gear (tools, spares, emergency gear, etc) now in one nice (and heavy!) bag with my leashes, and water attached to it, so less than two minutes for normal gear...

But, when I fish, easily add another 15 min. for fishing tramp, pole holders and leashing and rigging everything. And I'm much faster than my fishing partner so usually it's almost an hour, at O-dumb-30 in the morning, in the dark, before we finally launch. At times we setup the night before on the TI's trailer which is much better, even if we launch an hours troll away at the boat ramp. At least it's an hour more on the water fishing while we get there.

The tough life of a Hobie AI or TI sailor

_________________

Hobie Island Sailing since 2006

Kayak Bob, I have watched all you video's and have taken a look at all your pics and in doing so i seen you with to different splash guards, one yellow and one gray I think. It seemed as though the yellow looked like it preformed well from my view however I see you have the gray only available. Do you still have the gray and or yellow if I wanted one. They look well done and very attractive while doing there job, again from just watching.

The one that was painted bright yellow was a prototype (version 3) that looked GREAT!, but worked not much better than the gray, and had a problem that when the nose caught a wave it just stopped the boat (abruptly!) and then very slowly recovered! I rarely let anyone else use it, and never made it available. (I finally destroyed it)

The Gray I use is my standard (version 2) design that is easier to install and use, that will slow you if the nose dives, but slides back up quickly. Both help the boat from 'diving' but can't completely stop it. Without sprayskirts, I've many a time had water up to my armpits, but the boat always came back up unscathed. With a sprayskirt, the boat slows when diving, so rarely gets even half as much water in the cockpit.

Also, when the leeward ama starts submerging, when pushing the AI at speed, the sprayskirt can plane across the water, stopping it from diving further. (I've caught up to a few AI's by doing this!)

I'm the center AI in my picture below doing just that!

You can download the pattern to sew an AI Sprayskirt at the bottom of the page here: http://www.kayakingbob.com/sprayskirt

Or order one from my wife Dee here: http://www.kayakingbob.com/sprayskirt-purchase

_________________

Hobie Island Sailing since 2006