New Aka brace shear bolts ?

I must say that as someone who has sailed a 2008 AI for years with never having to deal with such a thing that I now await my new 2015 AI with some slight concern.

Takes the shine off a new boat a bit.

_________________
Fair Skies, Max.

Not a problem. Add a Sprayskirt and simple leashes to the rear, to be sure the aka stay in and you're set to go.

The shear-bolts are not a major difference from our old boats. So, if you haven't broken one and rolled your current AI, I don't see a reason the new one should be a worry.

Then again, maybe you'll be hot-dogging more it in your new 'ride'. Is that something not to look forward to?

_________________

Hobie Island Sailing since 2006

By the by... does anyone know the diameter of the shear bolts?. I'm guessing 1/4"??


Never mind!!!!!... found it

_________________
Follow my blog @ Saltwater Kayak Fisherman
Watch my videos on You Tube
Team Hobie GB
Lowrance Pro Staff
YakAttack Pro Staff
Hook1 Crew

OK.

Spray Skirts still needed eh, I was told the 2015 AI was a drier ride?

_________________
Fair Skies, Max.

I have a 2015, though I've not used an ealier model. That said, I've already caught a few in the face

_________________
Follow my blog @ Saltwater Kayak Fisherman
Watch my videos on You Tube
Team Hobie GB
Lowrance Pro Staff
YakAttack Pro Staff
Hook1 Crew

Lol I guess it's subjective, here where we have Parrots and Palm Trees a face-full can be refreshing, if you are expecting it..

On that subject, any tips for good suppliers of spray nets?

_________________
Fair Skies, Max.

The attention here has been on the nylon sheer bolt but I saw my buddy yesterday who had a TI capsize and confirmed with him that it was the "knob" attached to the hull that had worked loose when his ama collapsed. I checked mine on a 2015 TI and both of the knobs had some loktite already and I put them back in with a good coating of loktite blue. My friend says he checks the knobs all the time to make sure they are always tight. My opinion.. that knob is more of where you should be concerned..

I also just sailed the crap out of my 2010 AI, never had the slightest issue.. I’m being a little more paranoid with the TI because now I will have my wife on board and want to take it up to the Puget Sound in Sept (cold water).

Spray skirt - look at the link at the bottomn of Kayakingbobs post

My new AI is still in the container so I have not actually scoped one yet.
Appreciate Knob advice and Bob link.

_________________
Fair Skies, Max.

Bob and company,

Great info here for a new one like me! I can just share some tales from my T-Gull experience: Gulls have turnbuckles holding the water stays to the boat; the stays prevent the akas/amas from swinging back against the hull. After a few frightening tales that I only read about, thank goodness; the turnbuckles came wired from the factory! Stainless pins are removed to allow the akas/amas to swing back against the hull when pulling Gulls out of the water; Corsair and Farrier tris use very different hardware for mounting their akas and amas and do not have this potential problem. Thanks for the heads up; I plan on putting Bob's plan in place as soon as my new TI arrives.

Rob

Just a reminder to check those "knob" screws. My wife's came loose on her 2012/3 AI this weekend. She didn't capsize thank goodness. I checked and her other knob screw needed about 1/4 turn to tighten.

This one made it to my list of required mods.

Now I am thinking about what/how can I bond to the head of each replacement bolt so that it will float when dropped. Shouldn't take much....a little piece of pool noodle...anything that displaces enough water to float the bolt.

Only question is what the best adhesive is.

I just bought some Gorilla construction adhesive for the on-beach storage stand I am making...so I guess I will try that first.

_________________
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]

Seriously, just how clumsy are you? I am a diabetic, and my fingers are partly numb, but even I would have no problem getting a new bolt into the brace. Sliding a zip tie into the slotted end afterwards would be a bit fiddly, but unlikely to cause the loss of the new bolt.

I like that you are trying to cover all possibilities, but it is easy to overthink it. I certasinly wouldn't bother trying to add buoyancy to the shear bolts...

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

Have you actually done it - in 3' chop with cold hands?

I would say that the odds are against me doing it successfully under real conditions - and I think of how PO'd I would be to see that little thing sinking out of sight....

_________________
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]

I don't think you understand at all. To replace a shear bolt, you COLLAPSE the ama, so you are working up close, not trying to do the job out away from your seat. If the sail is furled, conditions would have to be truly diabolical to make fitting a new sheer bolt too difficult.

Now if you were talking about a rudder bolt....

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

Sounds like, right now, I am too much talk and not enough experience.

But what got me going was reading multiple reports by people who seem to be shearing bolts on a fairly regular basis.... one person reported a shear each time the lee ama was completely submerged - so I figured I would want something really foolproof...

FWIW I am pretty sure that, on dry land, I could replace that bolt with my eyes closed using only my teeth..... but my experience has been that on the water things are different. I guess I will find out soon enough.

The rudder pin? I'm not even considering replacement. Had a difficult time doing it on dry land.... Once I get this thing in the water, one of the first things I plan to do is learn to steer it using a paddle as a steering paddle or steering oar.

_________________
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]