What does the lack of new TI info today mean?

By that logic, an AI would never be cartopped either.

The cartopping /trucktopping norm would be to slide the hull onto the roof via the smooth bottom side, then flip it midship using the handles. This is the really tricky part and it will be much tougher with the new AI's and TI's.

Using cradles would be one way to solve this. That pretty much rules out using your roof racks for anything else though.

It would have been preferable to this user to have the handles redesigned, or moved to the gunwale, or molded into the cockpit. But my opinion was never solicited.

Matt, could you please get your photoshop people to remove the handles from the red 2015 TI shown in the model line-up at the top of the screen? Irrespective of the desirability or otherwise of removing the handles, the website should at least reflect the reality of what the 2015 looks like. thanks

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

The boat is not yet molded. As soon as we actually have a 2015 boat it will be photographed and uploaded I'm sure.

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Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

But think of the great thread we will have about the best location, type and installation method for accessory handles on 2015 TI's. It may dwarf the Haka thread. I promise to kick it off when the time comes ( late December ? ).

I just sold my 08 Kona. That kayak had molded in handles but they were not at the center of the kayak's weight. Compared to the Revo 13 it was a pain to move it around. One hand on the handle and one hand trying to gecko grab (made this up ), anything on the heavy end to balance it. Not saying that I plan to pick up a TI from the side by myself but I see Bob's point about a solid handhold for other purposes.

Lots of handholds on a Jeepney, just sayin.

I understand that Matt, but the current image is of a pre 2015 TI with modified bow angles and Vantage seats photoshopped in, so logic suggests the handles should have been photoshopped out at the same time.

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

Tony:
They can easily fix the problem by putting one of those pop up caption circles over the handles on the web site that says "don't need no stinken handles"
I still challenge anyone to put the bare hull in the middle of their garage and attempt to flip the boat up on its side in order to install the scupper cart. I also challenge anyone to lift the back of the boat up high enough vertically in order to even try to get a scupper cart in. Removing the handles renders the TI totally useless as a kayak.
I'm just not understanding why nobody else sees this as a huge problem that renders the boat useless, ( a total show stopper for me).
Bob

Good one Bucky.

Bob your not alone. This last year a buch of us traveled to Florida as a group with many TIs. We needed those strong and comfortable handles to help eachother move the boats to beach launch. Can't imagine trying ro do that with the seat bars. I suspect we will hear more complaining next year once these are in circulation. Still, I love the boat and the other changes made.

Matt, do you know if the 2015 AI mast can be used on older models? I plan on upgrading the mast and sail if so.

Vetgam

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Greg

2016 AI - Spinn & Jib

“Out of sight of land the sailor feels safe. It is the beach that worries him.”
– Charles G. Davis

I was also thinking of this. Might make the ultimate AI with the older lighter hulls. Down here in Costa Rica the spray is a welcome relief in the warm water. Extra sail for lighter winds would be a plus, let alone the head clearance. Already have a skipper chair.

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Mark
Tandem Island- 2013
2 - Sports - 2014

You're not alone Bob, but I wouldn't go so far saying the lack of handles renders the boat useless. It's a major inconvenience and definitely a backward step.
Hobie apparently consulted with everybody but us on the forum, the regular users. Go figure!
Most of the dealers I've met are not regular Island users, they don't get out often and frankly any regular forum member who keeps up with the posts here knows more about the Islands than most dealers, in my experience.
I wish I wasn't so vocal in my complaints about the water funnelling now!
I wanted a fix, not a complete removal.
I bet if Hobie took a consensus, the majority of regular Island users on this forum would elect to keep the handles.
When the updated handle moulding failed I suggested a simple foam plug be substituted, attached by a short cord, much like the AI dagger board plug. Shaping a plug like that is difficult for DIY's but wouldn't have been for Hobie. I would have much preferred that than to lose the handles entirely.

Wow, you guys have me thinking about cancelling my pre-ordered 2015 until Hobie realizes the handles are needed.
Will we recognize handleless 2015's in the future as "the year Hobie thought it was a good idea to remove handles from a 190 lb. boat that is normally moved by hand ? I would gladly stuff pool noodle under a handle to stop water scooping than not have the handle there when I need it. Why not just fix the problem ?
And BTW, how did this omission get past Hobie's Product Design Safety Committee ? It sure seems like a safety concern to me.

I've had a couple of chances to pick up late model TI's (with handles) a lot cheaper than the more expensive new model and probably should have in retrospect. I don't think I should have to retrofit my brand new boat with something so fundamentally useful.

I have moved my smaller boats around enough to know that I wouldn't want to do it without handles on both sides.

It's also been my experience that my local dealer knows less about the TI than I do when I start asking questions, and most of them have never been on a TI.

Chris

Does a boat have handles? No
Is that a safety concern? No
Can you install handles on a boat? Yes
Do you need to? No
Thus the same goes for an AI/TI. It's better and safer to handle in such a manner. Stop thinking of them as a portable kayak and more like a light boat, in my humble opinion.
I never use my AI as an adventure only without the amas. Why would I ? If I need smaller lighter and transportable without a trailer, I'm going to go with a smaller kayak. Otherwise it's a full trailer with the AI.

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Mark
Tandem Island- 2013
2 - Sports - 2014

Mark:
I'm not talking about the AI here, only the TI, my wife and I only use tandem kayaks, she figured that one out a long time ago, that if we are on separate kayaks, she has to do all the work herself. We have gone some distance a few times kayaking rivers and such and she ran out of gas (got tired), and just couldn't pedal or paddle any longer and I had to tow her back, of course I don't mind towing her back (good wifes are hard to find LOL), and am honestly glad she is along. But we came to the realization about 6 yrs ago that tandem kayaking is the only way for us, so we can take turns pedaling and if one of us gets tired the other takes over for a while (it works for us though I know it's typically is a disaster for most others LOL ( ie... why tandems are called divorce yaks). We used and older style Oasis for quite a few years, but literally hated that boat because it was very awkward to manipulate on shore, and difficult to get a hold of when trying to load it on top of our car, plus if we flipped over it was very difficult to right in deeper water. Plus it was rather slow and didn't track real well, and it had very limited storage capacity. After a long time of doing both singles (we also had two Revo's) and tandems we decided we only like tandem kayaking so that's where we stand. I looked at one of the new 2015 Oasis kayaks at the dealer the other day, and am extremely impressed with the new design (redesigned around 2012-then freshened a little in 2015 with the new seats and the new blue Glide mirage drives. The Oasis has two sets of handles and I would be very confident manipulating that boat around shore, tipping it up on it's side to put the scupper cart under it, and putting it on our roof because there are plenty of hand holds so the boat can't get away from you (that's how I got hurt on the old Oasis, the boat got away from me while loading on the roof).
As a kayak the Tandem island is the fastest and best kayak hobie makes, it glides on the water very fast with little effort, and can easily be propelled even when tandem with just one person pedaling (we never could do that with or old Oasis), plus it has more storage capacity than any other kayak Hobie makes, and it tracks really nicely (it also tracks really well when paddling tandem (no mirage drives or rudder)). Of course it is big and heavy, but pretty much all tandems are (it's only slightly heavier than the Oasis as a kayak). I'm a long time Canoe person thru most of my life, and much prefer the tandem kayaks (specifically the TI kayak) over any of the canoes we used previously over the years, heck we even run the thing down mild class 2 rapids, with the rotomolded hull it bounces off rocks, and survives way more abuse than anything we ever owned before (actually we are on our 3rd TI now).
On top of all that it is a great sailboat, I know of no other boat out there where one day we can have 4 people out 10 miles offshore scuba diving with two tanks each and full gear, then the very next day kayaking the Santa Fe river (in kayak mode) all with the exact same boat (yes we really did that). Then a couple weeks later we ran the class 2 rapids on the Huron river (in Ann Arbor MI), it was an absolute blast. Then a few weeks later we went out on lake Michigan near Traverse city and explored the peninsula's (in sailing mode). Actually we have our TI out doing something fun pretty much every weekend all year round.
When we flipped the TI kayak in the Huron river rapids the hatch was open (wife was getting her camera out to take a pic of her sis who had just flipped in front of us, on her sit inside kayak) and we flooded the boat, I'm pretty sure without the handles I wouldn't have been able to right the boat. We have practiced in our pool righting flipped kayaks, and getting back on board many times (it's way harder than you might thing if your a little over weight like we are, and by no means atheletes....), and I'm pretty sure if I didn't have the handles on my TI I would not be able to right the kayak (I couldn't right our Oasis by myself with no handles, nothing to grab onto), and the TI is wider and much more difficult to right. I know for a fact my wife would not be able to re-mount our TI from the water without the handles (this is why I am so worked up about this, pretty much makes the TI kayak impossible to re-enter from the water without handles), the TI sits very high in the water.
Besides if you look at every other kayak in Hobies line, they all have the integrated handles (one of the best things they ever did IMO). Those of us who actually use our boats would like the handles to remain.
I'm only taking about the TI here, I don't know much about the AI.
Bob

Bob

Geez, how do the Mirage drives feel about that?

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Awrite! At least NOW we have a scapegoat.