New ti - couple more questions...

Yet to take the ti out (spent this morning "adapting" my trailer and it's gusting F9 all weekend in the UK). So I have too much time for my brain to start thinking things... hence...

Screw in bungs under seat - what is the purpose?

Rudder "string" used for steering and lifting rudder. I understand that this is strong but it just looks not up to the job. Presumably it "might" snap? I wish it were stainless wire.

I am planning (after much lake/estuary practice) to venture out, oft solo, on the ocean and am looking at risk analysis etc. so I can reduce chances of having to ask for assistance if things go wrong. I sea kayak so am okay with the common sense side of things (dress for immersion, flares, VHF etc). I do however like to have backups where possible for situations where a failure is possible. With the Ti I can see rudder failure as causing a major problem (possible major problems with double kayak in wind, solo operator and no rudder). I understand one can stern rudder using a paddle but not sure if this is a substitute when using a)sail b)Mirage drive...?

My preemptive thoughts on this are that a rudder pin breaking may be solvable at sea (crawl to back and use grips?) but a line break will not.

I reckon that I can bolt a stainless bracket and clip to the rudder (that goes vertical for a few cm and then horizontal). Part of my safety kit would be a pole that attaches to the clip and reaches from the back seat (literally a pole that can be used to "push back and pull forward on the rudder to steer".

Does anybody else share my concerns or has anybody devised a "failed rudder" backup?

Here's waiting for some smooth weather so I can go to my lake.

Drain plugs

Very strong and won't corrode. Same type of line used by kite surfers!

I haven't had to do it with my TI yet, but many times with AI's I've sailed or pedal-paddled home without a rudder. It's a bit more work, but what's great about Hobies, is you can sail/pedal/paddle them.

My best recomendations:

1) Safety In Numbers - try to go out with others, especially in new areas or conditions, and when learning your boat. If you can't, try to stay close enough to shore to "self rescue" and return to shore. We also use radios (Family or Marine Radios) to communicate with each other.

2) Be Prepared - Carry a small toolkit including some spare parts to fix possible problems. I carry enough tools to tighten or remove every connector on the boat, and extra robe and Spectra line to lash/leash/or re-run anthing I can think of. I also carry a Marine Radio, EPIRB and First Aid Kit, snacks, some spare cloths, hand pump, etc.

3) and lastly, make a Float Plan and give it other(s) so you'll be missed, and they'll know where to look for you if you are!

Good luck, Have fun and Be Safe!

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Hobie Island Sailing since 2006

The bungs under the seat hold the bottom of the seat in place. Stick them in the holes in the seat well and tighten them so they won't pull out. When you put them in it helps if they are just loose enough to require a little effort to get them in the holes. If they are too loose they will just spin when you try to tighten them.

If you have a rudder failure you can stear with your paddle. It can be kind of tricky if you've never done it before so I would suggest you try it before you ned to do it.

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

Julian,
The screw in bungs UNDER the seat are just that -bungs. They are for draining the seat area which gets full of water from spray and the occasional wave that comes over the side. Unless conditions are calm they are left undone.
In 4 years of Hobie kayaking I have never had a spectra rudder line failure.
Steering with a rudder can be done pedaling or sailing. I have broken a rudder pin on my AI in 20+ knots and easily made it back to sure with a reefed sail steering with the paddle.
I have also steered the TI using only the paddle when in very shallow water
With the option to pedal, paddle and sail the TI is one of the safest boats available.

I too have been curious about the screw-in things under the seat. We've had our new TI out maybe 20 times now, and I have yet to see any instance where we would want to save the water that's splashing in. And there's a lot of it.

I am thinking of just taking the screw-in plugs out completely and putting them in the parts bag along with the rudder pins and shear bolts. But I cannot envision any useful purpose for them, and if we don't find ourselves reaching for them in the next few months, I'll probably take them off the boat entirely.

Can someone tell me why you would want to prevent water from draining out from under the seats?

By the way, we took the boat up to Pine Cay on Sunday to salvage a piece of fishing net I want to try to make some tramps from. We were averaging 11 mph all the way back. Two big adults, a dog, a cooler, and about 10 lbs of fishing net...I'd stick up some photos but this is Julian's thread!!


I'll put them on the blog.

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Island life in the Devil's Triangle:
http://2gringos.blogspot.com/

Last year I went out after a hurricane passed us - the heaviest wind/wave sailing I've done to date. about 3/4 miles and almost dead downwind from my launch I lost the rudder pin on my AI and had to rely on using the standard Hobie paddle as a rudder whilst reefing about 90% of the sail.

I made it but I learned that the curved paddle blades of the kayak paddle make steering very difficult - I went out and bought a 2-piece, long, Canoe paddle (flat blade) and will keep it stored inside the AI.

I havent tried it yet (that was the last sail of the season ...) but will in the spring. I also plan on trying to rig up something like a row boat yoke for leverage ... removable-mounted perhaps to rear aka. I plan on just trying a long, strong double sided velcro strap that can be lashed around both aka and paddle first.

_________________
Alan W.

Papaya AI2 to replace my well worn V1
TheTwins - His/Hers 2007 Papaya Hobie Adventure Island's (v1.00.01)
.. and a Hobie Outback SUV

A flat bladed canoe paddle can serve a lot of functions that the double ended kayak paddle is less useful for.
-Spare rudder in an emergency
-Shallow water rudder. The TI can sail in 6 inches of water but only with a paddle for a rudder. I always stow my real rudder and drives and use the paddle for the last run at the beach.
-A small loop on the handle makes a great tool for operation of the centerboard from the back seat.
-When the sail is deployed a canoe paddle is still usable if needed to move the boat. The double paddle is about useless in a quick need.
You can pole the bottom sitting down if needed. The double paddle is good as well but its hard to get leverage on your top hand just holding a point on the shaft.
The other thing I suggest practicing is using the double kayak paddle to propel a loaded tandem singlehanded from the back with no rudder and a furled sail. You have to be really good to make it work and you will appriceiate the inventor of the mirage drive more than you do now
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