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Top speed?
http://www.hobie.com/au/en/forums/viewtopic.php?f=71&t=38690		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  leelanauX [ Sat Sep 24, 2011 7:26 pm ]
Post subject:  Top speed?
Hi,

I'm Looking forward to purchasing a tandem island. I'm curious about a realistic "top speed?"

How fast can this thing go?

Thanks.
Author:  fusioneng [ Tue Sep 27, 2011 9:33 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Top speed?
leelanauX:
Kind of depends on where you live, in Sarasota FL we only see winds greater than 5-10 mph once in a blue moon so I seldom get much over 6mph on just the mainsail. The hull speed of the boat is around 6-7mph (the main limiting factor on a sail boats speed), so going much faster than that the power required goes up exponentially. The guys in Australia and and the Hawian islands get much better winds and don't even bother to go out typically if the wind is less than 12mph. The boat kind of maxx's out at 25mph winds (no longer able to sail upwind because the boat is very light(not many sailboats can)), but if your going downwind it's probably a huge thrill (10 mph plus). The waves also slow the boat down quite a bit if it's choppy (because it very light and low). Also keep in mind, the rougher it is the wetter the boat becomes.
I have a jib and gennaker on mine (custom) which makes it go better in the typical low winds we have here in Sarasota. My personal top speed is 17 mph ( 1.3 windspeed) but thats with 265 sq ft of sail (the boat is not designed for that, and I caution anyone trying it unless they really know their stuff.)

I think someone figured out that the standard boat will typically go around 60% of the wind speed under normal conditions, which I think is close to normal for a boat of this type.
Typically if the wind gets over 15 mph then the boat gets over powered by the wind (more wind power than the boat can use) and you typically have to reef the sail some.
If you want to go fast get a Hobie Cat, I have heard about many going 25-30 mph, but with a much greater risk of tipping over in those kind of conditions (probably 50-50).
But if you want a very good versatile boat which is pretty safe that can be used for just about anything you can imagine, the the TI is for you. We use ours as a scuba diving platform, island hopping down in the keys, river kayaking (including light rapids), fishing and crabbing platform (during crab season we look like the guys on the deadliest catch hauling 10-15 craps traps out to open water stacked on the trampolines). We often carry 3 and sometimes 4 people on the boat (making sure not to exceed the 600 lb weight limit) with some riding on the trampolines ( a must have recommended option). I have a gas motor on mine and a typical sailing day for me is 30-40 miles total, the motor is for emergencies just in case the wind dies, or conditions change aversely.
We car top our TI and can launch from anywhere along the side of the road (you only need 5-6 inches of water). We are out every weekend all year round and often have two boats up on our roof when we travel with our camper.
Your just not going to get the overall capability that this boat has from a fast beach cat, Windrider 17, or a Weta (TI is also half the price of any of these ). Though not quite as fast, you get a whole lot more. At least I'm sold and love my TI.
Bob
Author:  Gringo [ Tue Sep 27, 2011 11:33 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Top speed?
We're down south of the Bahamas, and in the Trade Winds. So we get something between 10 and 20 kts. of wind from the north east and east, day after day. Calm days are rare.

We had hit 10 kts. three times with our TI, each time in a beam reach with the wind just aft of amidships, with the peddles and board up. We had some swell action helping us, and I think the longest we held 10 kts. was probably less than 30 seconds.

Sunday we were out sailing around in circles trying to dodge some little squalls blowing through, just outside a small local harbor. We were having fun sailing across the faces of the squalls, and between them. Waiting for a line of them to go through so we could get to the other side.. Then both the centerboard and rudder hit the sand at the same time and kicked up. We turned downwind just as this big mother of a gust of wind from a squall hit us. The mast looked like a piece of limber plastic, bent way over. I was looking at the sterns of two anchored pontoon boats as we zipped by them, and I know it was well over the ten knots I have seen from this boat on three occasions. We were just wasting time in the harbor, and I hadn't turned the Garmin on yet, so I don't know what speed we hit. I am guessing 12 kts. And trying to be conservative and not stretch it. It could have been a little more.


But I wasn't in control of the boat at the time. We ducked into the lee of a big barge after that and let the squall blow through.
Author:  fusioneng [ Tue Sep 27, 2011 12:30 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Top speed?
Gringo:
I'm jelous we just don't get winds like that around here (gulf coast around Tampa Fl). We have a place down in Key West where the winds are better ( I assume trade winds), but just can't get down there often enough.
Bob
Author:  Gringo [ Tue Sep 27, 2011 1:40 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Top speed?
We like the Tampa area. Haven't been back in years, since I took some ultralight flight training at the little airport there north of town.

My son wants to move to Tampa. Hows the job market these days?
I am totally out of touch.

We have gotten to the point were we probably would take the skiff out instead of the Hobie if the winds are much less than 10 kts. We have kinda set our unofficial upper limit at 20 knots, but have been in gusts to way over that.

You know that cold blast you get right before the bottom falls out of a fast squall.
Author:  fusioneng [ Tue Sep 27, 2011 3:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Top speed?
Gringo:
The job market is starting to come back, there seem to be a lot of jobs in the service industry (waiters, clerks, lawn care, etc). Not a lot of manufacturing down here though ( I'm in manufacturing).

Yea in lighter winds a small laser or sunfish is probably more fun, there seem to be lots of them around here. 20 mph winds is my un-official limit also, yes the boat can do it, but with the higher wind comes 2-3 ft waves and chop around here, and makes it not as fun for me. Because I have all that extra sail, I'm pretty good down to 5mph winds.
In light winds a good friend of mine who is a professional captain (sail boats) says most people around here motor sail on those big sail boats, they put the sails up but also have the motor running.
I actually tried that last weekend, I just put a new higher pitch prop on my 2hp gas motor and wanted to try it out. I motor sailed into the wind (about 35 degrees off the bow 5-7 mph winds on and off). I was able to maintain 5-6 mph, went through 1 tank of gas (.25 gallons) and got from City Island almost up to Anna Maria Island (about 15 miles), Now I know my range on 1 tank. I always go out with a full tank plus 1 gallon of extra fuel in case of emergency (confirmed fuel range around 50 miles). I then turned around and raised the spinnaker and sailed back home (about 35 miles total for the day) averaging 5-7 mph on the way back in the light winds. I may become a motor sailer now.
On the way back with the wind, I still had some fuel in the tank and tried running the motor a little on the way back, the boat didn't speed up at all, probably something to do with the prop pitch and hull speed limitations of the boat.
On one of those on line hull speed calculators it said I would have to add a 50 hp motor to push the boat over 15 mph ( I'm starting to believe that now, and starting to appreciate how much horsepower the sails can deliver).

In the year and a half I've had the motor I've used maybe 2-3 gallons of gas but have traveled way over 1000 miles (I'm out every weekend all year round).
Bob
Author:  joesa3rd [ Wed Sep 28, 2011 8:32 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Top speed?
Bob,
The motor you speak of sounds very interesting. Can you share your motor brand and model along with maybe a picture of how you mounted it?

Joe
Author:  fusioneng [ Wed Sep 28, 2011 9:35 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Top speed?
Joe:
No problem. I outlined all the details on how to build the motormount on the thread ( viewtopic.php?f=69&t=33720 ) The ultimate Tandem Island (hydrofoils,spinnaker,jib,etc). The motor I purchased from this place ( http://www.smalloutboardengines.com/20h ... flage.html ).

The motor works as advertised and propels the boat to around 4-5 mph with the supplied 4.5 pitch prop, I put on a 7 inch pitch and the boat now goes 5-6 mph (standard Tohatsu prop, but the shaft hole needs to be reamed out to 1/2 inch dia.). I use the motor mostly in salt water and should have clear coated the entire motor when it was brand new, and replaced all the bolts with stainless steel bolts ($15), it would be less maintainance. Make sure you always rinse it off after use. I paid $525 for the motor, if I had to do it again I think I would have spent a little more and bought either the Honda 2hp, or a merc 3.5hp. A little more weight but more powerful from what I have read and a little more reliable. If you can get your hands on an old 2 stroke 3.3 to 5hp merc jump on it (no longer made), they are light and fast and last forever.
Here is a pic of the mount Image

If you don't want to build it, you can buy a motor mount from http://islandhopperoutboards.com/kayakmount.html
Good luck
Motor sailers unite ( LOL)
Bob
Author:  TxYackMan [ Wed Sep 28, 2011 8:41 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Top speed?
I have been at 8 - 10 knots a number of times and 10 - 10.5 knots twice.
Anything over 7.5 knots the new rudder starts to hum.
It sure feel faster than that!
Author:  Gringo [ Thu Sep 29, 2011 7:22 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Top speed?
A shame you guys can't get the two strokes in the USA any more. But don't think the rest of the world isn't still using them.

Yamaha, for example, makes some real NICE little two strokes, in 2 hp. Also in 3, 4, 5, 6, and 8 hp. popular little portable dinghy motors.

That little 2 hp looks nice and weighs 9 kg.

Image

http://www.yamaha-motor.com.au/products ... rtable/all

Wish I could send you one. But I'd have to take it apart and send it in pieces as spares or something so Uncle Sam wouldn't get his nickers in a twist.

Honda sells a little 2 horse four stroke outboard in the USA. I think it's about $ 900 but you get a real, marine outboard. And Honda. less than 30 lbs.

Have we dumped the EPA and gone back to common sense again yet?
Author:  PassWind [ Thu Sep 29, 2011 8:31 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Top speed?
TxYackMan wrote:
...Anything over 7.5 knots the new rudder starts to hum.


... Reminds me of the old "SpeedMinder" on the 60's cars where you put the needle at where you wanted and it buzzzzed at or after that speed.
Author:  stobbo [ Tue Nov 29, 2011 5:02 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Top speed?
I like the look of the Sears Gamefisher (I dug info on them up via a search on ebay) - I know nothing about them but I have a similar small british 2stroke engine called a seabee which is smaller and lighter than any other engine I have been able to find to date (much lighter than my Honda 2hp 4 stroke)

The Gamefishers seem to be similarly light, cheap and are probably aircooled like my Seabee and Honda. Aircooling is a big advantage in a marine environment as no salt water in the casings to corrode them away and no fiddly flushing after use. They also seem to be pretty common (in the USA).... might be worth checking them out.
Author:  kayakman7 [ Wed Nov 30, 2011 7:54 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Top speed?
Hi
I've hit 11 mph on several occasions for a moment or two, but recently I was out soloing my TI in moderate conditions (slight reef, half turn of the mast) and had the boat on plane running a beam reach at a constant 12mph. It was exhilarating.

I've found running solo really keeps the bow up and the only parts of the boat in the water are the stern and the downwind ama. On the starboard tack, I could hear the centerboard cutting though the water.

J
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