2015 AI, Tramp-less Deep-Water Re-Mount: Tricks/Techniques ?

One reason I crossed Weta off my short list was doubt that I could re-mount it in deep water.

Kind of took it for granted that the 2015 AI would be no problem - after all, it's just a sit-on-top kayak and I can get back in my surf ski.... Right?

Now I'm not so sure.

Yeah, I can get back in in calm water - as long as I don't mind a couple of bruises, and maybe tearing up my shorts on the rudder control or centerboard knob.... but this thing seems to cry out for a technique to make it trivial to get back on it in any conditions at any time in any physical condition.

Before I go nuts with bathtub daisies and/or windsurfer deck material I thought I'd troll for some real-world experience.

I am taking it on faith that, with a tramp deployed, re-mounting is trivial: just get one's butt up on an ama, roll over on to the tramp, and then scooch over to the main hull/seat.

But how about without a tramp? ..... Does anybody have a foolproof re-entry method that does not require a trampoline?

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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]

Hobie makes a reentry ladder.

Sent from my SPH-L720T using Tapatalk

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2015 Hobie Tandem Island Hibiscus
"Third Normal Form"

• Trampolines
• Hobie cover
• Davis Spar Fly
• Kayakbob's Sprayskirts
• Spine Board Hakas

Anybody here using it?

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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]

Yea we have a 3 rung rope ladder that is stored on the back deck. I have it tied to the rear carry handle always, when I want to use it, I take the other end if the rope, wrap it around the AMA, then hook it to one of these mushroom head thingys that hold the bungys. We can easily climb up into the boat with our tanks and weights on. We also have our AMA's rigged with spectra so we can sit on them, to get back into the boat (with the tramps on of course). Actually we are out of the boat and in the water way more than in the boat.
FE
Just thinking about it, without the tramps on you can fold the ama in to board the boat.

I get between the aka on a side, place my back to the hull and place on hand on the gunnel and the other on an aka and raise my butt onto the gunnel then over into the boat.

When others have problems getting into a TI or 2015 AI a just have them go onto the ama. With haka (or a tramp) it's easy to transition to the hull from there.

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Hobie Island Sailing since 2006

3 rung ladder for me. Collapses to a small package to be bungeed to the aka.

Exactly how I do it....! Much easier....

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2015 Tandem Island - Golden Papaya "HALIBOO"
(retired) Outback - Hibiscus Red

I think I have the same one that Hobie sells, but I got it from ACK. It is called the Lewis Rescue Step. $49.99 and you can get a coupon for 15% off. I strap it to the the ama cross bar and it rides inside my TI, so it is not dragging the water. I haven't used it yet, but it is very adjustable. It can be used as a step or pulling a kayak back over. I mainly bought it for my wife to get back in, but I would definitely use to. I have also seen people make their own. It's hard to tell, but when you pull it out of the case, the strap/ step is about 10-12'. Again you can adjust to any height person.

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2015 Hobie Tandem Island

I've been obsessing over abuse of the akas from several perspectives:

• When I get the rig to water's edge, I grab the mast and use it as a lever to lay the rig on it's side so I can remove the beach wheels...... The rig, of course, resting on one of the amas and maybe twisting the aka on the way down/up. .... Does this sound like abuse?...... I am starting to notice binding when I remove the akas and have to wonder if it's related....
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• Folding the ama in, heaving my butt up on to the ama, and then sliding up and over to the vaka sounds doable to me but, again, I wonder if I am twisting those aka knuckles in a way they were not designed to be twisted.

KayakingBob's method sounds logical - and that's what I do in shallow water... but I expect shoulder issues trying to do it in deep water... gotta give it a try though....

I'll also try folding an ama next time out..... but it sounds to me like your ladder is the ticket...... I'm not fully following the implementation though... do you have a pic of the deployment?

_________________
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]