TI / AI Keel Protection?

Please forgive me if this topic has come up before but how do you protect the keel of your TI or AI? My 2015 TI is only a year old but the keels of the main hull and of each ama are getting scuffed even though I'm being as careful as possible. I know these keels are tough but it's only plastic after all and I'd like to avoid any further damage if possible.

I recently purchased and installed the Keel Eazy Keel Strip product which is basically a tough, thick plastic tape held in place with an aggressive marine suitable adhesive. It looked great on installation and I'd thought it would do the job, but the first time I used it on a fairly light landing at a cement surfaced boat ramp, it tore apart easily much to my surprise. I don't think it'll even last the season. There must be a better solution.

I would be grateful for any insight on this subject.

You must be on your first Hobie, everybody worries about that on their first hobie kayak and treats it with kid gloves, being very careful not to scratch it.
I have even seen guys completely covering their hulls with duct tape to protect the hull.
Trust me once you get to your third boat you will no longer even look at the bottom of the boat except annually to clean it up just a little.
The hulls are built like tanks, we even run rapids with ours once in a while (we are now on our 8th Hobie).
I haven't even looked at the bottom in two yrs.
Of course I don't land and scrape up concrete boat ramps and we are reasonably careful, but we go out to enjoy the boat most weekends, and don't sweat a few scratches here and there.
Hope this helps
FE

What he said, but I would ask if there is a way to avoid landing on concrete ramps, or at least modify your procedure slightly. If you must land at a ramp, maybe you would be best to disembark as soon as you reach knee-deep water. If the slope is too steep, maybe you can come in and turn it at a right angle so the water is shallow enough.

If the hulls touch the concrete with almost half the weight removed, the potential damage will clearly be reduced significantly, and you will also be in the position to protect the hull if wash arrives.

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

My own solution to that was installing Boonedox landing gear. I went out memorial weekend where ramp was so busy with big boats. With all the gear setup at parking lot, I rolled the kayak, ask the boat next in line to let me use the ramp, continue roll the kayak after getting the thumbs up, and as soon as my kayak reached the water , jump in and paddle away. The point is I did not cause anyone to wait as I disappeared from the ramp the moment I hit the water. The same thing happened going back. There was a lot of boats waiting in line. About 10 meters away from the ramp, I dropped the wheels, Waive the next person in line to let me Cut in line, the moment I know it's knee deep, jump out the kayak right before I hit the concrete, reach out the front handle and roll the kayak back to my parking spot. Here's one video from YouTube to give you an idea.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=19_TH5pndWU

Thank you for the informative replies. Yes this is my first Hobie but my seventh boat. Again I know the keel can take punishment but I was hoping it didn't have to. The boat ramp I use has two docks on either side which have a long wait to get in or out, but the center of the ramp is rarely used. So I can get in and out in far less time without using either dock. Going out causes no issues because I can gently place the keel on the ramp after it comes off the trailer. Coming in is the trick. The ramp is so busy there are usually boats on either side. So I very gently glide in to the center at very low speed. This does cause some minor friction with the ramp but nothing severe and only for a few inches. It would be impossible to come in sideways due to the other boats, and if I try to jump out before the keel lands, I'll be in chest deep water due to the very steep ramp and the fact I'm in the rear seat. I could use the front seat but then I'd have to get around the tramps and amas and I'd still be in waist deep water which is oily from the power boats. So the keel contacts the ramp and gets scraped a bit each time. I was hoping for an easy fix but I guess one doesn't exist.

I guess if you treated your TI like a power boat, you could tie up at one of the docks, get your trailer, and then pull your TI onto the trailer without it ever touching the concrete. Sure, it would take longer, but you won't scrape your hull.

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

I thought the topic was for PA14. Sorry...LOL.

Tony:
Thats pretty much what I do at public docks. I usually come in under pedal power, I stop a couple feet from shore (so I don't scrape the concrete. I then jump out, unclip my jib control line (because it's handy and already there), I the tie the boat to the dock real quick, then run up and get the car and back it to the water. If the boat was pulled up on the concrete it would be in the way of the trailer so I wouldn't be able to back up to the water (boat's in the way).
I then unhook from the dock pull the boat to the trailer, hook it to the winch and pull it on the trailer, with the sails up, the AMA's out and the tramps on. I then just hook one quick strap so the boat doesn't tip, then pull away from the ramp to an open area in the parking lot.
Most of our ramps have rnce stations where you can rinse the boat, If the rince station roesn't have a line I typically rinse the boat and my motors right there. I then just go to a quiet spot in the parking lot and tear the boat down for transport, ie... Remove the tramps, fold the AMA's, and drop all my sails and lay them into the boat.
The boat never touches the concrete.
When launching I do the same I rig the boat completely in the parking lot ,step the sails, hook them all up, open the AMA's put the tramps and spray skirts on, then back up to the ramp. It's way easier to see the boat rigged with the AMA's out when backing up in your rear view mirror. I pull the boat off the trailer, tie my jib control line to the dock, then go park the car. I spend maybe 5 minutes at the launch, doing it all that way seems to go with normal flow at the powerboat launch.
The only problem is the barnacles on the dock posts do scratch the AMA's. I haven't done anything yet but am thinking about running a piece of heavy rope loose between the front and rear AMA, and letting it droop down the outside of the AMA, so the rope rubs the dock vs my plastic AMA, but too late now, the AMA's are already scratched from many docks.
Our TI is our family cruising boat so we stop at many docks for lunch and such (just like the powerboaters lol).
FE

I don't think you can avoid getting in the water at some point but what I would try is installing a scupper cart while still in deeper water but close to the ramp.
It's not easy the first time but easier with practice and having the small cradle on the HD cart helps to hold on to it and get it aligned and the buoyancy helps it pop into the scupper holes.
Then move to the front seat and glide in to the ramp so you can jump out in water that is as shallow as possible.
Then you just go to the bow and roll the boat out of the water. It never has to touch the concrete on it's own.
I have at times set the boat aside at this point to go get my trailer then set the bow on the roller at the rear of the trailer, attach the winch to the bow to keep it there and use the truck\trailer to slowly pull the boat on the scupper cart up the dry part of the ramp to the flat rigging area.
(At other times I just tough it out and pull the boat up the ramp on my own. It's like Crossfit, quite a workout ! )
I can't put my boat directly on the trailer from the water because the Hakas have to be removed first and amas folded in due to the uprights for the upper deck on the trailer.

Chris