REVERSING MIRAGE DRIVE

Has any-one got any negative comments about the new reversing Mirage Drive? I have been contemplating buying a set for my AI2, but my friendly Hobie dealer reckons I ought to go for the new spinnaker kit, but I had an excellent jib set-up on my 2009 AI, and after a while sailed without it more often than not. My sailing mate (AI2) and I love to explore Marinas and do get ourselves into some awkward 'brace BAR bolt breaking situations'. I've heard the RMD's are not as powerful as the standard turbo fins and you can't get up as much speed...any comments folks?

Cheers, Ian

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I have zero experience with the 180 drive but I would suggest you buy the spinnaker kit (more versatile than a jib) and use your paddle to stop and reverse in tight quarters! Easy decision in my opinion.

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

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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 tried them out on a demo day. I was told they provide more power but I could not feel it. I felt like if anything there was less but it was very close. At the time (before being released, there was a quirk where it took two pulls to make the drive reverse. I understand that has been worked out and it only takes one now. If I were using it in tight quarters a lot or was fishing shallow areas, then I would want it. But if you look at the 180 vs traditional drives, in the field, repairs have become more difficult now with the 180.. I prefer the old drives for the way I use my AI but I can understand why someone would want the new feature.

The spinnaker gets my vote. My jib gets used more than my spinnaker but the spinnaker widens the actual range of winds that I can sail. I enjoy having more lines, more complexity though. I don't think that's typical for most normal people.

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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 had heard that the 180 drive power was "about the same" as the GT model.

As regards control complexity, I recall having the following mainsail controls on my 1/4 tonner cruiser/razcer yacht...
Halyard
Outhaul *
Boom vang *
Cunningham *
Flattening clew reef *
Reef 1 clew outhaul *
Reef 2 clew outhaul *
Reef 3 clew outhaul *
Mainsheet *
Mainsheet traveller *
Backstay *

* involving multiple purchases

(of course, the keelboat also had multiple headsail and a spinnaker, with another bunch of controls for them!)

So my TI with spinnaker is simple

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

Thanks Greg and Tony. I suppose it comes down to whether I just want to update for the sake of up-dating. As far as the spin goes, I have limited use of my shoulders as I have 'metal joints' in both, and fiddling with extra lines is a chore I feel might get beyond me if I failed to anticipate a sudden squall. As to your BIG BOAT rigging Tony, as the saying goes...been there...done that, although it was only 22 feet.
$1000 for the RMD is a lot, especially for occasional use. I'm afraid that using the paddle to slow or reverse is too much for the shoulders.
On my AI 1 I had the jib and barber haulers which became too much in the end. Any modifications I do now are designed to keep it simple. My aim these days is to get into and off the water as quickly and effortlessly as possible, and in that regard...HAIL THE STANDARD HOBIE AI AND TI.

Thanks fellas...Ian

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I assume you know the trick of installing your current Mirage drives in backward to reverse. It's clunky and slow to do, but it works.

Also, if you're at all interested in a motor option, the 403 ultralight has full reverse. You could use the $619 you saved for the reversing Mirage drive toward the price of the motor. This would give you reverse and all the huge advantages of having a motor.

Just some additional options to consider.

Good Point. Actually, 2 good points.

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The Wind Is Your Friend...

I went from a 2012 TI with turbos to a 2017 with the 180 drives. I think the 180 drives are just as efficient as the turbo drives. Reverse has been handy for stopping. I used to drag a paddle to slow, and that would rotate the boat slightly. Overall, I think they are an improvement. As for maneuverability, you need to have some decent reverse speed for the rudder to bite and start turning. Faster reverse feels like it makes a tighter turn, but faster in close quarters isn't always a good thing. So the 180 drives are okay, but nothing that big of a difference.

One minor problem is that the 180 drive on the TI can block the centerboard from retracting with the 180 drive. The turbo was angled enough to clear the slot, but the 180's fin can get pinched if pressed up against the hull. You just have to remember to always have your left or right foot forward (I don't remember which one).

As for the spin kit, I like it. The barberhaul on the main was just a pain in the neck when making some downwind runs. The spinnaker solves that problem, just furl up the main, and hoist the spin. And you don't have to take it out every time, it's just an add-on, so just leave the kit behind on those 20+ mph windy reach-fest days.

I leave the spinnaker attached at all times. I found it necessary to add a temporary extension to the halyard to make it easier raising and lowering the mast. (I added a threaded oblong stainless ring to the head of the sail, and a snapshackle on the halyard. My temporary extension has a loop in one end and a snapshackle on the other. At the beginning and end of the day, my halyard shackle attaches to the loop, and the extension shackle attaches top the head of the sail)

When packing up, the "mouth" of the spinnaker snuffer sits in the front cockpit floor next to the Miragedrive, and that is how it goes into the garage. If traveling any distance, I secure the spinnaker with shock cords as well.

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

With their stiffness, shape and materials, the 180 drives might work a little better as daggerboads. And maybe be a little harder on the knees. They have a nice, solid downhaul to adjust stiffness, though.

I get the impression that running aground with the 180s could create costly damage. I'd be interested to hear about this from early adopters.

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The Wind Is Your Friend...