Launched AI2 2017

Okay, time to join the Hobie Island gang! Ordered last fall a red hibiscus AI2 2017 and took delivery mid-December. Made a few mod’s over the months (during a very wet N. Cal winter). Here’s a few images and details below.

First, I must say a big thank you to all who contribute on this forum – an invaluable resource for anyone interested in messing about these way-too-much-fun craft. Really appreciate the posts from Chekika on his AI expedition thread (so many great stories, information and teaching moments)…a must read, NOHUHU for his mammoth haka pages (which inspired me to build my benchs months before AI delivery), stringy’s terrific ideas, shared experiences, and thread on his motor mount (a must have mod!), tonyscott for his adventures and clear writing style (learned a lot about the Australian medical system too!), fusioneng (FE)…well if it can be done on or to a TI or other mirage drive hobie, he’s done it! So many others, Wait, bobagain, TI Tom, pro10is, learned so much from your posts.

So anyhow, here's my “Queen Mary”. She’s already becoming a bit pimped.

Red cedar hakas, motor mount (supporting 16.5’’ wheelez), Yamaha 2.4, and Lowrance Elite-9Ti w/ totalscan transducer. For the cold/swift SF bay waters, I wear a Stohlquist “shift” drysuit (spousal requirement).



About as crowded with mods as I want.....for now, hehehe


Motor mount. Over built, but had to support the stress of the wheels too........motor can be mounted port or starboard........prefer the port for easy access to motor tilt release.


Love these large wheelez.....


Help from a C-Tug positioned under forward aka bar/mast area


Fun!


Thanks again all! Doug

Awesome! Welcome to the Island family. We look forward to your contributions on the forum.

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

Awesome ride, Doug. She looks great in red.

Buy her some skirts?

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The Wind Is Your Friend...

I love the struts for the wheels (landing gear (lol)) mounted to the motor mount, (brilliant). Yes it requires a slightly stronger motor mount system but I think it's a great idea that I have not seen before.
We have tramps and heavy duty spray skirts on our TI, I recommend adding at least spray skirts for a dryer ride, the majority of the splashing comes from the water hitting the front aka bars.
With tramps if you don't re-enforce them your butt drags in the water (not the greatest design (lol)).
My only reason for not having HAKA's is I worry about extra weight (we are overloaded more often than not usually with way too many humans). Plus I wouldn't know where to store them on the trailer. Currently I just roll the tramps around the front AKA bars, and just fold our heavy duty spray skirts over the bow of the boat. One of the downsides of having 3 sails and massive sailsets is a huge amount of rigging required. Currently I just leave all the rigging connected all the time and just cover it all up with the spray skirts so all the stuff doesn't shred at highway speeds. Nothing at all is removed from the boat ever, we just lay everything down cover with the spray skirts and were off. When I get home if we were in salt water I pull the car in the garage, rinse everything on the boat down with the hose in the drive, then unhook the trailer and pull it in the garage, takes all of 5 minutes. When I'm ready to go out again I pull the car out turn it around, hook the trailer up and I'm off to the launch. I have never owned a boat so trouble free, yea stuff like mirage fins need to be replaced once in a while (consumable items), but wow ongoing maint costs are only a fraction of what we had to pay on our powerboat. I think you will enjoy your setup very much.
I really like what we have.
FE

Very impressive! It's going to be great having you around to share ideas with.

Have fun!

Thanks TI Tom. Wouldn’t been so motivated to make such a great ride even more fun and safer, if not for your posts and others. Spray skirts are definitely on the to-add list, NOHUHU. Not because I don’t enjoy the occasional water slap in the face (admittingly, really don’t we all?...then you really know you’re flying!), but I’m more worried about salt water creeping through the connectors on the rear of the Lowrance. Been thinking will configure some kind of rear plastic cover for to protect the unit, first. Face later, LOL. Your original haka idea (and corresponding mega-thread), is the killer app!

FE, I’ve learned a ton from your posts. You have so many mods, can see how the thought of adding hakas highlights the biggie net benefit questions. I’m finding in my limited experience, hakas are great for having a stable platform to hike out on, or just plain take a break from the captain’s chair and go for a stroll around the hobie. Even threw a cast net (looking for bait) in the middle of typically bumping Racoon Straits (between Angel Island and Tiburon) this last weekend, one foot on a haka, one on the rail…..tethered of course. Here’s a pic of stacking the hakas for storage (parallel to the hull) should you go for it someday.

Also, I’ll post more details on my landing gear/wheel set-up in the mods section.




Thanks pro10is! Came close to going all electric after digesting your torqeedo threads. Incredible information for anyone considering a motor mount and the gas vs electric decision. I’ve had electric hub motor bikes for over 10yrs and can attest to the convenience and longevity of a lithium iron phosphate power source. But, at least for now the simplicity, power and energy vs storage question of the gas burner seemed reasonable. Plus, Yamaha had a $200 rebate last Nov. (bought before the AI too) on the their lower hp motors helped.

Doug

Welcome aboard Doug and thanks for posting your impressive mods!
Your haka look stunning. I like your timber choice of red cedar- lightweight and durable.
Combining your motor mount with landing gear is a clever idea and I look forward to more details.
It's a shame you've added the motor right from the start because you'll never experience the joy of having a great days sail and then have the wind die on you, leaving you with a long and often late pedal home!
Yes, the motor is a must have. I was late to the party started by FE Bob and promoted by Walt, CRyaker and others but like you it was Pro10is's Torqueedo thread that got me interested in motors. I too ended up going petrol due to the cost/range advantages. I couldn't go anywhere now without the motor. It's become the #1 mod for us, followed by haka/hiking stick.
I recently added the spinnaker and after 5 trips with it, it's up there with the must do mods as well. It really improves downwind light air sailing, which was always a weakness with the boomless Island sails.

Thanks stringy! It was your motor mount thread that put me over the top for a must have accessory (and FE’s duel motors, omg). When you dialed in that last aluminum riser and were pretty happy with mount height, I calc’ed around 8” (hoping I converted from metric right) off the gunnel motor height was about the sweet spot. Think I ended up a little closer to 8 ½”, works great anyhow, only occasionally cavitating in short/steep sea conditions. Plus cruising at 6.5/7mph kicks up minimal wash, some of which is held back by the mount support. Did have a few long/windless peddles before the mount was built, so had a taste of that fun! So many ways to power these Islands, brilliant. Looking forward to reading more about your adventures and recently added spinnaker kit.

Pre-motor mount pics


Ebb tide, no wind......peddle!!




Doug

Great to see that we could help you hit the ground running Doug, especially with your own contribution on motor/landing gear mounts! I am frustratingly out of the water at the moment with medical issues. but am often found in the garage tinkering/dreaming with my TI!

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