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PostPosted: Tue Jul 14, 2020 8:52 pm 
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Joined: Sun Apr 26, 2015 3:13 pm
Posts: 656
You won't see too many TI's on a showroom floor but most Hobie dealers will order you one if you pay upfront. That's how I got mine. You can even order them online at places like Austin Kayak.

Definitely do not buy a kayak and add a sail, that won't work nearly as well and you won't be happy with it.

If you want a TI or AI, simply pay for one and order it. That's how it's done.


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PostPosted: Wed Sep 02, 2020 6:20 pm 
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Joined: Sat Apr 26, 2008 8:50 pm
Posts: 116
Location: Highland, IN
That's how I got my TI. I called a Hobie dealer in January of 2018, and they had a 2017 TI that was a floor display one that nobody snagged. This boat dealer focused on six digit priced boat sales, so the Hobie folks were considered the poor red-headed step children of their customers. They had an AI on the floor that had been sitting there for over a year I think. They discounted the price a few times on that one. I bought mine after I tried the mirage drive at another dealer, and bought the TI without having ever sailed one. Had 2 H16s that I sailed for 15 years, sold em to fund the TI. Considering selling the TI and getting something else, as I'm 66 and not as agile as I once was.


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PostPosted: Thu Sep 03, 2020 6:08 am 
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Joined: Sun Apr 20, 2008 6:18 am
Posts: 3058
Location: Sarasota,Key West FL
We are former powerboaters, we had a 24ft searay that cost a fortune in maint, storage, and fuel.
After selling the boat as divers we started going on charter dives and renting boat, which also cost way too much, (a typical outing costs over a thousand). We started out with a big pile of single and tandem kayaks, all hobies with the sailing kits, (kayak sailing was always the most fun part for us). However we couldn’t use the small kayaks for offshore diving the coral reefs in the keys, (way too dangerous, (btw, the keys are really dangerous offshore),
We also travel a lot with our camper in tow, so we couldn’t use a trailer becaus the camper uses the hitch, so we had to cartop most of the time. Also in key west there is no Free trailer parking, (parking anywhere costs a fortune).
We needed a family boat capable as our only boat, that we could take around the country, ( car toppable) that was capable of carrying 5-6 people, (basically the family, or all on the trip).
Of course we looked at H16, Windrider 17, and the WETA, all too heavy and not practical for car topping, plus rigging time on all 3 is pretty long.
We ended up with Highly modified offshore capable TI’s, if your capable of designing and building all your own mods it ends up being very inexpensive. We ended up with around 600sqft of sail, outboards, and lots of hardening and safety gear To make the boat fast enough and offshore capable in pretty much any reasonable Offshore conditions, ( not crazy). We only ever went out in flat seas and typical winds under 7mph, (when diving visibility goes to zero when it’s windy and ruff). Pointer, if it takes more than an hour to get out 5-10 miles offshore, don’t bother going out, ain’t worth spending 5 hrs trying to get out there, Worse yet you absolutely have to have the capability to get back to the Very tiny island of key west No matter what happens quickly, ( lol next stop Cuba), especially with the typical offshore Winds and the fierce currents off key west.
We had a blast with our TI’s and did everything we ever imagined and then some, (like nearly a quarter million road miles with camper in tow and kayaks on the roof over the years).
Yea I’m a huge TI fan, nothing on the market that even comes close, lol and it’s way cheaper than all the choices listed above. But you kinda need to know what your doing, this forum is very helpful in that regard.
FE


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PostPosted: Sat Sep 05, 2020 9:04 pm 
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Joined: Sat Apr 26, 2008 8:50 pm
Posts: 116
Location: Highland, IN
I use the back seat for the COOLER! :D


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PostPosted: Tue Sep 22, 2020 2:29 am 
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Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Sat Apr 16, 2016 10:17 pm
Posts: 18
Location: Gippsland Lakes, Australia
On my 3rd TI. Latest is the new version and I have an 34 lb electric Watersnake o/b with a 120 amp hr battery. So this is the best TI I've had so far. I have a jealous friend who wants to go electric on his AI, so I'll post how they compare. I had a spinnaker on a previous TI but it was too much hassle for too little use. The electric gets used all the time in very light or no winds or just to speed up to where the wind is.


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PostPosted: Tue Oct 13, 2020 10:50 pm 
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Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Sat Apr 16, 2016 10:17 pm
Posts: 18
Location: Gippsland Lakes, Australia
Friend's AI goes great with the same electric set up and a 100 ah lithium battery. His mounting set up is better than mine as he is a welder of some skill.


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PostPosted: Wed Oct 21, 2020 4:19 pm 
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Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Sun Oct 18, 2020 7:37 pm
Posts: 1
Fadecomic,
I just purchased a papaya 2015 AI from Pack and Paddle In Lafayette today!
Pretty good deal too. Plus, I got a 2019 180 drive with it.
They have another 2015 one for sale as well, a red one. It doesn’t have the 180 but is still a nice kayak. It isn’t in as good of shape as the one I got but it is just bungee issues (the rudder cable doesn’t pop back as super quick and the scupper plug under the seat doesn’t seal as well. But these are easy fixes)
Anyway, I picked mine up for $2900 before taxes and it is in really great condition.
If I were to get the red one, I would pay A bit less as it needs a few cord fixes and didn’t come with a basically new 180 drive.


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