I just had a chance to view the video of the zoom event which I missed due to a prior commitment. It was great to see such interest with an excellent conversation and sharing of key topics. Thank you, Jim, for hosting it.
If I'd been in attendance, here is a brief summary of the points I'd have made.
Hakas:I've always wanted a set of hakas. What's stopped me, and I suspect others, is that I need to collapse the amas during launch and recovery due to space limitations at loading ramps. I don't know how to get around this issue.
Motors:I believe I'm currently the only person who owns and uses both an outboard motor
and a Torqeedo motor on a TI. I did this to research first hand the use of both as I've detailed in my
forum review. The outboard can't be beaten for overall power and cost, but the Torqeedo is far easier to mount, use, and maintain. It's always ready instantly, no need to add gas, start it, warm it up, and engage the gearing. It's far more controllable, you can vary the speed much more precisely. The remote throttle also offers instant start/stop in forward or reverse, highly useful features not possible with a gas outboard. Overall convenience is clearly better. It's much lighter and easier on the hull. Unlike the outboard, it creates no starboard list, you almost don't know it's even there. As far as maintenance, virtually none is required. It should also be noted that, with the Torqeedo, you can set it up for either the front or rear seat for people who have a clear preference.
But the most striking difference between the two, at least for me, is the overall enjoyment. I own the Suzuki 2.5 HP outboard, it's a great motor and the best gas outboard to use with the TI in my opinion. However, when you compare the noise level with the Torqeedo, the difference is night and day. I use earplugs when using the Suzuki, not because it's so loud that it requires them, but because the constant loud drone gives me a headache. With the Torqeedo, the experience is far different. It's so quiet that it's nearly as peaceful as sailing under sail. This makes for a
much more enjoyable day when lack of wind excludes the sail, which in my case happens quite often. I use the Suzuki only when I want to get somewhere as quickly as possible, all other times I use the Torqeedo which is so much more enjoyable overall. Yes, the Torqeedo is expensive, but if you value your precious recreation time, it's worth every penny.
The bottom line with motors, as was discussed in the meeting, is that every TI used in potentially dangerous waters should have one for safety.
Aka Pins:I too now use stainless bolts to replace the plastic shear pins. The shear pins are simply too risky. It comes down to risking a dangerous capsize in rough conditions, which can be life-threatening or risking damage to the boat. The boat can be repaired or replaced but your or your passenger's life cannot. Hobie needs to address this issue on any redesign. Using shear pins was never a good idea. I've previously put forth the idea of using a spring or
gas-loaded shock. With this design, the amas could momentarily collapse in an impact, preventing damage, but would pose no risk of collapse when sailing.
TI RedesignThe TI is a fantastic boat, I really enjoy mine and I can't go anywhere without people coming over to look at it and compliment it as Jim experienced in his Philly video. However, it's been around for a long time now, has some unresolved issues, and is due for a redesign. Jim's ideas are superb, we should all try to add ours as well. Our collective experience provides valuable insights for Hobie. I hope they recognize this and incorporate them into any updates or hopefully a full redesign. I, for one, would love to see a jib and the ability to legally install up to a 3 HP motor. If Hobie offered a new TI with these types of improvements added, I would be first in line to buy one.
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