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PostPosted: Wed Apr 14, 2021 3:32 am 
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Joined: Fri Jan 18, 2008 2:34 pm
Posts: 2
I'm an avid paddler and sailor.. I prefer a fair weather paddle or a light to medium air sail, my current sailboat ,a 24 foot corsair is the perfect boat for such conditions, but if the wind picks up it has no trouble handling the conditions that can come on in my bay or even an ocean sail.
My primary purpose in acquiring a hobie island was to fill in a nitch, and maybe if I really like it, the hobie could become my primary boat of choice.
I originally bought the 'old' corsair to trailer it to other places. But trailering this boat, especially for me is very complicated. So it's based on a mooring for the entire season from June 1st to Oct 15th. I want a hobie, with its beach dolly to walk it a 1/4 mile to the beach, and be able to fill those voids for the rest of the year. I also  believe i could store the trailex trailer either under my house or to the side of the house and bring the hobbie to all sorts of ventures..
Many of my sails would be solo, although I believe my wife would enjoy the occasional paddle, and light air sail. She enjoys both a paddle and sail in particular conditions. She is a crazy peloton 'r and casually biker so she may like the peddling aspect as well.
I am reading hundreds of post on the forum, and FB, trying to figure the best way to go. I'm liking what I hear about the easier control of the AI2, both off and on the water . But although my grandsons would probably have a ball on the netting, I think the occasional  adult passenger would prefer a second seat. I really dont tend to be crashing thru 4 foot waves in 20 knots of wind on a hobie Island, but you never know when that could come up sudden. The cost is another factor, it appears to me in my searches a slightly used AI2 can be found for a 1/2 or even a 1/3 of what a TI2 goes for..
Part of me was thinking get an Ai2 the first season and eventually upgrade to a tandem later.
Ron


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 14, 2021 3:28 pm 
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Joined: Thu Mar 29, 2007 4:43 am
Posts: 107
You're likely to get lots of opinions on this, but here is my take on it from a TI owner who's never sailed or owned an AI.

Soloing a TI is no more difficult than sailing an AI solo, so I'm told
From what I've read, the TI generally sails better than the AI. Seems there are many people that go from the AI to the TI for that reason
If you plan to take an adult passenger with any amount of regularity, the TI will be much better. Sure you can have them sit on a tramp on the AI, but every time you tach, they'll have to climb across to the other tramp which will get old fast for an adult.

I think the AI shines if you are car topping or having to move it on land a lot. A regular 1/4 mile dolly walk would make me seriously consider an AI.

Hopefully, that helps a bit. Good luck with your decision!


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PostPosted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 4:01 am 
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Joined: Tue May 19, 2020 2:01 pm
Posts: 103
Location: SW Florida
i have tried both tandems and single Hobies, tandem Compass, 16ft Revolutions, (adventure island without the sail aka’s and amas), Outback’s and own a 2017 Adventure Island
in the tandem “look a river dolphin!” “you are blocking the view” I personally decided on single seat ones you can always tow.
live on a saltwater canal with direct access to Caloosahatchie river a mile down the canals, so pedal pedal then sail on river. occasional manatees, lots of jumping fish, crab pots to foul lines and avoid
small lift for AI so 10-15 min to rig and launch


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PostPosted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 5:33 am 
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Joined: Thu Aug 21, 2014 6:43 am
Posts: 202
Location: Chalfont Pa
The dolly to the beach thing will be an issue for either. Not a fun boat to transport on land without a motorized vehicle. It can be done but try it before you decide. Speaking of try, you need to sail both and see what you prefer. I have, the single gets thrown around more by waves and accelerates quickly but top speed is much lower. Tandem is faster and IMHO sails better. I solo the tandem lots and enjoy it, these are such fun boats you will want to share the experience with others. Yes it costs more and holds resale but there is a reason. Think about how cheap hobie 14s were in the 80s compared to 16s. Nuff said.


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 21, 2021 12:22 pm 
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Joined: Sun Oct 02, 2011 8:59 am
Posts: 49
Location: Cleveland, OH
Its not a cut and dried choice, as you have found. If you are trailering, the TI is more versatile and a faster, more capable sailboat. If you are moving it by hand, every KG of mass counts, and the AI is less massive. I would avoid the tramps and move straight to some form of haka. Side to side across an AI is not too much of an athletic feat for a person who Pelotons a ton....the haka is high, dry, and comfortable. The tramp is low, wet, and not comfortable for long. Compared to most things on the water they are not expensive, so maybe just buy one of each & which one you use most and like better....your wife may enjoy sailing her own craft a lot more than you might expect...


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PostPosted: Sat May 01, 2021 10:08 am 
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Joined: Wed Feb 03, 2021 7:54 am
Posts: 7
A little late to the party, but since I just went through the selection process, I thought I would chime in.

Also long time sailor, former Hobie 16 racer, and have circled back to Hobies. To help "prototype" the selection I went through a series of Kayaks, previously puzzling over a Hobie Revolution 13 vs. a Revolution 11. Wanted the 13 for speed and wanted the 11 for portability. The 11 won out if for no other reason that it was the first available. As I was car topping, the ease of portability paid off and even though I intended to trailer either HAI or HTI, I think the portability factor left an impact.

Fast forward 6 months, I finally decided to pull the trigger on an AI and in land locked Arizona none were to be found. I figured I would be sailing alone 99% of the time, saving the times the grandkids and/or wife might want to come along. So, it came to first available and a 2020 Hobie AI popped up just down the street.

I have been out on it 3 times and no regrets. I prefer not to paddle so I like the convenience of trampolines on either side. I intend to fish, but so far the sailing has been too spectacular to stop to fish. Maybe in the summer doldrums?

Anyway, hope this in some way helps. BTW, back in day (post Hobie 16) I was infatuated with the Ian Farrier trimarans. They had not yet made it to America (As Corsair Marine) and I went as far as to purchase a set of plans for a Trailer-Tri 620. Unfortunately, the complexity of the patented A-arm construction, overall time, and money, were too much and I had to pass on building.

Enjoy your Corsair and good luck in your selection process.

Steve
HAI "Tri-al Size"


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