Upgraded Seat for the AI?

Is there a better seat for the AI than the one that comes with it? After about 2-4 hours in the seat my back is feeling pretty bad, we go out 6 hours or more sometimes. Anyone have any success in making this thing comfortable?

JollyGreen,
I added a backrest to my AI seat...makes all the difference
previous post at: viewtopic.php?f=69&t=18204

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CaptRon
"Anything's gonna happen,
it's gonna happen out there"

Jolly, there's a couple long threads about kayak seats here, and fitting highback models other than hobie's.

Did you see the little $5 red mini folding chair I brought to Kahana? Folded, it bungees onto the Aka bar to act as a small backrest, (just like Capt Ron's), but you can instantly unfold it to make a rumble seat for upright sailing just behind the bars. This alternate seating provides better balance for downwinders and a great point of view for cruising over reefs.

They come in red and yeller. Sorry no photos of this yet. Picture THIS with a hard plastic seat:



You can borrow it, or my hobie-butt airpad at the next sail.

But you do realize that the problem is YOU ARE WAY TOO TALL!?!

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The Wind Is Your Friend...

I followed/adapted the instructions on Surfoos' website about his AI: http://www.myadventureisland.com, and built my backrest out of small PVC pipe.

The photo (below) shows my assembled seat, and where it's placed on the Hobie AI. I used pipe insulation to soften the backrest against the hull and cross bar (so there are no stress points) and nothing needs to stick down into a scupper hole (again, not creating any new stress points).


I use one of those safety/floatable seat cushions for added support. They are stiff enough to not fall through the gap in the back of the backrest, and can be removed if I want to lean back even further - and there's always the added safety factor.


The seatback has made it a joy to stay out on the water for hours at a time - with no back problems later. It's pretty easy and inexpensive to make, too. I added a gel-type "fanny pad" to the seat's bottom, for a little extra comfort there, too.

Thanks again, Greg, for the great idea!

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joanie / Hobie enthusiast: 4 H-14Ts, 2 Waves, FloatCat 75, 4 Adventure Islands, and my DUNE Tandem Island!
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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . What can I say? I never met a Hobie I didn't like . . .

What year is your boat, JollyGreen? Seats are a very personal thing, and preferences vary. I found my wife's 2009 Revolution to have an ok seat. It's fine for most of our travels, but not the best there is. However, my 2010 seat is very comfortable for me. I know that Roadrunner isn't a fan of some of the newer seats, but he is a fan of an older model seat which Hobie still has in stock. If you haven't got a new 2010 boat, you might want to give that seat a try at your dealer, or see if you can borrow one from a demo boat for a day to see if you like it.

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On the 2010 TI seat, there's a small valve-looking thing on the back... does anyone happen to know what it's for?

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Cheers, Max ● TI: the "Yella Terra" ● Website: www.MadYakker.com ● YouTube: madyakkermax

That's for the lumbar support. Loosen the valve while sitting on it to let some air out, or lean forward while opening it to let it fill up again.

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Hobie Island Sailing since 2006

JG,

I wonder if you can adapt a to non-hobie aftermarket seat. There's some nice seats out there with good back support. Looks like you just need to punch a few holes in the back of the seat to install the two expansion screws. Might even come with extra straps that you can use to provide extra support.

cheers!

c2y

Here's a shot of the $5 folding seat and a $15 floatation seat w/3 inches of padding.
The seat is shown flipped open for use as a captains chair (or for fishing) but folds flat and swings behind the seat for extra highback support.



Made for a very comfy day on the bay.

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The Wind Is Your Friend...