THE HAKA BENCH SEAT - AN ALTERNATIVE TO TRAMPS

If Doug is on the ocean, their tide changes must be interesting. Our Hawaii big 3 foot tide changes are nothing compared to up there!!!

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Hobie Island Sailing since 2006

We have close to the same low tides as them, but their highs are around 12Ft.

Impossible to swim against, I know that much. And too cold to try.

I'm headed there this fall.

Nohuhu, Most of the time we sail salt. Yesterday we sailed Stockton Springs Harbor. The seat back works great--wife loves it. Says she now gets to experience what I've been talking about all this time. She's even planning a Warren Island trip. If it gets too rough with the onshore breeze we just tour the harbors. When I figure out how to post pictures I'll post the haka. What you said about our coast is spot on. I joined MITA, The Maine Island Trail Association. Over two hundred islands open for anyone stretching the length of the state. Google their website. And yes, the tides can make things interesting. Once I crossed Penobscott Bay from Isleboro on my way to Belfast only to be parked for 3 hours waiting for the wind to overcome the tide. As good as the Mirage drive is, it can't overcome the tide. But that helps puts the "Adventure" in the Adventure Island.

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DougDNer

NOHUHU, I tried your suggestion yesterday and it's the best tethering solution I have encountered. At first I just slipped the buckle of my PFD through the loop formed by the sheet and furling lines, but that kept getting jammed. Then I added a large carabiner, with both the loop and the buckle passing through it and it worked great. Not only does it keep you tethered and keeps the lines with you wherever you move around the boat, but it stops the loop from dragging in the water and fouling the daggerboard and Mirage drive. I didn't get tangled at all, despite lots of hiking out and moving from one side of the boat to the other.

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Thanks for the feedback Chris.

I may have to try this myself. I've been tripping lately over the excess lines on the TI3 as we do tacking runs. And it really helps to have both hands free when transferring during a fast tack, especially when your Hakas are placed far from the gunwale.

I was thinking about a one of those oversized rescue biners.

Yeah, I used this one, but just because it's what I happened to have handy.

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If you ever did go overboard, I wonder how that plastic 'D' ring would fair?

Maybe replace it with the carabiner directly on the strapping?

I think this thread must be record breaking, at least on the Hobie forums.

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Hobie Island Sailing since 2006

Fair point Bob. I just put the carabiner there so it stays permanently attached to the PFD - one less thing to forget.
This thread deserves to be the longest, because nothing transforms the experience of sailing these boats like the Hakas (or in my case, the Quarterdeck).

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Chrisj, I have been lurking for a while and watching this discussion. I am thinking about making some hakas for my Adventure Island. Can you tell me why you like the hakas so much, but you seem to prefer to use your quarterdeck?

Well I've actually got both Hakas and a Quarterdeck. They are complimentary to each other, but each has its strength in different circumstances.
The Hakas afford more room for carrying a passenger and for mounting extra gear (fishing rods, camera booms). They are long enough for you to stretch out and have a lie down out on the water. Also, by mounting the Hakas well out from the hull, you can hike out further in high winds.
The quarterdeck enables you to adjust how far you sit out, so that the amas are always level. It's more of an all or nothing situation with the Hakas. They are great in high winds, but in low to moderate wind, if you sit out on the Haka, you can end up with the windward ama dragging in the water.
It's really easy to tack using the Quarterdeck and it greatly enhances the AI's ability to complete tacks. I think this is partly due to my weight being further astern during the tack and partly due to being able to hike out hard to windward at the beginning of the tack, which buries the windward ama and makes the boat turn very sharply across the wind. When completing the tack, it's very easy to slide across to the new windward side of the boat. With the hakas, it's necessary to climb back into the boat, then out again to the other side.
Because my weight is further astern than in the normal seat, the bow of the boat is raised and the boat seems to run freer and faster, particularly in light winds. I think this is similar to the effect people get when soloing the TI from the back seat. Also when running downwind, I can prevent the boat submarining by leaning back hard, with one hand resting on the rear hatch cover.
I can pedal without leaving the Quarterdeck, which means I can keep my butt dry though if I'm faced with a longish upwind trip and I want to use pedal assistance, I can reverse the Quarterdeck and just drop into the normal seat. In practice, I haven't used the normal seat at all in my last few outings.
Lastly, the Quarterdeck is a bit simpler to install. There's only one and it doesn't need to be lashed down. It weighs about 16#, the same as a pair of 8# hakas.
Having said all that, the Hakas are a great addition. They have given a lot of people joy and as far as I know I am the only one using a Quarterdeck. They are also easier to build, though I didn't find the Quarterdeck too difficult, and I am certainly no master craftsman.

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Chris demonstrates this tacking technique in his (1 and only) short video:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KS5_n3B6ycY&feature=player_detailpage#t=50s[/youtube]

You also have the option of a short "wing":


Or one that wraps around and integrates with your Hakas/tramps:


Best of both worlds.

Thank you Chrisj and NOHUHU. That clip makes tacking look easy. I have lots of trouble trying to tack without the pedals. How do you find it tacking with the hakas? Are there any videos of that?

Whoa Chris !! thats almost the fanciest left foot work I've ever seen !!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60ut7yIuCEY[/youtube]

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Alan W.

Papaya AI2 to replace my well worn V1
TheTwins - His/Hers 2007 Papaya Hobie Adventure Island's (v1.00.01)
.. and a Hobie Outback SUV

[phillistine] I wonder what she is like when she plays music! [/phillistine[

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

@PassWind

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