Hobie Islands - Insights for New Owners

The sailing season is winding down in here in Wisconsin. I want to thank everybody on this forum -- it made my first summer with a TI more enjoyable and less mistake prone than it would have been otherwise. From one semi-newbie to true newbies here are some suggestions for getting the most out of your boat;

Get a trailer. The TI is heavy and hernias hurt a lot and are expensive.

Invest in a couple of quality kayak-specific PDF’s . This is not an area to go cheap.

I wear $15 “high dexterity” gloves I bought from Ace hardware. Without gloves, my hands always seem to get banged up. I toss these in the laundry periodically.

If you find lifting the mast awkward, a small bungee loop around the aka bar can hold the mast trigger open, leaving both hands to lift the mast. After the mast is out, remove the loop from the trigger. Also, if you trail the boat, a small step stool makes getting the mast in & out easier.

Try the drive pedals without the straps. You may like it better.

Ribbed silicone dish drying mats placed under the seats make for a drier bum. These mats have ½” deep channels, and when place rib-side down, provide a “false floor” drainage path for water. One can also place a foam cushion between the mat & seat bottom if desired.

If you have a Trailex trailer, consider moving the wheel frame to the top of the tongue, lowering the boat 5” relative to the ground.

I winch the boat with an 18V electric drill. I use 550# parachute cord in the winch reel. This eliminates the wildly spinning handle when launching and make retrieval faster and easier.

I cannot see my trailer at all when the boat is off of it. I use a removable rod attached to a trailer cross arm to aid in backing up the empty trailer.

I secure the main hull to the trailer with “endless loop” ratchet straps (Home Depot). These are zip tied to the trailer cross frames so the metal ratchet part is always positioned floating over the center of the hull, not making contact where it can abrade the hull. I have small bungee loops on each cross member end. After the boat is launched, I tuck the ratchet straps ends under bungees so that they don’t drag on the ground.

Use a checklist to make sure to pack up everything before you head out for the water. Early on, consider a second checklist on the boat for getting properly underway. For newbies, everything can be a blur and you can easily forget to lock down the rudder or lower the centerboard. And then you will be wondering why the boat is sailing so poorly.

Nice brain-dump, Gary.

Hi, I can provide insights on some of this.

-Where should the trailer cradles be under the boat? I want to make sure it is properly supported.
Not sure, I car top the TI.

-My wife has taken the back seat and gets hit in the head by the mainsheet block on every tack. She is learning to duck but is there some trick to avoid this?

On the forum you can search for keyword "Riser". It's basically a contraption people build to raise the mainsheet. From what I remember the downside is you lose power. If Im with a friend the we are usually around the front seat / hakas. If Im with my wife she is usually in the back seat and I try to tack as little as possible.

-Getting wet when the wind picks up is part of the fun, but it is getting colder here in PA and we are wondering what gear is most effective to keep warm. A waterproof top is obvious, but for the lower half is a wetsuit or waterproof pants recommended.

Personally it's hard for me to imagine the TI in cold water. I love the wet ride but it's bath tub water down here. Do you have the spray skirt installed? Also, some people on the forum have made mods to keep the seats dry.

-Bought this boat(2013) from a dealer but the rudder was not set up well. Tons of slop. I took most of the play out but was warned by the dealer that a certain amount of slack in the rudder lines is necessary. Yes I am making sure the rudder is down all the way and locked. Not liking the rope system at all, I see a hydraulic conversion as a future project.

That would be cool. Make sure to post it!

I think people up North who trailer will have more helpful info for you.

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"Not everyone who wanders is lost." - Tolkien

I like your ideas Gary.

Definitely agree re the trailer. Before I got a trailer for my AIs I found I was not using them much due to the hassle of car topping, assembly, disassembly, and all the cleaning and packing away. Plus as you say, they are heavy boats.

Nice idea with the seats!

Practice putting the Mirage drive in is worth mentioning I think. My girlfriend has come unstuck a couple of times from not getting the drive in quick enough when launching.

GaryInWi - Took my pedal straps off after upgrading my older mirage drive pedals ( Revo 13) with the stick on neoprene pads - love it

Stringy - The metal grid on the back of your trailer caught my eye. I'm doing the same on my trailer in progress using some retail store hook hanging grid. It's been sitting around the shop waiting to be used for something useful. pictures to follow.

Boat Registration ?
Here in Texas we are required to register boats over 14 ft. long. Does Hobie routinely ship a "certificate of origin" with new AI/TI's for this purpose ? I'm wondering if I need to contact my Dealer in advance to be sure they get one for my pre-ordered TI ? I've heard of people getting blank stares when they ask for a COO.
Any tips for applying the registration numbers to the bow ? I'm assuming you just use the same ones as other craft. The salesman at West Marine told me that you can order custom one piece vinyl decals for this rather than applying individual numbers. Anyone have experience with this ?

Thanks
Chris

Hi, I'm a newbie this year with my TI. It's been a great time, but unfortunately it's time to put my TI away for the winter. I live up in Ontario, Canada and the winters get cold. Does anyone know the best way to winterize my boat? I have a trailer, so I can easily leave it on the trailer, but should I do anything special, before the snow comes. I have a cover (tarp), so that's a no-brainer. I was thinking I should turn it over to make sure there's no areas that can hold any water and freeze. Any help, thanks.

Don't know what supports you have in your trailer, but if your not using the 2 PVC pipe set up, best to store it up side down.
I would't want the weight of the snow pressing down on it, so instead of just covering with tarps, I'd build or come up with a make shift shelter for it to keep the show off. Even if it's nothing more then stacked cinder blocks, 2 x 4s, and plywood for a low roof.

Funseeker
This is what I do , I make sure there is no water in the mast receiver and will cover the hole so no water get in there and ice up and crack the receiver I use a foam pool noodle. I will also undo the bungees from the amas so they don't stretch loose. I lift the bow up and open the rear hatch and sponge out any water inside the hull.

Hope this help
Dan

Yes, we do have to register our TI according to Texas law. The Hobie dealer in TX should give you all the paperwork you need including the receipt for you to pay taxes. You need to go to a Texas Parks and Wildlife Office to register the boat.

I purchased a low-cost package of boat numbering decals from Academy and stuck them on the hull at the bow after cleaning and drying it with some soap and water. They still look as good as new after a summer of saltwater sailing.

Chris, prep the bow with denatured alcohol, then lightly scribe a baseline with pencil. Then the trick is to slightly preheat the surface area with a heat gun or hair dryer. Use a lower setting and don't overdo it to the point that the plastic would deform.

Apply the stickers to the warmed surface and then run a little hot air over the finished job. Unless they are oozing, you can press on them lightly with a soft towel as they cool. You can finish them with plastic polish if you want, but wait a few days.

That should be the best bond you can hope for.

Naturally, you'll want to apply them exactly where your state requires, and leave room for the registration sticker, blah blah blah.

If you want to name your boat as well, I'd suggest using a smaller fancy script and applying these tramp-stamps to your Amas. They'll be easy to read there, (at least on the higher windward side) even while your registration numbers are buried underwater, thanks to Hobie's deep diving bow.

Thanks, that's good information, I always prep with alcohol for other glues and tapes but wasn't sure about using it on the polyethylene (sparingly ).

I might use "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" ( means something exceptionally good ), on the Amas for a name.
Since "Sic Em" is already taken.

Thanks
Chris

sic 'em (bears) is a good name, too bad it is taken.

(blushes)

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

I was wondering if anyone has suggestions for a pre-delivery checklist for a TI ? If you were picking up a new boat from a Hobie dealer what things would you inspect before driving away with your new boat ? I'm sure Hobie has excellent quality control but sometimes things slip by in manufacturing or get damaged in shipment.

thanks

Chris

When I bought my boat, I had the dealer rig up the entire boat on the front lawn of the dealership to make sure everything was there.
They know exactly what it takes to put it all together and will know if anything is missing.
Just make sure nothing is left on the lawn when it gets packed back up.

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