2015 Island upgrades -At what cost to their versatility?

Did you even read my post on single am a usage?
Added another day of single ama this weekend, and it just confirms what I posted earlier on the positives.

Ha ha ha ha ha ha, I love this forum.

So entertaining.

Yep, couldn't agree more. First thing i look at when I wake up, and the first thing I look at when I get home from work.

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2021 Dune Hobie Lynx

Nope I must of missed it. It appears I wasn't not alone sorry I'll try and keep up in future....

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Every day is an Adventure Island day

I would estimate that the new model will sell faster than the previous A.I. model if Hobie Shops hold the demo days that out local store do. I remember my first ride in a revo was superior to the wet ride in the A.I. ...but I had bought the A.I. b/c of its speed due to the sailing option. Knowing nothing about Hobies, I had asked whether you could get the revo with the outrigger kit.

Well this one would cover all bases.

Cost is running a little high though.

Yakass,
I already have an old one. In fact since 2008 I've owned 2 and had 3 hulls replaced under warranty so that at the moment I have the '11 hull and it's been great.
Oh and I am not bothered and I'm not cynical either. I can see where the new designs are going to be a big improvement.

All I want to know is how well the new models perform in kayak mode? Paddling pedalling sailing with the small sail etc. Also is it possible to hike out with the new seats?
Then I can have an informed opinion on whether any versatility has been lost.

It's a pretty straight forward question and one that should be covered in any decent review. I wish Roadrunner was still doing his reviews. He would have had a whole part devoted to kayak mode.

I'm not interested in the design philosophy, marketing demographics or who wants to buy what and how people are intending to use them or how many kayaks CRYacker owns.

I only want to hear from someone who's actually tried one in kayak mode.

BTW- Are you speculating that the new AI will perform well in kayak mode ...or you know for sure? I mean you have tried one out on the water?
If so can you confirm Chekika's assertion that his '15AI seat sits 4" higher in the lowest position than the previous model?

Oh and my ideal boat is actually the TI. It does everything well.

Thanks for this info CS.
Great to hear from someone who's actually got a new AI.
In not being able to reach the water you are confirming that the seat position is much higher than the previous version?

Yes, seat position is at least a few inches higher than my 12 hull, with the seat on its lowest setting.
Two things to note on this-
1.the higher and drier seat means you'll run different settings on the crank arms. Mine went from setting 4 ( actually I switched between 4 and 5) to 3. The position also seems to let me recruit more of my cycling legs and so I am pedaling faster with less effort. Can't wait to try it with my fixed arm clip in shoe drive!

2. i can just dip the tips of my fingers in while pedaling, where previously I could get to my wrist. Part of this is height, but some appears to be width.

I do have to say, the new seat is simply awesome. I spent nearly an hour pedaling, then settled down into 5 hours on anchor and was surprisingly comfortable the entire day. The little lever to recline the seat I can easily reach, and it makes the waiting for a bite comfy.

I can confirm this. I find that I'm changing my AI drive crank setting of 7 to 6 on the AI 2. The cockpit on the AI is more roomy. Perhaps the AI 2 Vantage CT seat moves you backward a few inches compared to the seat position in the AI. That is good because it will fit very tall people better.

Keith

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2015 AI 2, 2014 Tandem

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex ... It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." A. Einstein

"Less is more" Anon

Great info guys. Thanks

I believe I had made a comment earlier last year that the then current AI made for a great all around kayak sans akas, amas and sails, and that the sort of changes folks were asking for would reduce it's usefulness as a stand along kayak but improve its sailing ability. So for Hobie, it was a matter of determining which form most of its customers used the boat in. Apparently, most of us use it in full sailing mode most of the time.

There was no way to add the various features and changes that were being requested without having the boat get larger and heavier. But unless you're using it in kayak mode, that shouldn't be a problem. If it is, there will be plenty of used 2014 and prior models for sale now.

And anyone that wants the features of the new boat at the same weight and size as the old boat, well.... you can either have your cake or eat it, but rarely both.

Yes, that's an educated guess on my part. I've been playing around with kayaks and especially Hobies long enough to be reasonably well qualified to make educated guesses. I'm actually pretty good at guestimating performance of hull types based on images and specs at this point. I've got a pretty good handle on hydrodynamics as it applies to kayaks.

The dimensions and shape are not all that different from the old AI. The weight will be higher but I suspect the extra waterline length will counter that. Based on my tests on a Revo 13, that seat does little to effect stability, even in the high position. And the added weight of the centerboard places that weight low in the hull, so I don't think that will impair much at all. The extra height may make it a little less of a performer when paddled, but with pedals I doubt there's going to be much difference at all.

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Kayak Fishing Specialist: SLH
https://slhobie.com.au

How bout the old design strap in padded seat ? In kayak mode, if the new seat does cause the CofG to be too high, will the old one retrofit to lower the CofG ?
Sorry if this has been mentioned earlier. Couldn't find it if it has.

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Don't take life too seriously................it ain't permanent.

I think, Slaughter, at the lowest setting--back & front--the Vantage seat will be about as low as you can go. The "floor" in the AI 2 is pretty flat, except for a depression at the drain. You could probably put a lot of "stadium" type seats in there, but they would be as high or higher.

Putting the original AI seat in there would be uncomfortable--it would be like putting it flat on the floor in your living room.

Keith

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2015 AI 2, 2014 Tandem

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex ... It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." A. Einstein

"Less is more" Anon

I rode the new 2015 AI stripped completely down and in paddle mode... its more of a beast than the old AI.. but you can paddle it with the new vantage seat

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I love AI kayak fishing