2015 Hobie Adventure Island in 20 knots

Hi all, have had the new hobie island out a couple of times now and can assure you this boat is fast. Here's some video in 20 knots. This boat is planning.

_________________
Sth East Qld Hobie Island Club Captain.
https://www.seqic.com.au

Seems to surf better. Take her to Currumbin Bar. Roll the GoPros!!

_________________
The Wind Is Your Friend...

Looks like the different rake and buoyancy of the lee Ama helped managing full sail in those winds.
Just be careful the fun Police don't catch you

_________________
Cheers, Brian in South Australia
Tandem Island -

Very interesting video, we have a 2012 TI and I'm pretty certain we would not have been able to have that much sail out in that much wind. Where we live when the wind kicks up, so does the chop and waves, typically if we have 20 knot winds in Sarasota or Tampa bay, they post small craft advisory, and we will have 3-4ft washing machine chop (not fun to sail in, and pretty dangerous), just the nature of the area....
Actually I'm pretty sure the bow on my TI would have been burying underwater more, and I would have had to have my main furled at least a couple turns to prevent the AMA from burying.
From everything I'm seeing the re-cut larger sail, more bow boyancy, and the bigger AMA's from what I'm seeing in your video and knowing the sailing characteristics of my TI, I'm fairly sure from watching your video if your AI-2 and a stock TI were sailing together in those conditions you would be walking away from me.
I saw in the video you were out with several other Adventure boats, and one or two looked to be TI's, the others were never close enough to identify correctly. If all of you were sailing together, especially if you had a mix of AI-1's, TI's, and your AI-2 all together in the same (story book perfect) conditions it would be interesting to hear how jelous the other guys were, or at least their observations watching you.
After watching your video I'm now jelous of your AI-2.
FE

A little extra sail is a wonderful thing, The extra Ama length stabilizes and helps you apply a little more power (they don't stay submerged) and eat a few extra desserts as well.

The 13.6 mph peak speed makes sense with side surfing the waves on this improved boat. Don't see any signs of planing in this clip though. That would take flat water and hiking out.

Perfect conditions to jump out on the Hakas and get that Leeward Ama out of the water... (even more speed).

Thanks for the video, Alistair.

_________________
The Wind Is Your Friend...

Yes, excellent video. The spray coming off the point of the leeward ama is impressive. I like that.

Keith

_________________
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 find that amazing to watch how the water reacts to the bow of the leeward ama even in more moderate conditions - something very cool going on there.

Even though you're still getting a little wet, it still seems like a much drier ride. Even at 20 knots [THUMBS UP SIGN]


-Michael
www.KayakFishingOregon.com

Best Fast sailing AI2 Vid I have seen, nice one mate!

I never saw a 20 Knot wind that didn't raise Whitecaps before, amazing.

_________________
Fair Skies, Max.

Just did my second sail offshore ESE 15 knots no white caps and no swell, last week did 10-15 onshore SW whitecaps and .5mt swell. the more I go the more i'll learn. Can anyone tell me what are the strongest winds a 2015 Hobie single 2015 will take.

All the Best

Mike

Mike:
With our TI (basically the same boat as the AI-2, with just an extras seat), we pretty much stay home if small craft advisories are posted (I think around 21+ mph wind).
As the wind goes up it becomes increasingly difficult to sail upwind, basically with almost all sailboats (including the AI/TI) you can't make progress upwind in anything over 23-25 mph wind unless your boat is equipped with massive outboards like mine (lol), bottom line with an offshore wind you get blown out to sea and can't get back (this has happened to us more than several times off of Key West (Key West is a teeny tiny island in the middle of nowhere)), thus why we added the outboard motors.....for safety offshore.
I have been out in 30+ winds with 5-6ft vertical washing machine chop several times (caught in storms), and it was no picnic, and I certainly would never repeat on purpose, the boat is simply not designed for such abuse, and something critical will fail if taken out in those conditions (ie.. snapped mast, broken AMA's, snapped rudder pin, and you can pretty much count on the nylon sheer bolts breaking when the waves hit you in those conditions (I have broken many). Besides the ride is so intense (and wet), I can't imagine anyone doing that on purpose, you are putting your life at risk for no reason, definitely survival mode goes into high gear. Around here if someone sees you out in those conditions, they will call the coast guard, and they will come out and get you and take you off the water, kiss your boat good by though, because they will rescue you, but not your boat (that's why they have the 50 cal on the bow, so they can sink it, if it's adrift so it doesn't become a hazard to navigation (yea they really do that)).
I don't mean to be a downer about this, but there is a reason the boat has a CE 'D' rating, not a 'C' rating (basically it's intended use is in protected waters, and milder recreational use)).
FE

Odd, the harder the wind blows, the faster my AI and TI will move upwind. The principle of the sail foil doesn't change with an increase in wind speed, it simply generates more force as more wind moves across it.

I'm not advising people to do anything dumb such as sailing in wind speeds they're not comfortable with, or using full sail when furling some is the best option. But there is no wind speed that will suddenly cancel out the foil effect of the sail.

I think I have to agree Tom. My most enjoyabl outings in my TI have been when I needed to furl at least half the sail area. The power still generated is enough to really punch through the waves without slowing much, and when turning off the wind, it really comes alive, with the bow sometimes going underwater (just a few inches) for a considerable time, while the stern sits up on the face of a wave. Yes, it can be an incredibly wet ride, and I have had the passing thought about wearing a diving mask and snorkel

I am glad that I don't have tramps, as they can either catch the wind (when deployed), or catch the wave ( when rolled up)

Here is my local area, with only 10-15 mph winds.

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

Yea- I think I would take that left in,..

Or better yet, cheer you on from the lookout.

_________________
The Wind Is Your Friend...

Tramps. Had them for three years and still not convicted I want them on the boat. They are nice in calmer winds and colder waters. Otherwise, I have seen/experienced their darkside. I had them catch a crosswind, lift the boat and throw me off board with winds blowing me into a busy ship channel.

_________________
Greg

2016 AI - Spinn & Jib

“Out of sight of land the sailor feels safe. It is the beach that worries him.”
– Charles G. Davis