Installing a trailering eye on a tandem island

I would like to install a trailering eye on my TI. Is this possible and where would be the best position to place it?

I would be cautious at loading by pulling on an eye in the bow. Better to get loads back to the forward beam. Maybe use the handle eye as a tie down spot, but any significant constant load will distort the plastic. That is why you can't hang a kayak by the handles. The plastic "cold flows" under constant point loading.

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Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

Opinions and practices vary on this subject ... I prefer to not take any chances. Scroll down to my post in the following topic for my solution - it works perfectly for me.

http://www.hobiecat.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=71&t=55754&hilit=+winch

+1 for a rope bridle from the cross brace through the handle eye for a winch rope. It works well and serves as a grab line should one be needed up front from the water. A bowline loop keeps it from becoming free when not attached to the winch cable.

There is another very good reason for installing very strong and secure towing eyes to the front and back of your TI that you may not have thought about.
The keys are very large and anywhere near shore is shallow barren sand. Anything of interest is usually outside the range of regular kayaks, (plus far too dangerous).
They actually have a word for it called Mother shipping, which is pretty popular in the keys.
We love our TI and don't like to go anywhere without it, however the boat is too large to get on the deck of a boat, you kind of have to tow it from a mothership.
The same applies to using the TI as the mothership to tow smaller boats/kayaks out to your destination. To do all this you kind of need secure strong hook up points at both the front and back.
One problem we always seem to have is more people wanting to go out than the boat itself is comfortable handling (the down side to having a second home in key west (lol)), plus when you start adding scuba tanks and gear into the mix, you get really heavy really fast. Sure you can rent big boats and/or go out on charters out to the reefs or islands, but that's typically a thousand bucks or so for the day (typical is around $100-$150 per person), who in the heck can afford that..... Yea we used to have a Sea Ray powerboat, but who the heck can afford the maint, fuel, and storage.

Sure we have gone out with other TI's and AI's but there is a problem. I have no desire to chug up to Cotrell key or similar places at 3-4 mph, it would take all day just to get there sailing along side stock TI's (our TI is modded out a little, basically hardened and setup for the area with massive sailsets and big ole twin outboards,(just FYI)). What we prefer is to tow the other TI (or kayaks) out to the destination, then cut loose and sail or kayak around at the destination for the day. Just FYI keep in mind if the winds are over 5-8 mph, it gets too rough out there for diving and stuff, we typically don't go out in anything higher (these are typical conditions 90% of the summer here)
I went into way too much detail (sorry thats my nature), bottom line is adding secure tow eyes is worth spending the time doing even if you don't see the immediate need. 5 yrs ago when we added our bowsprit and bow bracing to our TI with a strong towing eye, we had no idea what we would end up using it for eventually, same applies with our rear anchor trolly system, who knew (lol).
Now days we can go out anytime we like and it only costs a buck or so in fuel for the day.
All this is probably all really bad advise (lol).
FE