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PostPosted: Fri Dec 02, 2016 7:15 am 
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My 30 year old friends got me into coastal kayak fishing (northern California). I'm 50 with a AI. The AI without any ama's is too sketchy so I'll go out with at least one. My question is if they are out trolling for strippers will my mirage drive be able to offset the drag of the ama? For a while i entertained the thought of running the AI fully rigged but i realize be it would be hard to stay on the same course with them.
I suppose i could add a trolling motor. Any advice is appreciated.


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PostPosted: Fri Dec 02, 2016 11:47 am 
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Location: Jaco, Costa Rica
michael1one wrote:
My 30 year old friends got me into coastal kayak fishing (northern California). I'm 50 with a AI. The AI without any ama's is too sketchy so I'll go out with at least one. My question is if they are out trolling for strippers will my mirage drive be able to offset the drag of the ama? For a while i entertained the thought of running the AI fully rigged but i realize be it would be hard to stay on the same course with them.
I suppose i could add a trolling motor. Any advice is appreciated.


It's difficult to fish with other non Hobie AI's in island mode. You'll find you can move much faster. You could encircle them from time to time. A motor is a huge plus in all aspects of motion with an Island.
Another issue is surf. If they are operating mono hull Hobies and launching in tough surf where rolling over is a distinct possibility, then you definitely will not want to launch your AI in island mode. Go mono hull and then you are on a comparable speed level with them.

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PostPosted: Sat Dec 03, 2016 7:34 am 
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Location: Vancouver Island, British Columbia
Michael: I don't think you have to worry about being too slow in full Island mode. As Mark implies, if there is any breeze at all, you will be able to troll under sail faster than your friends. I troll for salmon under sail regularily.
T2

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PostPosted: Sat Dec 03, 2016 8:33 am 
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Location: High Point, NC
This is all correct - it's the other guys that won't be able to stay with you. I'd rig in full and then use only as much as you need to. Maybe the sail won't be required. On the other hand, if you know where the fishing grounds the guys are headed to are, you can get there more quickly, fish longer, and still get back in before they do.

I often troll by drifting with the current. I sail against the current and once at the top of the run will furl the sail and use the mirage drive and rudder to stay on course while drifting. At the end of a run put the sail out and head back up and repeat.

Even in Mirage Drive mode alone, with the sail furled, I doubt many paddle powered fishing style kayaks would be able to say with you, particularly into a headwind.


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PostPosted: Sat Dec 03, 2016 7:10 pm 
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Location: Sarasota,Key West FL
I don't know about the AI, but with our TI with me solo on flat water, the AMA's don't touch the water at all if you have the boat balanced. I can pedal equally fast with or without the AMA's, (btw the TI is a really fast kayak and can keep up fairly well with 20 ft sea kayaks).
Actually if I'm on skinny water with the AMA's folded in, I take a rope and tie the AMA's together pulling the ama's completely out of the water. With the AMA's out of the water there is no drag at all from the AMA's.
I typically lash the furled sail to the aka bars. This way I can kayak up and down skinny inlets, then go out in full ocean all on the same day.
FE
Edit:
Another thing we do sometimes, if we plan to go kayaking thru mangrove tunnels is to lash the AMA's together with all 3 sails and masts lashed to the top of the AMA's. then tow the AMA's on a short rope just behind the kayak. We can't tell the AMA's are even back there when peddling.
I just leave the AKA bars on the boat (jacked up and tied). I never try to use my motors when in kayak mode, I typically leave them tilted up. The extra 55lbs from the motors doesn't seem to effect kayak peddling speed.


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PostPosted: Sat Dec 03, 2016 8:15 pm 
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I don't know what year your AI is mine is a 2015 and I have no stability issues in just kayak mode. I fish a lot with others and usually only have it in kayak mode. I've fished in a lot of 3 to 5 foot seas and stability is not a problem. We either beach launch or go out thru inlets and some of those people consider dangerous in boats and have had no issues. I'm 57 and have no problems keeping up with the young bucks. It is faster than my PA or my outback so I use it the most. With one ama I have a place to keep my large kingfish bag and a couple of extra rods. The dagger board helps some but I usually don't put it down because of fish breaking line of on it. I don't think you have to worry about stability issues at all and it's no problem to keep up with other kayakers.


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PostPosted: Tue Dec 06, 2016 3:04 am 
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Thanks for the advice. I'll hold off on the trolling motor and try some of the things you guys mentioned.


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