A couple of questions after my first few TI trips...

I've been out on the TI three times now, the sailing itself is going quite well though I'm still trying to figure out a few things. My biggest problem has actually been getting started and particularly STOPPING! (Launch/retrieval.) I thought I'd ask a couple of the more persistent questions here:


First, while sailing, my telltales don't often want to cooperate. Most often the upwind telltale is just pointed straight up. Yesterday, in very light wind, the downwind telltale kept wanting to go forward. I seem to get along just fine in spite of them, but wonder if there's something I could / should be doing differently...


But my most frustrating (and funny) moments are when returning to the boat ramp. My very first impression of the TI was that it's an irresistible force! It will NOT stop MOVING! I'm launching from a boat ramp in a sheltered cove, but there's still a light breeze and it's enough. My main problem is what's the best way to "beach" the TI, considering I don't want to grind it against the concrete boat ramp (very rough concrete) and the shoreline is steep and rock-covered. If I don't have tramps, not too bad, I just paddle then step off the side when I'm close.

With the tramps on I haven't figured out a very good method. Of course I could paddle from the back seat, but then I'd have to back the TI to the ramp so I could step out (the water quickly gets to 14 feet deep at the end of the ramp) then somehow turn it around to load on the trailer. Yesterday I tried sitting on one of the front aka arms to paddle in - very uncomfortable and clumsy, but it mostly worked. I couldn't steer worth a darn so wound up sideways to the ramp.

I'm curious how others accomplish this part of the trip!

Re the telltales- two options- tighten or loosen the mainsheet until both are flowing backwards horizontally, or turn into or away from the wind to get the same result. The how to sail guide in the manual should help.
With a boat ramp that deep you could try reversing in. Sit in the rear seat and fit the mirage drive in backwards. Build up some momentum out a bit, remove the drive, steer in with the rudder while you can, then raise it and use the paddle. Give yourself plenty of time to raise the rudder. You don't want to hit the ramp while going in reverse! All depends on enough room to swing TI around I guess.
I wouldn't worry too much about bumping the ramp. The hulls are incredibly tough.

The manual discusses a few of the issues... beaching or docking and a bit about sail trim.

http://static.hobiecat.com/digital_assets/897005-tandem-island-manual-141204.pdf

Biggest thing is furling the sail and using the pedals for better speed control.

Tell Tails indicate the airflow over the sail. This basic reading chart can help:



If the weather side is up... sheet in or turn away from the wind. If the lee side is up... sheet out or head up. They will not always respond perfectly and are rough adjustments.

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

The good news is that you're not even close to getting the most out of your TI's sailing abilities so whatever fun you're having now, get ready to have a heck of a lot more. When the sail is in proper trim, you're going to feel a LOT more power.

The Telltales should be flowing straight back. Set the outside (windard) tell first but adjusting the sheet in or out. Most often, you'll be undersheeted and need to sheet in to get that telltale flowing back. From there, work on the inside telltale, again either sheeting in or out a little bit.

While you're doing all this, of course, you must hold your course! Failure to do so means that the apparent wind is changing all the time that you're trying to trim you sail, so you never get it right. Yes, you have to do two things at the same time, but after a bit it'll come naturally.

Following is a Youtube video I shot where I give a guy a sailing lesson in the TI. It starts a minute and forty five seconds into the video and there is some good information within. I think it'll help you a lot.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bEikIHZwE8

Hi

I'm not a TI expert as I've only had one outing. However sailing one is pretty similar to a dingy and I've been doing that on and off for 40 years. The boat will be fastest with both the inside and outside tell tale flowing. Either adjust the sail or your heading till this happens. (One at a time not both to avoid confusion) Also listen to the sound of the wake, it will tell you how fast you are going, as the wind shifts direction and you need to make an adjustment you will hear the boat slow down.

I found sailing much easier from the rear seat because you could see the sail better.

The YouTube video referred to above is really good.

Have fun, sailing is something you can always improve. In my racing years there was always someone better

Cheers

Brad

_________________
Brad K
Papaya Tandem Island - "Dry Reach"
Lengthened Jet Ski trailer
"Kayaking Bob" Spray Skirts
Trampolines

Thanks to all, looks like I haven't been pulling the sail tight enough for the most part. I'm starting to better understand why some convert to the 3-to-1 mainsheet configuration. And I certainly wasn't connecting the pointing-up windward telltale with "tighten sail"!

I've tried sailing from the rear seat, but that didn't go very well for me. Of course it was on the windiest day out, I didn't try at all this last (calmer) trip. It was all I could do to get the bow headed upwind at all, and a constant struggle with the rudder to maintain any sort of heading. (A severe case of lee helm, I think?) I suspect thanks to my weight - I'm way too heavy, currently 300 lbs. Sitting in the front seat I have a lot better control. (I'm trying to reduce, but it's been a tough battle of late - winter is a difficult time for me.)


I'll have to try backing in to the ramp, had thought of that this last time but didn't have the rear seat or drive in and didn't want to mess with trying to move the one set back right then.

I also want to build a set of hakas, which should take care of the issue as I could paddle and step out from the front seat. I've found I do like having *something* to either side of me, to lean on or at least grab while leaning out, but I don't need the full coverage of the tramps.

If you are having a tough time with steering control, is your centerboard down? I have found that it makes all the difference, especially on a reach (winds broadside).

Also, when beaching or otherwise going ashore, someone here on the forums had a great mnemonic checklist: "Reef Mr C" -
Reef the sail
Mirage drives out
Rudder up
Centerboard up

Anyone with a handheld gps can simply watch the speed (velocity) as they adjust their sail. It is very informative. Of course, as you maximize your gps speed, check out the tell tails to see what is happening to them.

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