2015 AI Capsize

James, I don't think you are going to be able to capsize an AI/TI with the aka/amas extended unless you are in huge seas or big surf. From my experience and friends, it appears the AI/TI turtles easily when it does capsize. I did not turtle because it was near low tide and water depth was only 6-7'.


Your points are well made, Walt. I'm much older than you (I don't like to talk about it), and strength is a big part of the equation. In addition to having grab lines around the hull and lines or loops to pull the boat back upright, the next thing to have handy will be a rope step ladder (maybe only a loop) so we can get back on the boat.

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 think I remember Matt mentioning a safety ladder that they are going to offer as an accessory. It stays in a nice little pouch until deployed and has a hand hold and a foot hold to help get back in the boat.

http://www.hobiecat.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=53978

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2015 Hobie Tandem Island Hibiscus
"Third Normal Form"

• Trampolines
• Hobie cover
• Davis Spar Fly
• Kayakbob's Sprayskirts
• Spine Board Hakas

I am an overweight 69 year old waiting for two spine operations, and I put a bit of thought into a re-entry line. I will try a word-picture.. The reason for the diagonal is that when I tried a loop tied between the two crossbars, my feet tended to swing under the hull.

*Bowline of 8mm braided rope to front crossbar (inboard of the aka joint).
*Slide 10 inch piece of garden hose onto the 8mm rope (easier on the foot)
*Tie a simple knot a bit past the rear crossbar (see next point)
*Bring a bungee cord from the now unused loop on the port side rear (was used to tie down the twist-n-stow rudder not used on TIs) with a snapshackle which tensions the 8mm rope by pulling on the 8mm line from in front of the knot.
* Bring the rest of the 8mm rope out to the outer end of the port rear aka, and tie a bowline to pass around the aka next to the button.

To use, undo the snap shackle (storing the loose end of the bungee around the back seat area (your choice). You now have a strong loop running diagonally from the front crossbar out to the outer end of the rear aka. Adjust the length of the line going to the aka, during testing, so that when you stand on the loop, you almost have your waist at water level, so leaning onto the hull should be doable.

So when sailing normally, the line runs along the side of the hull, and then passes out to the end of the aka, well out of the way. Obviously the line can also be used in the event of a capsize.

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

Great story. I love the moral.

"Speed kills - Hakas save".

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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 Keith!

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

Look on the bright side, at least you have a Venturi seat well drain
( mine were removed at the dealer and never touched water )

Chris

Keith
I was going to ask a question about changing to cleats on the cargo deck but see that you answered it above.

I just replaced the one that cleats the line for the venturi drain. Seems like a good attachment place for something right next to the seat.

Thanks

Chris

Chris, I was tempted to pull that Venturi drain (the seat speed drain), but I left it in, and it has been just fine. No problems loading onto my trailer with cradles or draining.

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

Thanks for your comments, KB. I've convinced myself that it was probably a bad shear pin as you suggest. Fusioneng has suggested that Hobie make a stronger pin by filling the current pin out by replacing the threads. I think that is a good idea.

One of the new things I'm going to be doing is placing all valuable gear (hearing aids, superzoom camera, electric tooth brush, old but very useable glasses, and more), all gear I don't want to lose, in a dry bag in the front hatch--very little chance to lose it.

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

Thanks for sharing Keith and welcome to the club.

I would like to hear of ideas to strengthen the front hatch securing.
Seems to me that the mounting points could let go if we used rope instead of bungee cord.

From my capsize (not in rough water but from sheering the lee bolt hitting another TI) I
now carry, in addition to the many other suggestions, a rope ladder as below. I was able
to climb back in (although also a member of the "older" club at 67) but my wife did struggle
and hopefully the ladder, which flattens down and doesn't take much room, tied to the aka
would help her back into the TI.

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Cheers, Brian in South Australia
Tandem Island -

I will look into this. That big front hatch has worried me enought now.
I think I will leave the bungees as is, but put 2 extra ordinary flat straps over from side to side.
Straps that do not stretch. With ordinary buckles.
They don't have to be super tightened at all, just enough to prevent the hatch from moving if gear underneath is moving around.
This should give me a better feeling of safety when going offshore in waves. I have no plans to capsize just for the moment.

best regards
thomas

@ChangeMan--yes, a ladder would definitely help or a simple stirrup (rope loop) if it works for you. I would have been very happy to have a stirrup handy to get back into my boat. It may clutter up your boat a bit, but it is for that time, which we all hope will never happen--in my case, the next time, which I hope never happens.

@Kal-P-Dal & ChangeMan--here is an image of Jim Czarnowski's AI 2 (2015 AI) at the beginning of the WaterTribe EC 6 weeks ago. Note that he has put in a tie on his front hatch bungee cords. In his case, he was not worried about a capsize, but simply keeping the water out.



You do have to be careful if you put straps across the front hatch cover (some people do), because you do not want to distort that cover. That opens a whole can of worms by corrupting the hatch seal.

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 have been looking at these all rope ladders and these are the best instructions I have found so far on making one. It seems like it would make a very good way to pull the hull back over in a capsize because you would have handholds and footholds. For climbing back into the boat maybe the lower end could be secured to an ama or aka to address the drawback of this kind of ladder swinging under the boat.
Ill post pics when I get one made.

http://www.selfmadesailor.com/index.htm?banner.htm&0

Chris

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