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Have you done any "expedition" trips on the AI?
http://www.hobie.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=70&t=7276		 Page 45 of 80
Author:  Chekika [ Sun Mar 01, 2015 1:19 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Have you done any "expedition" trips on the AI?
Quote:
Because of this thread length, I have made a Table of Contents. This Table is on P. 22, http://www.hobiecat.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=70&t=7276&start=315

AI 2 Physical Characteristics. Part 3. Cradles


Many people upgrading to the AI 2 (2015 AI) will be using a trailer because of the increased weight of the new Island (142# for AI 2 vs. 115# for AI). Of course, a lot of people already were using a trailer for their AI, before upgrading to an AI 2. I'm a bit worried about how long it is going to take Hobie to get the new, necessary cradles to the dealers.

My dealer told me that Hobie had told him that the old cradles could be used, at least on a temporary basis. That is not true from my findings. As you can see below, the AI cradles are an awful fit to the AI 2.

Top view. Joe Slama contemplates the situation. This not an optical illusion. The AI 2 is a much larger boat than the AI. This image also shows the parallel ama/hull configuration of the AI 2.

Image


Front AI cradle/AI 2 mismatch

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Rear AI cradle/AI 2 mismatch

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I’ve hauled my AI 2 a few miles to Biscayne Bay for a sail. From the above images, you clearly cannot leave your new AI 2 stored on the AI cradles.

For those of us who have upgraded to the AI 2, I hope Hobie will get the new, AI 2 matching cradles to dealers soon.

Keith
Author:  Slaughter [ Tue Mar 10, 2015 11:39 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Have you done any "expedition" trips on the AI?
Another great reports Keith. That soup that you were sailing in towards the end doesn't look very inviting. Thanks for sharing another one. It will be interesting to see how the AI2 handles a similar trip.
Author:  Chekika [ Thu Mar 12, 2015 5:07 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Have you done any "expedition" trips on the AI?
Yes, Slaughter, can't wait to try the AI 2 on a camp trip. As you probably know, I've been tied up with this WaterTribe 2015EC stuff, plus my wife just came back for the EC stuff, so I've done NOTHING with my AI 2 for 2 weeks. I'm just beginning to think again about how I'm going to haul it on my trailer until the new cradles come out, and, how I am going to haul it above the high tide line. Right now, I'm into pool noodles. A friend said he hauled his TI up the beach on pool noodles during the first part of the aborted EC--worked great according to him.

Keith
Author:  mmiller [ Thu Mar 12, 2015 8:14 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Have you done any "expedition" trips on the AI?
Not sure what the delay is now... they were finalizing the cradle molds last I heard. Checking.
Author:  Chekika [ Thu Mar 12, 2015 8:21 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Have you done any "expedition" trips on the AI?
Thanks, Matt. Right now, I'm thinking of various ways to fill in the gaps when the AI 2 is loaded on the old AI cradles.

Keith
Author:  Roller [ Thu Mar 12, 2015 5:38 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Have you done any "expedition" trips on the AI?
mmiller wrote:
Not sure what the delay is now... they were finalizing the cradle molds last I heard. Checking.



Here we go again another loooooonnnnnnggggggg wait! Surely its common sense to make the cradles at the same time as the kayaks, how are we meant to transport the things? Talk about cart before the horse, my dealer said the cradles were in containers on the way here :roll: this all becoming a joke!!!!!! Sorry Matt but I'm getting thoroughly fed-up with the constant waiting , I ordered my AI and trailer in September!!!!
Author:  Chekika [ Thu Mar 12, 2015 5:51 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Have you done any "expedition" trips on the AI?
Matt has said previously that the AI 2 boat was necessary to form the moldings for the cradles. I do agree that it is frustrating not to have the cradles available. My garage is so jammed with AIs, AI 2, sea kayaks, bikes, and all the regular things you put in a garage (except cars) that I could not build a "cradle" if I wanted.

Keith
Author:  Roller [ Thu Mar 12, 2015 6:19 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Have you done any "expedition" trips on the AI?
Chekika wrote:
Matt has said previously that the AI 2 boat was necessary to form the moldings for the cradles. I do agree that it is frustrating not to have the cradles available. My garage is so jammed with AIs, AI 2, sea kayaks, bikes, and all the regular things you put in a garage (except cars) that I could not build a "cradle" if I wanted.

Keith


Surely Keith Hobie envisaged the dilemma we are all in now, especially given the extra weight of the vessel, tbh I find it mind boggling :D



My next question is do the tramps that I've ordered fit properly :?:
Author:  Chekika [ Thu Mar 12, 2015 6:23 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Have you done any "expedition" trips on the AI?
Maybe not. You will have to talk to them, Roller.

Keith
Author:  PassWind [ Thu Mar 12, 2015 8:45 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Have you done any "expedition" trips on the AI?
one of my personal mantra-kinda-thingys is .. an insincere smile is better than a sincere frown

hey, about 2 minutes work with a tape measure, sawzall, drill, and 5 hockey pucks and you could prolly hack those cradles to work.

.. Oh, and about 1/3 roll or ducky tape. Don't know what for yet, but better to be safe
Author:  Chekika [ Fri Mar 13, 2015 2:22 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Have you done any "expedition" trips on the AI?
You are right, PW, except for the time--much longer for me. Also, I don't want to ruin a very good pair of AI cradles.

KW
Author:  fusioneng [ Fri Mar 13, 2015 6:06 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Have you done any "expedition" trips on the AI?
Keith:
Why dont you just switch over to the dark side and switch over to Pvc tube bunks. It's only about $20 bucks in materials, probably no more than a couple hours of labor to install.
Personally i feel they are much easier to get the boat up onto the trailer, and support the hull more evenly than the cradles especially in florida's hot sun. If you look at pretty much any boat trailer they all support the boats lengthwise (not traverse). The AMA's pretty much take care of themselves anyway, you only need a couple pads for them to rest on once you have the boat on the trailer. Most all of us pull the boat onto the trailer with the ama's out anyway, then once secured we simply fold the ama's in for transport (the cradles make this more difficult). Then when launching most of us unfold the ama's and mount the tramps in the parking lot and get the boat all ready on the trailer then simply either walk the trailer (with the fully rigged boat to the waters edge, or back the car to the water and launch. Quite a few of us have installed simple winches to help crank the boat up especially when launching and retrieving from steep boat ramps. Mounting a simple roller at the back of the trailer also makes life easier.
On the AI-2 Matt has already told us not to worry about seat drain venturi port on the right side, It was designed to be strong enough to survive a little bumping once in a while. My plan when i get my 2015 is to just slide my boat onto my existing bunks to it's final position, mark the spot on the pipe where the venturi tube is, remove the boat, then just take a torch or heat gun to the spot where the venturi tube is heat it up then just mush the tube into itself at the top so it clears the venturi tube.
If you get a chance to talk to kayakman7 he is the one that showed me how to do pvc bunks. I store my boat fully rigged on the trailer and have not had any issues, even when we have to store our boat outside when we are at our key west place (partial sun).
You won't win any beauty contests with this setup but hey it works.
Bob
Author:  Chekika [ Fri Mar 13, 2015 6:39 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Have you done any "expedition" trips on the AI?
Hi Bob, that is good advice. Could you post a picture of your trailer setup showing the PVC bunks? Thanks.

Keith
Author:  fusioneng [ Fri Mar 13, 2015 8:06 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Have you done any "expedition" trips on the AI?
Keith:
You don't want to copy my POS trailer (a $140 harbor freight steel trailer). You already have one of the best trailers out there (Trailex) (yes I'm really jealous).

But perhaps temporarily until Hobie gets their cradle act together you can throw a PVC bunk on there. I would hate to see you cut up a perfectly good set of Hobie cradles just to make it work, especially since you now have both the old and new versions of the AI (the PVC bunks will work on either, without needing to change anything)

Here is a pic from the back of my POS trailer, you can see I have already started replacing rusted out steel with aluminum as it dwindles away (lol). Ignore the big brown thing on the back, that my foamcore planing hull mod to convert the hull from a displacement hull type to a planing hull, it weighs 6 or 7 lbs and adds about 80 lbs of additional floatation to the boat, the extra floation in not really needed to counteract the 55 lbs of motors (27 lbs ea), but as you know I regularly overload my TI (always way too many passengers and gear it seems), and it helps a little, plus the hull mod allows me to get up to 12 mph cruise (vs the previous 8 mph from the old displacement hull) ( I'm describing the thing here in more detail referencing your post on the WT forum, just FYI). I only need all that extra junk because I'm mostly offshore in open water (the Keys are really really big, and really dangerous lol)).

Image

Here is a close up of the super simple roller I made from a paint roller, some PVC tubing, and some angle iron (it took 30 minutes to make with a drill and hack saw, and cost maybe $4 bucks)
Image.

Hey it ain't pretty but it really makes loading the boat easier especially on steep boat ramps.

On the main bunks I used 1" pvc tubing, to make it a little stronger I jammed in wood broom handles into the PVC (wood is lightweight and amazingly strong, and completely protected inside the PVC). Many others are using 1 1/4 or 1 1/2 PVC which is stronger and probably works equally well (probably don't need the wood with bigger PVC) everything is mounted on around 11 inch centers. On mine I just placed the boat on the PVC pipes, letting them find center themselves, then just marked the spot and screwed the pipes down in a couple points (don't need much).

There are many threads of other guys doing the same thing. Not pretty but hey it works...
Hope this helps
Bob
Author:  Chekika [ Fri Mar 13, 2015 12:06 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Have you done any "expedition" trips on the AI?
No, Fusioneng, I think it looks pretty good. But...I've taken a different route--easier, but much more temporary. Here is my temp AI cradle mod:

Pool noodles duct taped on

Image


Pool noodle inserted into hollow pool noodle

Image


I haven't tried it yet, but I think it will work--at least until I get a new set of AI 2 cradles. I have 6 of these "noodle inside a noodle" (59" noodles cut in half). 2 of them are used on this trailer. The other 4 are going to be used for hauling my AI 2 up the beach when I am camping.

Keith
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