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 Post subject: AI Sailing.
PostPosted: Mon May 05, 2008 7:39 pm 
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Joined: Sat Sep 22, 2007 8:52 pm
Posts: 190
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
What's the AI like to sail? I've got the money pit H16 and have been thinking about picking up an AI to tool around with after work, or to car top to some of the small lakes when I don't have anyone to help with the H16.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon May 05, 2008 11:41 pm 
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Joined: Thu May 25, 2006 5:17 pm
Posts: 203
Location: Ettalong Beach, Central Coast, Australia
Well I have had a H14t for 25 years, a H16 and a H17. The AI is definitely fun, although I miss the white knuckle feeling of sailing on the limit in a stiff breeze.

Its fun, wet, and very stable. You can ignore the wind and just power anywhere with the pedals. It takes under 15 minutes to be in the water, and the same to load up after the day. My only current complaint is I have the hard wheels, and they are very difficult in soft beach sand. For $160 I can get soft wheels, so I should do that and stop whinging. Overall its a great boat to own and play with. The furling sail is the big deal in a stiff breeze.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue May 06, 2008 6:11 am 
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Joined: Fri Jun 22, 2007 9:49 am
Posts: 42
Location: Dahlgren, VA
If you have a speed addiction, then the AI may not be the right boat. If you just enjoy sailing, cruising, fishing, exploring, camping, photography, etc. with a highly reliable craft that is easy for one person to transport and set up, the AI comes highly recommended.

While it is easy to spend money on gear, the only expenses to maintain my AI have been lubricant for the drive and a $1.25 rudder pin. This boat has not been babied. I've had it in 35 knot winds and 3'+ waves, pushed it through marshes using the paddle as a pole been on a lot of rocky and gravelly beach. It has never failed to perform.

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue May 06, 2008 8:13 am 
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Joined: Thu Apr 26, 2007 9:57 am
Posts: 222
Location: Phuket, Thailand
I too have been lucky enough to be able to get out quite a lot in the last 7 months. the drive system works fine but beware of your cables. Both my cables gave out on me today both at the same time. Its hard to know what strength remains in them because they are sheathed. the Sea was quite big and I was paddling against a 1 1/2-2 knot tide off a headland , so the loading was quite high and the tensile strength just gave out on me. I always check the cables at the swages and they were looking a little burnished but no splits. I did recently have to tighten them as the movement on the cranks was getting sloppy. maybe the best thing to do is replace the cables once you sart to feel the slack.

So I got a chance to paddle home for the last 3 miles, (I didnt take out the sail and outriggers) Given that it was a bit rough (we have the spin off from Cyclone Nargisa) and that being a S.O.T. the centre of gravity is quite high, it paddled really well!Image


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue May 06, 2008 8:47 am 
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Joined: Fri Nov 19, 2004 6:56 am
Posts: 822
Location: Tallahassee, FL
Geoff said:
Quote:
My only current complaint is I have the hard wheels, and they are very difficult in soft beach sand.


Yea--I had the same problem with the stock wheels. I finally broke down and bought a set of the Hobie Trax high flotation wheels with just a few lbs. psi in each tire. That solved my pulling problem in soft beach sand, Now they ride up and over the sand instead of you having to drag the yak and wheels thru the sand like a bulldozer.

Image

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sun May 11, 2008 3:32 am 
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Joined: Thu Aug 16, 2007 2:25 pm
Posts: 2863
Location: Central Coast NSW Australia
That's a nasty failure Philip1el- both cables at once! :shock:
I'm just wondering if before the failure you had noticed the idler cable needed tightening after each trip?
I ask that because a while back I noticed my idler cable was loose. I always check the tension on the cables before each trip. I would tighten it but it would be loose again at the end of the trip. It didn't seem broken but as I was running out of thread adjustment I gave it a closer inspection. It was only when I moved the cranks back and forward that the thinning of the plastic sheath (evidence of a cable break inside) was clearly seen. In the neutral position the cable looked fine! I replaced the idler cable and have had no further problems. It pays to maintain the drive. :)

On the bright side you now have a good opportunity to upgrade to the V2 parts. :wink:
See Roadrunners how to here:
http://www.hobiecat.com/community/viewtopic.php?t=8642

PS -Question for Hobie- Is there a reason the whole drivechain assembly has to be replaced when often it is just the cable that breaks? It would be better if the cable could be easily separated from the chain by a removable pin:
Image


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sun May 11, 2008 5:38 am 
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Joined: Thu Apr 26, 2007 9:57 am
Posts: 222
Location: Phuket, Thailand
Hi Stringy,

I noticed there was some play in the drive and tightened the drive cable, did I forget to tension the idler cable too? Honestly, I cant remember, I remember running out of thread on drive cable You are right it pays to maintain the drive, this I feel I failed to do adequately, the amazing thing is that these 'breakdowns' seem to happen at the most critical moments! Everything seemed to come apart at the same time but maybe the idler cable was a nano second in front!

I had a spare drive system and went out again the next day just with the kayak alone (no outriggers/sail). Cyclone Nargis left behind it a messy residual 3-4' slop and the sea was all over the place. Slops nasty stuff (an ocean swell twice the size with fetch is not a problem) but in a confused beam sea I came as near to being knocked over as I have ever been in 20 years of kayaking. The AI is the first sit on top I have ever owned, center of gravity is higher than I am used to, if I had come off the boat I doubt I would have regained it. i was just 20 meters away from an island so I would have made it onto dry land OK but the 'interface' between land and sea is often where the real problems begin, you get knocked up on rocks!

So two lessons learnt, if its lumpy always have some kind of leash on your wrist or ankle connecting you to the boat (it may hurt but you will stay with the boat) and secondly its not the height of the waves that are important, its their shape and the condition of the sea.

My time here is over, boat stowed up in the ceiling outside..its been an absorbing and fascinating time. the joys of fishing, which is something I have never tried before, opened up to me. I have had my issues with this craft and all of them have been sorted thru this forum. So thank you all and thank you Hobie.

Have a great summer season all of you...and thank you for your help. The dealer support here has been second to none and Hobie Aus have been immediate in their supply of spare parts

Philip


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sun May 11, 2008 3:53 pm 
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Joined: Wed Dec 07, 2005 11:04 pm
Posts: 598
Location: Hawaii, Big Island
Philip

Thank you for saying what needs to be said over and over again.

So..lessons learnt, if its lumpy always have some kind of leash on your wrist or ankle connecting you to the boat (it may hurt but you will stay with the boat)

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sun May 11, 2008 4:09 pm 
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Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Fri Jan 05, 2007 9:21 pm
Posts: 2498
Location: Central Florida
Ditto! Don't leave home without one. I use a 9' surfboard leash attached to the rear aka support with the ankle end attached to the left seat strap. When wind or waves start getting wild, I can undo it from the strap and put it on my ankle without stopping or turning around or taking my eyes off what I really need to be doing then. When out alone, I keep it on the whole time.

Remember to take it off before attempting landing. (Made that mistake only once :roll: )

Be safe,

Kayaking Bob


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon May 12, 2008 6:00 pm 
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Joined: Thu Aug 16, 2007 2:25 pm
Posts: 2863
Location: Central Coast NSW Australia
G'Day Philip,
Sounds like you are leaving permanently or are you just packing it away for the season?
Good point about being attached. I use the mainsheet either around my wrist with a velcro band or clipped to my PFD.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue May 13, 2008 3:01 am 
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Joined: Thu Apr 26, 2007 9:57 am
Posts: 222
Location: Phuket, Thailand
Hi Stringy,

No, I just run out of money around this time of year and have to scurry back home and do something!!!... all this mucking about on the sea comes at a price and my time is definitely up:wink: This place is full of superannuated old farts who havent really grown up they are all out bodysurfing, sailing...God you would think we would get old with a bit more grace and demeanour...its disgusting :) , noones got enough money so there's a mass pre-monsoon evacuation. We all come back in October (suitably chastised by our shocking brush with reality) struggle back onto our rowbikes, AI's, boards..or whatever instrument of torture. There's a fair bit of 'Oh, I'm not even sure I can do this anymore' or 'jeez everyone looks YOUNG' but within a couple of weeks we are flipping over, wiping out, falling off our bikes and generally making fools of ourselves with reckless abandon.

Your wise to use a leash, I still dread to think about the wrist or ankle pain threshold if 30 odd kilos of plastic gets surfed down a swell with you in tow, but having been perilously close to the alternative I will most certainly take a leash on board next time i go out!


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