Thinking about buying a TI - want advice

I just saw a Tandem Island at a boat show. I had been thinking about buying a used Hobie 16", but this looks pretty interesting. I read some reviews and they look good for the TI. Can someone advise about how the TI works as a sailboat? I've sailed a Hobie 16 about 8 times as my comparison.
Thanks

If a picture is worth a thousand words, a video must be worth a million.
Click on this and see for yourself !

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=hobie+tandem++island&oq=hobie+tandem++island&aq=f&aqi=g7&aql=&gs_sm=s&gs_upl=3843l11452l0l14061l16l16l0l0l0l1l203l1967l7.8.1l16l0

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I've had several cat (Hobie, Prindle, blah blah)
I test drove a TI the first year out (They called it something else then) but waited.
I bought two AI's because Murphy's law says, "I want to go there and you want to go THERE."
I have never looked back or regretted the decision.

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Mark AKA: River
2011 AI in Red Hibiscus
Lowrance Elite 4, W Gold card
Garmin GPS 78
Standard Horizon HX 751
2 12V 700ma batteries in Parallel
Solar charging
Ritchie Compass
14 days of electronics easy

G'day Mate,

If you're after an adrenalin hit then buy the Hobie 16. If you are after the most versatile bit of kit on the market then bite the bullet and go the TI.

We've had 14ft and 16ft cats and there is nothing quite like smashing across a bay, flying a hull and pushing the boat to its limits. Pitchpoling and capsizing being all part of the thrill. But they can also be a handful for the inexperienced and it is always a nervous time leaving the mainsheet in the hands of a newbie and trusting they will feed line out before we end up in the drink.

The 16 is a heavy-ish boat, and whilst they can be rigged single handed they are much better suited to having extra hands on deck to help in this regard. So if you like a thrill and often sail with company the 16 footer is a good, (and usually drier) option and you can get a lot of bang for your buck buying second hand.

We have just purchased a TI and love almost everything about it. It is easily set up by one person if need be and this appeals to me as I get time off when others are at work and so often sail alone. It's fantastic for teaching others to sail on and if they were cheaper every Sailability centre in the world would be using them. (When I take friends out I am lucky if I get a go!!! Can't wait til school goes back so I can have some days alone where I get to drive!) We peddle it as a kayak for early morning fishing and then rig it to sail as the wind picks up in the afternoon. By furling the sail we approach jetties and landings with better control and overall we are very impressed.

However it is a wet ride on a choppy day, so factor in windproof clothing in all but the warmest weather. You can take 2 adults and 4 kids as per the youtube video, but in choppy conditions you will all be very wet. Its sailing performance will satisfy most who have sailed other vessels, however it is sluggish downwind due to no boom (others rig their boats differently to improve this) and its upwind performance is more than adequate to chart a course to your favourite picnic spot or waterside cafe! But there are trade offs and one is that the boat is powered in such a way that it is almost impossible to capsize and so whilst it's fantastic for teaching and an outstanding boat all round, one thing I do miss is the adrenalin hit from the sheer speed of the 16.

Price wise, even 2nd hand they are an expensive toy, but so far we have few regrets and hope to keep it in the stable for many years to come. More than 2 cents worth of my opinion I realise but hope it helps.

PS Local surfer here had his butt chewed by a shark this week so if I drag half a tuna in the right location I may be able to up the anti in the adrenalin stakes!

Have to agree 100% with Bonehead: the TI is a lot of fun but a wet boat (but I am a diver so wet has never been an issue).

I also have an AI and must say that it is a wetter boat than the TI. The TI also sails much better than the AI.

I have done a fair bit of fishing from the AI and I think that the TI is going to be better as I can sit in the back without having to fish over the armas.

These are a very versatile boat: we paddle up rivers, paddle with the mirage drive and only one out rigger for fishing, sail out on the bay and even head out to sea in fairly rough conditions for any other small sail craft. Been out in 25 to 30 knot winds offshore and it handles it fairly well (but wear a wetsuit).
Bonehead, I love the idea of the shark bait, starting to see a few more big whites over here too, a hook-up (with no hook) could be an exciting ride.

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Geordie
West Ausie

I agree the AI's is a wet boat for all but very light people, even just sitting still.

But, the TI, sailing under 6 miles per hour can be a very dry boat. Above 6mph the bow wave hits the aka knuckles and splashes everywhere without a Sprayskirt to protect it.

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Hobie Island Sailing since 2006

I sailed a NACRA 18 until my kids left home. Before that we sailed a Hobie 16.
Fantastic sailing as long as I had an experienced crew with. Afterward I still wanted to sail. I looked into a monohull...most required extra crew and slip rental.
I have found that even tho' my TI is much slower than my catamarans...I sit so much closer to the water, that the excitement is still there.
As too wetness...the TI with spray skirts is no wetter than the catamarans when we were charging upwind slamming into swell.
And I can fish from the TI...the cats were either dead in the water or charging like a race car.