BenB wrote:
Thank you for all the useful information.
For the 2021 version:
1. Is it still recommended to install safety lines? If so how.
To the best of my knowledge, Hobie has never addressed the issue of the ama suddenly collapsing if the aka shear bolt breaks. So, if you sail in any kind of conditions where the collapse of the ama could cause a sudden capsize, then you need to take steps to mitigate this vital safety issue. This forum has detailed multiple solutions over the years. The most common solution is to install safety lines that prevent the ama from collapsing. This is easy to do and costs little, but the lines must be properly installed and rigged. Follow the detailed instructions in this forum for the rigging you prefer. A quick search will turn up multiple threads covering this in much greater detail than I can provide here.
Another solution is to use the Hobie trampolines. These will also effectively prevent the ama from collapsing. The downside is that tramps are expensive and you must rig them each time you sail which, as with the safety lines, is a bit of a bother.
The next solution is to replace the plastic shear bolts with solid stainless steel bolts. This eliminates the problem and there is no rigging necessary. However, if you hit anything hard enough you may damage the ama/aka structure. I've been using stainless steel bolts for many years now with no issues. I've never hit anything hard enough to cause damage even with the solid bolts. I accept the risk to the ama/aka structure and feel that I'd much rather risk damage to the boat than the potential loss of my life or my passengers. I personally think that Hobie very wrongly prioritized reducing boat damage over the risk of potential accident or death. Operator and passenger safety should
always be the primary concern. I've rarely seen any vehicle manufacturer make such a controversial decision. If you were driving your car at high speeds and you hit a pothole, would you want the steering system to suddenly collapse and completely fail just to avoid damage to it, or would you prefer to be able to keep on steering even if it meant some repairable damage to the car?
So, it's up to you which method you prefer. However, you should decide on one because the danger is real and people have capsized due to this.
BenB wrote:
2. Are there any other safety mods to consider?
On some older TIs, the akas used to suddenly detach from the boat. TI owners used to mitigate the problem with support lines to prevent detachment. Like the aka shear bolt issue, detachment could cause a sudden capsize. Unlike the shear bolt issue, Hobie did address this by offering a
79520604 AKA LOCK KIT HINGED HOOK upgrade kit. I installed this kit on my 2015 and have never had another issue with the aka detaching. I assume the new mechanism comes standard on new TIs. However many of us, including myself, still use safety lines to prevent aka detachment. It's hard to regain trust once a critical system fails in normal use.
BenB wrote:
3. What is an easy way to install the coopers blue anchor? Design, rigging and deployment and keeping it all tidy.
See
this post for the best Cooper anchor setup. To keep it tidy, I simply use an anchor bag.
Whenever you have such questions, try using the forum's search facility. This forum has been around for over a decade and contains the solutions to most AI/TI questions.