We have two great new accessories for Hobie Islands!

My mad moment was on the basis that I could add a jib as well as the spinnaker, only needing one extra cleat for the tack two to one system, and another cleat for the clew adjusting system. Easy peasy. The jib would fly all the time the main was in use.

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

Using the jib requires the main to be in use but the jib does not need to be flown whenever the main is flown.

Bottom line is we all have different environments and needs. If I were in Florida and scub dived instead of fished, you can bet I would be following FE footsteps. I think he adapted to his environment pretty well.

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Greg

2016 AI - Spinn & Jib

“Out of sight of land the sailor feels safe. It is the beach that worries him.”
– Charles G. Davis

I lost the flag on the wind vane the first time I used it last weekend. For the money I paid for that thing that is ridiculous. I guess I can use this opportunity to put a more substantial flag on it as the original one was barely visible 18 feet up in the air, in the sun anyway.

Everyone will lose that flag if the don't superglue that top rubber stopper to the metal pole. If anyone hasn't done it yet, do it now.

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Greg

2016 AI - Spinn & Jib

“Out of sight of land the sailor feels safe. It is the beach that worries him.”
– Charles G. Davis

I didn't bother using it in the first place. Seeing a .5mm (or less!) thick piece of plastic >end-on< is an exercise in futility. I simply attached a dinghy windvane to the metal mast with zipties and superglue, adding a rubber band to prevent the mast slipping out of its hole on the topper.

To add "cream on top", I stuck red and white reflective tape on the undersides of the tail and head of the arrow respectively, so I can see the direction of the wind at night when wearing my headlamp.

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

I think the halyard in the kit I got is too short for the AI2. On a starboard tack, the line interferes with the lower third of the spinnaker. I am thinking that they sized this for the pre 2015 AI. Has anyone else seen this? Also, I had an unrecoverable tangle when furling the main with the spinnaker stowed. I had to untie the halyard from the sail and pull it through the whole system leaving the mast topper unrestrained until I got home.

I am think of going with the pex design.

A suggestion I read here. Rethread the other end of the line (eg the part which threads through the grommets on the sail) so that on the tack where the spinnaker snuffer bag is opposite the spinnaker, the line coming out of the bottom grommet is on the side facing the snuffer. On the other tack, the sail will be close to the snuffer and the line won't interfere with the shape of the spinnaker.

BTW, on my TI, the halyard/backstay is only too short when I am raising the mast, so I add a temporary extension when rigging, removing it once the mast is up. There is nothing more disconcerting that finding downward resistance while you are lifting the mast vertically to get it into the mast mount

I agree it is easy to get such a tangle, but I have worked out a sequence which seems to work (so far).

Hoisting sails.
Either sail goes up first, no difference.

Dropping sails
Ideally, spinnaker first, after partly furling the mainsail so the longest batten is tucked under the topper. However, if the spinnaker is flying, you can generally furl or unfurl the mainsail. I partly unfurl the mainsail when I plan to drop the spinnaker.

One thing that really does help though, is that when trimming the longest sail batten so it is flush with the top of its pocket, I think it is a good idea to totally remove the batten (which you should do to trim the >bottom< of it (not like dumbass me, who then had to buy a new top end fitting as I shortened that end!), and then reinsert it, so it is "relaxed" in its location. When I did this to mine, it now wraps tightly around the mast, rather than hanging out ready to tangle with the halyard/backstay

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

"A suggestion I read here. Rethread the other end of the line (eg the part which threads through the grommets on the sail) so that on the tack where the spinnaker snuffer bag is opposite the spinnaker, the line coming out of the bottom grommet is on the side facing the snuffer. On the other tack, the sail will be close to the snuffer and the line won't interfere with the shape of the spinnaker."

Excellent point! - that should work

"One thing that really does help though, is that when trimming the longest sail batten so it is flush with the top of its pocket, I think it is a good idea to totally remove the batten (which you should do to trim the >bottom< of it (not like dumbass me, who then had to buy a new top end fitting as I shortened that end!), and then reinsert it, so it is "relaxed" in its location. When I did this to mine, it now wraps tightly around the mast, rather than hanging out ready to tangle with the halyard/backstay"

I think you are on to something here too. I shortened that batten flush on the lawn, but I noticed when out sailing that when furled on the mast it stuck back out a bit.

Thanks Tony!

Fusioneng: Can you post a picture of your mast topper? I may prefer to make one than use Hobie's. Thanks

I fitted the TI spinnaker about two months ago and have done 7 trips with about 20 hours spinnaker use.
I have to say I'm very impressed with this accessory! The difference it makes to downwind sailing in light winds is amazing. It completes the boat by strengthening what was a weak area in Island sailing -downwind with a boomless main.
It gives a noticeable performance increase and is fun to sail with. There is something very satisfying when it fills with wind and you feel the speed boost.
I fitted the kit as per the instructions and have had no tangling issues. I did trim the battens and used a standup pulley on the aka for the halyard exiting the snuffer bag.
I also drilled out the mast topper wind vane post hole slightly so my Windward wind indicator fitted:

I had been worried that the haka might cause snags and I did have some early issues with the sail getting caught between the haka and the snuffer bag. A length of webbing in a figure 8 tying the haka to the snuffer bag mouth fixed that.
I did have trouble with the top batten hitting the halyard with the main fully out. It didn't ever get jammed but was annoying when gybing as it would deform the top part of the sail.
Furling the main to the tell tale window fixed that.
This has become one of my must have accessories, along with haka and outboard, that 'complete' the overall Island package making for a very capable and versatile craft.
Some video with apologies for the one handed gybes and shakes!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cArdidhWSE

I agree, Stringy. Sailing with spinnaker and outboard feels right, like it is now complete.

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

after 1 year of use can you all type something more about the angle of wind you can use this gennaker?

I have found that on light wind days (less than 10mph), I can sail all day with spinnaker going both up and downwind. Just guessing, if I can sail 50 degrees off the wind with the main, I am probably sailing as high as 60 degrees with the spinnaker. You can also pull the halyard line towards the bow lifting the spinnaker off the bow by about 3-4 ft improving viability up or downwind. This is truly a versatile sail much like a Code 0. To go upwind though the spinnaker sheet has to be pulled tight and inward as far as the spin cleats (assuming they are installed the typical 4 in out).

So far after one year, no damage to the boat using the spinnaker as an upwind sail. Keep in mind that I don't use it upwind when winds are over 10 mph though.

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Greg

2016 AI - Spinn & Jib

“Out of sight of land the sailor feels safe. It is the beach that worries him.”
– Charles G. Davis

I've read this thread through and many thanks to all of you that came before me and did the engineering first!

In any event, I did the spinn install on my 2016 TI as per the written instructions and the video. After several dry runs the spinn sets and snuffs without issue; unfortunately, when I furl the main the halyard does snag and wrap around the mast. I will now apply vetgam pex tube to the topper as apparently that's the solution.

However, I am disappointed with Hobie that they would let this issue fester for so long without providing some sort of resolution. But then again they provide this forum so that the Customers can work it out, pretty savvy business folks.

vetgam, I've read through this whole thread and still have a couple of questions. If you had the spinnaker first would you have still installed the jib? Is the up-wind performance good enough that you can reach any up-wind destination that you wish by wind alone?

I haven't posted on this forum since I sold my Hobie-18 several years ago but am now considering purchasing a TI and am exploring all my options.

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Bud
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