2015 AI & TI Masts: Same At Base?

i.e. Can a 2015 TI mast be dropped in to a 2015 AI and have everything fit/line up?

Put another way: are the bases identical?

When I read Stringy's account, it seemed like the TI mast needed a slight mod to fit - but, IIRC, that was with a pre- 2015 AI..

_________________
2015 AI in "Dune" - "The Grey Pig"
2017 Trailex 450 Trailer
Pre-September 2015 cradles
(anybody want to buy a slightly-used AI SpinKit?)
eMail: [email protected]

Distance between the base and the drum are the critical issue. I don't have a 2015 AI mast to compare at the moment.

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

I measure on the tandem mast from the bottom of the furling spool to the butt of the mast 11.25"; on the AI 2 mast 11.75" (closer to 11 9/16").

Keith

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2015 AI 2, 2014 Tandem

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex ... It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." A. Einstein

"Less is more" Anon

Counter-intuitive.... I would have thought that, if anything, the TI distance would be greater.

In the spirit of the new cradles (duplicate front/back instead of separately-shaped front) there would seem to be some room for Hobie to standardize to their benefit.... Although, by now, I guess the designs are cast in stone...

I guess moving the spool just became critical path to my little venture.

_________________
2015 AI in "Dune" - "The Grey Pig"
2017 Trailex 450 Trailer
Pre-September 2015 cradles
(anybody want to buy a slightly-used AI SpinKit?)
eMail: [email protected]

Hmmm.... If the AI2 furler drum sits higher then that will be a problem. It was the opposite with the AIv1. The TI furler drum sat higher but had a longer length to the locking collar so it would fit the AIv1 ok. It didn't matter as furling still worked but it's crucial that the locking collar engages the locking lever.
It looks like you will have to remove the spool and fit a new one.

Needless-to-say, the masts are the same diameter at the bottom.... ???

I'm getting about 2 3/32" (2.09375") on mine. Somebody else put a caliper on their pre-2015 TI mast and reported 2.086". (viewtopic.php?f=71&t=43955#p184959)

_________________
2015 AI in "Dune" - "The Grey Pig"
2017 Trailex 450 Trailer
Pre-September 2015 cradles
(anybody want to buy a slightly-used AI SpinKit?)
eMail: [email protected]

The part numbers are the same for both TI/AI2 mast base's- #79511101 according to the latest catalogue.
The furler drums are still listed as different parts.

For reference this is a pic of AIv1 mast (top) alongside a TI mast (bottom). The difference in furler drums is clear.



Compare that to Chekika's pic comparing AIv1 (top) to AIv2 (bottom). It looks like the AI2 is using the TI furler drum?



The important distance for fit is the position of the locking collar ring at the base of the furler drum, which looks close to me.

I have the two masts so I took this picture of them. The masts were butted up against my garage door as I took the picture. The bottom of the mast to the latch ring seems identical on the 2 masts, but the furling spool on the AI 2 is about 1/3" higher than that on the TI mast.



Keith

_________________
2015 AI 2, 2014 Tandem

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex ... It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." A. Einstein

"Less is more" Anon

That's interesting Keith. The AI2 mast is fitted with a different furler drum, slightly longer again than the TI's. Looks like it may be designed by Hobie so that the TI's mast won't fit an AI2?

No on purpose to prevent fit... optimized for each hull.

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

Does anybody know if a dealer could get a TI mast without the furler drum?

I tried the dealer where I got my AI, but am not getting anywhere.

There's a more-or-less local guy, but before I drive out there I'd like to know if it's at least possible for him to order a mast without furler drum....So I can lean on him in the event he thinks not and it is possible.

Removing an installed furler drum doesn't seem like rocket science.... but one slip with the Dremel tool or whatever could be a muy expensivo slip.... and, besides, twelve bucks (furler drum cost) is twelve bucks....

The other thing that occurred to me - but whose possibility seems vanishingly small - is that diff between TI and AI mast lengths is just in the top section.... i.e. maybe the TI and AI bottom sections are the same length and the extra 18" is just in the top. ..... Ezzy does something like this with their 2-piece masts so the user can mix-and-match to get the optimal mast length for a give sail without owning as many complete masts.

_________________
2015 AI in "Dune" - "The Grey Pig"
2017 Trailex 450 Trailer
Pre-September 2015 cradles
(anybody want to buy a slightly-used AI SpinKit?)
eMail: [email protected]