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 Post subject: Smaller sail?
PostPosted: Sat Jun 10, 2017 9:09 am 
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Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Mon Mar 14, 2011 6:07 am
Posts: 20
Greetings, fellow Islanders! I have been a TI owner for several years, and really love the craft. My only problem is that I have a great deal of difficulty stepping and unstepping the mast. I am a slight 5'3" female. I almost never sail with the sail completely unfurled, so I am wondering if Hobie would make a shorter mast with less sail as an option? Anyone else interested in this? Thanks for your input!


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 Post subject: Re: Smaller sail?
PostPosted: Sat Jun 10, 2017 1:42 pm 
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Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Sun Apr 20, 2008 6:18 am
Posts: 3058
Location: Sarasota,Key West FL
You would need to ask Hobie and some of the owners of both AI's and TI's if the mast and/or sail from an AI would fit on a TI. If not, then there is still the possibility of slipping an AI sail over the TI mast. The base of the sail will be a couple feet up the mast and you will need to install a longer downhaul line of course, but that's just a piece if rope,(connecting the bottom of the sail to the furler). The plus side is now you will have plenty of headroom.
I have a weighted centerboard (swinging keel ,(50 lbs)) that I use for kayak sailing without the AMA's, I currently use a 33sq ft wing sail for kayak sailing, but have contemplated using an AI sail as described above for kayak sailing, (that is if I can ever get my hands on an AI sail). I think the AI sail is around 60sq ft, and the TI sail is 90sq ft, I would think that might be just right for your application for sailing (with your AMA's on of course).
Just tryin to help here.
FE


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 Post subject: Re: Smaller sail?
PostPosted: Sat Jun 10, 2017 9:07 pm 
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Joined: Thu Aug 16, 2007 2:25 pm
Posts: 2863
Location: Central Coast NSW Australia
Yours is an unusual request Creekdweller. Most people want more sail!
As FE Bob says your simplest option would be to fit an AI mast/sail in the TI. At around 2 foot shorter it should be more manageable.
This post discusses the differences in masts between AI, AIv2 and TI:
https://www.hobie.com/forums/viewtopic. ... 2&p=272771
I fitted a TI mast to my old AI with no problems but to fit the AI mast to a TI you would have to remove and replace the furler drum and relocate it to fit. This wouldn't be too big a job for your Hobie dealer to do, with careful use of a dremel or the like. Many early AI masts had trouble with the drum slipping. It is epoxied on and is available as a spare part.
I have cut and pasted below from the linked post so you get some idea of what would be involved:

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

Image

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

Image


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 Post subject: Re: Smaller sail?
PostPosted: Sat Jun 10, 2017 9:48 pm 
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Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Sun Apr 20, 2008 6:18 am
Posts: 3058
Location: Sarasota,Key West FL
I knew these guys would know. Sounds like your best bet will be to remove the TI sail from your TI mast, then just slip an AI sail into your TI mast. Hopefully you can find an old used AI sail (maybe at dealer). The only thing you would need is a new (much longer) downhaul line to attach to the furler drum.
One thing for sure is you will have ample headroom since the base of the sail will now be a good couple feet from the furler drum.
If I can find a used AI sail, I will likely do the same for kayak sailing, ( you can't really kayak sail with the TI sail without the AMA's because it's just too big, even when partially furled, I fall over and capsize all the time, (yea I tried it several times), even my tiny 33sq ft wing sail is a major handful when kayak sailing, and I go over often, but it's still really fun for me (I really like kayak sailing without AMA's ( obviously)).
I have also used the regular Hobie kayak sail (20sq ft), the TI is just too big a boat for that sail, it works, just not all that well.
Though it doesn't hurt a darn thing to run the TI sail furled in a couple or three turns, I do it all the time because with my wing jib I have way too much sail usually unless the winds are under 7mph (typically I only go out in 4-7mph winds because of my bad back).
Hope this helps
FE


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 Post subject: Re: Smaller sail?
PostPosted: Sun Jun 11, 2017 4:09 am 
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Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Mon Mar 14, 2011 6:07 am
Posts: 20
Thank you all for your thoughts! Not sure which way I will go. The biggest problem for me is the height of the mast. Because I am height challenged, I cannot keep the mast vertical in my grip for very long. Sounds like I should check out an AI mast and substitute the whole rig. Then I would have the option to use the bigger sail when I have a companion along to help. Thanks again!


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 Post subject: Re: Smaller sail?
PostPosted: Sun Jun 11, 2017 5:39 am 
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Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Thu Jun 01, 2006 1:16 pm
Posts: 605
Location: Colorado
Usually alternate ideas are not useful.. but anyhow.. what about using a small step ladder for the mast step. For taking the mast out, maybe you could hold the release lever with a bungie cord so you could pull the mast out from higher up.

We carried around a small step ladder like the picture below in a small car when car topped our TI a few years ago. The ladder doesnt weigh much.


Image


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 Post subject: Re: Smaller sail?
PostPosted: Sun Jun 11, 2017 6:48 am 
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Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Sun Apr 20, 2008 6:18 am
Posts: 3058
Location: Sarasota,Key West FL
Easy solution to being able to place and drop the mast. First off don't try to put the mast into the hole with the white balls from a horizontal position, you will likely bend that plate doing that, plus it's really hard to do.
It's easiest to put the mast in from the front with the boat beached, what I do is place the bottom of the mast into the little cubby area right next to the mast holder (opposite side from where the mast release lever is). The base of the mast is trapped so it doesn't slide around while you are tilting the mast up. Now go to about the middle of the mast and lift it up (keeping the base in that little cubby hole). Now slowly walk hand over hand tilting the mast up until it is completely vertical (the base still in that little cubby area), once the mast is vertical it's very easy to lift straight up and drop straight down into the hole. Putting your mast in and out this way prevents damage to that little plate with the white bearings (I have bent and damaged a half dozen of those plates trying to do it the other way, plus it's really hard to do).
When taking the mast down I do the same, I lift the mast slightly to release the latch, then lift the mast straight out and place it in the little cubby area, I then walk hand over hand backwards to the middle of the sail so I can carry the sail. It's not a good idea to drop or bang the mast around, they are very sensitive to damage.
Your dealer was supposed to show you all this IMO when you got the boat, It would be nice if Hobie had instructions on how to raise and lower the mast correctly.
Hope this helps
FE


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