Newly solo with an aging TI

When I bought my 2nd TI in 2015 I always had family out with me, and these days no one easily available. I had problems with the steering last summer and now still this summer, and an extended trailer repair meant I didn’t get to test it till last weekend. The rudder up/down controls not working and the lines felt over tight. Brought it back to the dealer again, and now the rudder appears to be ok for steering (the steering handles were also way out of centered, the front worse than the back, not perfect but looks better. But I see that the up/down is still farkakte. If the up handles on both seats are uncleated, pulling on one merely pulls the other in with no effect on the rudder. One of the up handles must be cleated for the other to raise the rudder, and it doesn’t really ‘seat’ at the top as it used to. It also seems to me now that the cam cleats for both front and back rudder up/down no longer grab, they need to be pushed against the line manually just to hold it. So at the very least, they’d need replacing, but the repair person said the way the up/down is is a function of the aging of the boat, and that it would probably be better to leave the rudder uncleated (while sailing), and that it can kick itself up when beaching, and I can tie it up with the rudder cover for trailering. I’m not happy with this. I also cannot repair it myself, and have no idea how anyone can get inside this thing to see what’s going on (other than sticking a hand with an iphone down a hatch to take pix).

Launching the boat alone for the first time at the ramp was also fairly awful. My usual routine with a partner would be to open the amas and put up the mast before launch. They hate that at this particular ramp because it’s only 2 cars wide. (No matter how much time and space a powerboat takes to launch, or how long I politely wait for them to get out of the way.) So I tried with the amas in and just getting it in the water and around to the little beach around the small floating dock. Luckily someone was there and took the line to tie the boat up so I could go park. Everyone was suddenly gone when I came back and tried to raise the mast alone on the beach, which for some reason, maybe lack of practice with quarantine, I had an awful time with. Many attempts and resting before succeeding. (And then the sailing just proved the rudder wasn’t going up & down right. It went back to the dealer the next morning.) Retrieving the boat was worse than the launch, to submerse it enough to to get the front of the TI over the back cradles, it floated over a bit and got stuck under the pilings and I had to readjust the car and get in the water and wrestle it in position. (In spite of all this I was happy to be out in the water with the boat again. I didn’t see all the bruises till a couple days later. LOL)

So here are my questions, hoping for the advice of those more experienced: do I really have to believe that the rudder controls are not going to be fixable, or do I need to find another dealer in NJ/NY to repair it? (recommendations appreciated). Should I consider looking for a recent AI for solo sailing, or do I just need to figure out how to launch/retrieve alone better, and how to raise the mast alone better? My gut feeling is that the TI may sail better, but I’ve never been in an AI. Is there a hack that I can do, other than taking a caber-tossing class? (Yes, I did pull out the kettlebell & dumbbells and today was day 1, arms.) Is it better to sail solo in the TI from the rear or front seat? And lastly, should I consider just getting a new or nearly new TI with the reversing drives and functional rudder control? I may have lost having consistent crew with me, but this affair is far from over, and I love being out in my Hobie.

No don't give up on this. First off, regarding ramp etiquette, every one should take the time to safely launch their boat. Haters gonna be haters, don't let them ruin your day. If you need to go backwards, put the mirage drive in backwards, but before this please make a safety line to tie the drive to the boat. Dropping it overboard is an expensive mistake. The rudder controls should work perfectly, give the dealer another chance. Test all controls on the trailer. The up/down lines sometimes twist, my fix is to take tension off them when the rudder is strapped in the up position when trailering. There are several threads about this and other issues. Also look on utube.
Regarding your comfort factor launching solo, practice and develop a procedure. After 7 years with a tandem I have a procedure that works great. There are always unique issues that happen but the basic steps I use still work. And your boat is very unique, people love watching a launch and some observer may be willing to help you out. Don't be afraid to ask.

First of all, all boats - power, sail, and kayak, require a routine to be perfected to launch and retrieve. This takes a while and usually a boat owner will struggle for a bit with the learning curve before things get smoother. You see this all the time at docks and ramps. After a while, you develop and perfect a routine that works for your particular boat, trailer, and towing vehicle. The TI is especially tricky due to all of its unique eccentricities. It took me a while to perfect a good launch/retrieve routine, but now I have it down to the point where I'm quite comfortable with it and don't inconvenience anyone else at the boat ramp. So you can too.

Unlike other boats, the TI has no real trailer configuration, you usually have to come up with something on your own or use whatever the Hobie dealer set up. It took a couple of years for me to get mine right and I still struggle with it once in a while because the PVC pipes on my homemade bunks break once in a while, but it's still much better than what my Hobie dealer came up with using 2 x 4's and Hobie cradles which all cracked. When loading and unloading the TI, you need to figure out via trial and error exactly how far you need to submerge the trailer to get it on and off as easily as possible. With my trailer, I find that this is when the wheel fenders are almost, but not quite, submerged. Your setup may differ, but always note how far you need to submerge your trailer until you find the best results that work for you.

Concerning the mast, most of us set this up at the loading ramp before putting the boat in the water. Installing and rigging the mast takes practice, something that can be perfected at home. The mast requires a certain technique to install solo, it's a bit of a balancing act, but it's not all that heavy and with practice, most adults with typical physical strength can do it. In order not to be a bother at the ramp, I usually pull the trailer off to the side and install and rig the mast before getting in line at the ramp. The mast does require some physical strength and good balance to install. Only you can determine if you're up to it. If not, the TI can still be used without the mast with the pedals and/or with a motor. My TI is motorized and I often use it without the mast on days where there is insufficient wind to sail. I enjoy it as much and often even more without the mast.

The amas do not necessarily need to be extended at the ramp, thus avoiding taking up another lane. You can leave them unextended, then once safely away from the ramp, you can easily extend and lock them in place while on the water from the rear seat. When returning, fold them back while in the water well before you get to the ramp. The TI is still very stable and will float and maneuver very well even with the amas folded. The only reason to launch with the amas extended is if you use tramps or haka seats.

In any case, if boating solo, it is always any boater's responsibility to develop a launch/recovery routine that works well without requiring or expecting the help of anyone else not with them, as this is not something that can be relied on. The operator of any boat must accept the responsibility of competently launching and recovering their own boat. Too many bad things can happen at docks and boat ramps when the owner does not live up to this responsibility. I've seen some very bad results of this, affecting not only the boat owner but other boaters nearby as well. None of us want to be that guy at the boat ramp who can't handle his own boat and is a hazard to himself and others. This requires practice and preparation and carefully thinking through all aspects of launching and retrieving. I used to find times when the ramp wasn't busy to practice and perfect my routine such as on weekdays and grey cloudy, cool days when hardly anyone was there.

Your dealer does not seem competent concerning the rudder. There should be no reason why a Hobie dealer could not repair the rudder's up/down lines. This is not rocket science, any competent Hobie dealer should be able to fix them. The advice your dealer gave you to leave the rudder un-cleated is both wrong and dangerous. The rudder must always be locked in the down position when sailing. The rudder was not designed to kick itself up when beaching. You must manually release the rudder's down cleat to do this. If you can't fix the rudder up/down lines yourself, find a competent Hobie dealer who can. Do not launch the TI again until this is fixed, this is a safety issue because it can result in losing control of the boat, especially in rough conditions where you need control the most. All boats age, but losing the ability to lock the rudder is completely unacceptable. The lines and cleats can be fixed or replaced.

I always sail my TI from the rear seat. I feel that this gives me a better view and I much prefer the back. This also allows you to extend and retract the amas solo. That said, many prefer the front seat. It's completely up to you.

If you feel the TI is too much to handle solo, then yes, you should look into an AI. The AI is an excellent boat and if the TI is too cumbersome for you to deal with solo, then it might be a better choice. This is an individual choice that only you can make based on your own requirements. The TI is big and can be a bit much to handle solo at times based on age, strength, physical size, disabilities, etc. We all must stay within our own limitations. I foresee a day when I'm perhaps too old to handle my TI anymore. If and when that happens, I'll need to find something else.

A new TI is expensive, but if you have the funds available and you don't want to deal with having your 2015 fixed properly, then by all means get a new one. My TI is also a 2015 but I'm good at fixing things as they age and break. If I wasn't, then I would surely prefer a newer boat where I don't need to worry about it breaking down due to age-related issues. Again, this is a decision only you can make for yourself.

I hope this helps and that I've answered all of your questions.

Thanks, both of you, much appreciate the encouragement. The rudder problem stretching over both summers (with the trailer issue) has been frustrating, and I have a friend who’d like to go out on it again, but I can’t allow anyone else on when I know there is a safety issue still not fixed. I just reread the manual today too. I’ve given this dealer 3 goes with this (one last year and 2x this), and I’m done. I have an email in to one down the Shore, I see there is another over on LI, I’ll see what they say, at least those 2 are on the water, and can test the repair right there. If I can get that sorted I’ll get a practice routine going. The ramp at Atlantic Highlands is excellent when it’s empty, it’s so wide. Weekdays will be better also for the little ramp at Barnegat Light. I never thought of flipping the drive backwards! Brilliant, LOL.

I will mention the trailer issue: my wiring/lights and tires needed replacing, and somewhere along the years the cap came off on one wheel and the bearings were shot, and my auto mechanic was going to replace the wheels and bearings for me. (And races? I think they’re called.) Trailex sold the wheels but oddly, not the bearings/races, altho numbered on the trailer diagram, the parts listing is not there. (Reason given: they can be gotten locally and it’s not worth it for us to stock them as it’s a pain to ship. I thought that made no sense considering they have to have them for the trailers they sell, and they are a lot easier/cheaper to ship than the wheels and other parts.) So I went to a trailer parts store and got what Trailex told me to. Seemed to be a lot of confusion at the parts store as to the right size.

I found out why soon enough. After my mechanic started to work on it, he found the part numbers and sizing was just not fitting on the axle, I tried asking Trailex about it and he basically insulted the abilities of my mechanic. Which I told him, and he decided to call Trailex himself. He also decided to pull out a micrometer, and found the axle diameter was different from the spec. He later told me that Trailex finally admitted that at one point they had 2 different stocks of axles they used (I think it was 1” and 1-1/8 or 1-1/16” inch) and that’s why it didn’t fit. My mechanic scoured the web and his sources and finally came up with the parts that would actually fit by measurement, not part number. No help from Trailex, and the salesman was very belligerent about being forthcoming with info. It occurred to me after that I could now see why they really don’t sell the bearings kit anymore, they’d have to deal with the possible sizing mismatches. And apparently part numbers on some of these things from China are nonexistent. (And my mechanic, who was Dad’s mechanic, is a champ.)

When I first got the trailer in 2014, from the now-gone kayak store in Brick NJ, from a very nice Hobie salesperson, they’d had some summer guys assemble the trailer, and Oy. It didn’t look right to me and at home I sat and stared at and found a picture online of one, and saw that it was upside down, basically. I took it apart and reassembled it myself….

Now that you have the correct hubs, buy an extra. Get bearings for the extra hub, grease them and store the whole thing. I found the gallon windshield washer bottles were a perfect fir for mine. I cut the top off and slid a hub with greased bearings wrapped in plastic.
On the rudder controls, open the rear port and feel down the line for a pulley on a bungee or something like that. Have a helper tug the line so you get the correct one. You may be able to see or at least feel if the lines going into the pulley are twisted.
Wish I was closer to help you out. I live in Bucks county PA and sail lakes there. Haven't gone to Barnegat for years, too much motorboat traffic.

Will do that, thanks! And I’ll try to get a look inside, too.

Bucks County is beautiful, yes, Barnegat can be quite a zoo, I like to hang in the area up by Viking Village and High Bar, and Sandy Hook Bay, which is closer. The furthest I’ve brought the TI so far has been Mystic Seapor,t and Narragansett Bay in RI. So much fun.

"Moondancer"]When I bought my 2nd TI in 2015 I always had family out with me, ..."""

So a couple points:
(1) launching the boat - I have a tandem island - can be done if you take your time. I have a trailer. I put up the mast, extend the akas, get the lines ready, put the tramps on, and get the sails and lines in a in a "ready position. I put the drive in the boat - but of course not in the well until i get it in the water at a safe depth. I then take my time backing down the ramp carefully - because the akas are out - and get it in the water and walk it down the dock and tie it up - if no dock then I manuever it away from the ramp and tie it up at shore if safe. Dont let others rush you. take your time and explain you are doing this all yourself (someone may offer to help).

(2) I have replaced the rudder lines control lines: its a little tricky/difficult but you can do this yourself. Hobie sells a rudderline replacement kit and the Hobie utube has videos showing exactly how to do this. Take your time and expect it will take much longer than the video !

(3) I can easily handle the tandem island - it took a little bit of practice. Nice thing about the family not tagging along is that I can put extra gear in the second seat area. If I am in the ocean by myself I am very paranoid and very careful with backups of the backups and all the due diligence to know conditions before i head out and have an escape plan.

below is my routine TI- out alone about 90% of the time, as long as you can handle 20-30 lbs of the rolled up sail (from wind pressure on crummy days) - you will be fine, the worst is launching / loading in 20+ mph winds - where it helps to have someone - but not required - just need to be patient

the ramp is the most risky part of boating for mistakes / lost equipment / injuries, so you need to spend the least amount of time as possible, but not at risk of life / limb - busy ramps are more pressure - do as much as you can in the parking lot or pull off before the ramp.

This is my TX lake routine.

Launch
-prep boat for launch BEFORE ramp (drain plug, motor/ batteries, pedals / paddle, electronics, seats, remove trailer tie downs, clip in pedals), rudder tie down removed - lifejackets (I do this behind a mini-van with the door open so there is a lot of stuff just transferring from the back of the van before the ramp),
-back up to water line but not with boat floating, put in sail (I do this in trailer on ramp before launch but can also just drop the sail to the side of the ramp and do it in the water) or the ramp, sail bag in car,
-tie up a line to the front cross beam hold onto this line when you push the boat off
-back trailer in water until rear floats - then push off (remember to hold line), after in water can lift the front of boat to ramp and let friction hold it - or tie the line to something, prefer friction, as the ti is long and tends to block a lot of the ramp (murphys law)
-park the trailer, turn / launch boat, (lift the boat when you turn it if on ramp- no ramp rash)
-no tramps - ama's stay in until you are in the boat, if tramps - ama's out on the ramp right after launch
-jump in - paddle out - drop rudder, pedals or motor in , amas out, checkout and then go.

Loading (for ramp)
-furl sail (duh)
-RELEASE THE RUDDER HOLD DOWN, (I have bent / broken the rudder pin and figure it out the next time)
-centerboard up in 4-5 feet of water
-motor up / pedals up - jump on ramp in 2-3 feet of water
- fold in amas, pull nose up and park the ti on the side of the ramp
- pull trailer next to ti - wheels in water ready to load
- load ti (sail up), and pull that to the parking lot to prep
- unload all the stuff / prep the boat (drain plugs, sail in bag, etc.)