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Another proud new AI owner!
http://www.hobie.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=71&t=9821
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Author:  robertse [ Fri Jun 20, 2008 7:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Another proud new AI owner!

I've been reading the forum for some time now and finally joined in with the arrival of my new AI. My enthusiasm created several sleepless nights too like I was a kid all over again! Anyway, looking forward to all the tinkering aspects - I guess that goes hand in hand with sailing! Thanks for all the great info eveyone. Hoping to see some fellow AI's on the water in SouthWest Florida soon...

Rob

Author:  yakman [ Thu Jul 03, 2008 2:48 pm ]
Post subject:  welcome Rob

welcome Rob - SW Florida is a really terrible place to sail the AI :D I wish I was down there

I would love to see some pictures of you in action

Author:  robertse [ Fri Jul 04, 2008 8:59 pm ]
Post subject: 

Thanks for the welcome Yakman - I used to pray for light winds when kayaking here and the irony is now I am hoping for it to kick up a little to really have some fun on the AI! I will get some pics as soon as I can find someone to tag along! For now, enjoy this pic of my favorite flag - surrender the booty!

Rob E.


Image

Author:  stringy [ Sat Jul 05, 2008 2:58 pm ]
Post subject: 

That's an impressive looking AI Rob. 8) Great work on the mods!

Author:  gwiz [ Sat Jul 05, 2008 4:26 pm ]
Post subject: 

Rob
Your Island is looking good. Is there a foresail of some sort that comes out of the container on the front hatch? Love the flag 8)
gwiz

Author:  SWEETDUDE [ Sat Jul 05, 2008 5:36 pm ]
Post subject: 

Love the flag, "surrender the booty" lol What is that line in front for and where did you get that little storage container for the front hatch?

Author:  Space Coast Islander [ Sat Jul 05, 2008 7:08 pm ]
Post subject: 

Rob,
I would like to know how you designed the nets attached to the akas. I like that they are not covering the whole space between the amas and the yak. I'm going to be working on my version soon with a local seamtress I know. I was thinking of wrapping a 1/2" 40 grade pvc in mess as the support between the front and back akas, but I know I don't want to cover the whole space.

Great looking setup and glad to see a fellow Florida Islander on the map.

Warren V.V.

Author:  robertse [ Sat Jul 05, 2008 8:33 pm ]
Post subject: 

Warren,

the tramps are like most - a work in progress. I tried 2 styles so far about the same dimensions in size. One is using an existing "cargo net" directly from Honda Pilot SUV. It's already the right shape, size, and is net style for easy lashing points and has built in shock cord and adjustment points on the long sides of the net so all I had to do is attach the net to the amas braces with bungee cords - with lots of ways to do this. I will post a pic of this setup tomorrow.

I sailed with this setup once it it worked well since there was lots of room between the tramp net and the main hull for a paddle (although its still a bit awkward, unless you break the paddle in half) and lashing things with a safety line was easy as mentioned already.

I also studied the other more crafty and smarter ideas from this forum and am now trying the shade-cloth idea (pictured with the surrender flag).

This is the same concept as mentioned in the other thread where they are showing pics of the tramps with regular brass grommets. However, I do like the "half version" / my size where I can position it toward the outside (still within reach) but be able to hop out of the boat between the tramp and the hull or whatever... I used shade-cloth from home depot or lowes, cut out the size, added some small diameter dacron line all the way around (inside the hem) and sewed the hem myself (for lack of a sewing machine) with carpet thread. The dacron line has loops that stick out on each corner to add an extra "sinching" line in addition to the ball bungee cords (3 on each side) used to attach the tramp to the amas arms and help stretch it out as needed.

All this is essentially a rough draft - once I figure out the dimensions I like and test it under various loads I will actually recut the shade cloth and have my aunt use her machine to actually sew the hem properly and then add the grommets as needed. I am curious what others have to say about a different way to attach to the amas braces - the ball bungees are ok but when fumbling around its seems as if there could be a better away to attach to the braces somehow - maybe some small ss loops riveted into the brace arms or something (not really sure yet). If the shock cord was sewn into the tramp already and the ss loops were already on the braces then it would be a faster setup/breakdown I think. Anyway, I am anxious to see what other ideas are out there for this so I am not doing anything to my amas arms for the moment - bungees are fast enough until this feature fleshes out a bit. Again, I will post some close-up pics of the net and the my tramp tomorrow sometime but it is really very close to what is pictured in the other thread - their work is great as as I said somewhere else, I enjoy the tinkering aspects of the mods : )

Rob E.

Author:  robertse [ Sat Jul 05, 2008 8:43 pm ]
Post subject: 

SWEETDUDE wrote:
Love the flag, "surrender the booty" lol What is that line in front for and where did you get that little storage container for the front hatch?


Hey Sweetdude,

the line you asked about was really to test my idea discussed with yakman under the jib sail thread...

I was experimenting with a way to attach a micro-block to the top of the mast while maintaining the masts ability to furl while under way. The idea works but I would not use it under pressure, say for example with a jib or a spinnaker, for reasons discussed under that thread. But I did test it to raise and lower my flag - later I furled and unfurled the sail several times while my colors remaining in the air! Fun mod so Now I want to mount my water canon somewhere!

Author:  robertse [ Sat Jul 05, 2008 8:50 pm ]
Post subject: 

gwiz wrote:
Rob
Your Island is looking good. Is there a foresail of some sort that comes out of the container on the front hatch? Love the flag 8)
gwiz


nothing that fancy - I have a first aide kit inside along with a few survival items - my kayak ditch bag/backpack if you will. It's sealed, floats, and has lots of straps and the like for lashing other things as needed. It's from Seatle Sports I think...I can check if you want. Anyway, I keep the same stuff inside it and just move it to whatever boat I am in.

On the AI, it looks good since its the same color whereas on my orange ocean prowler kayak, it clashes a bit!

Author:  robertse [ Sat Jul 05, 2008 8:52 pm ]
Post subject: 

stringy wrote:
That's an impressive looking AI Rob. 8) Great work on the mods!


Thanks Stringy - although I don't think I have anything original here - it's all thought of from the other crafty ones in this forum!

Author:  jeepjetto [ Sun Jul 06, 2008 10:59 am ]
Post subject: 

Hey Rob,

Great flag and setup...like your idea of the Honda Pilot mesh style. Seems to be able to hold anything more secure. Like the half design you made to be able to get out of the AI. There is a lot of creative thinking in this group...good job!!!

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