The TI and AI just are not made to handle surf well. My advice is to launch and land in calmer waters, direct swell off the ocean can be very powerful. But on occasion if you find you must launch or land in rougher surf, proceed as follows. Speed and timing are of necessity. Always keep your kayak perpendicular to the incoming swell. Never let it turn sideways. The adventure island can take a lot of direct hits straight into it, but not at all sideways. Once shallow enough you should get out of the kayak and hold it straight from the rear. I always land prepared with heavy duty wheels already installed underneath the kayak before I enter the surf zone. Everything is put away and tied down, sail furled. Forget using a paddle for steering, use the rudder. You should be jumping out of the kayak at waist deep, use your mirage pedals to go as fast as possible, yeah I know the wheels are going to slow you down. Just before you jump out, pull the pedals and raise the rudder. One guy hold the kayak straight in the surf and push from the rear, the other pull from the front. Get out of the water as quickly as possible. If the surf is too strong to perform these tasks without potential damage. Don't launch or land in these locations. My rule of thumb is 3 to 4 ft. surf max if in indirect swell (is beach contour proper, what is the tide cycle). Treat it like a boat with amas out on launch and landing.
EDIT: I land a lot in the TI alone in indirect surf. You have to time everything with an eye on the surf behind you. I now use my motor to land always. For speed.
EDIT Sept. 6th, 2015. I now launch with my motor (solo or tandem). I start the motor while still at the edge of the water on the beach (watch the swell for a bit to get a proper timing of the cycle), leave the choke on (note, the motor rides above the bottom with the wheels in), pull the TI out by the toggle from the bow, hold straight into the oncoming swell or break. When it looks good, usually right away, I let go of the stern toggle and submerge under the aka/amas, pulling the kayak forward and I floating backwards. Reach my rear seat, hop up on the seat sideways, push the choke in, and thrust full throttle forward. (Note, I do not have anything else in place but my amas and heavy duty scupper cart, no rudder, no pedals, no sail). Steer with the motor. On occasion I will get unlucky and have a rogue wave appear on my launch as I move forward (especially at day break) under motor power. Don't panic, nothing you can do but attack it full power straight away. The break will push you straight back, momentarily, soaking you, but never any damage (that's why I never wear my glasses or hat on launch, everything tucked away for the worst), just keep blasting straight forward, same would go for pedaling. Don't worry about the wheels, you don't have time to mess with them till you get safely past the break line, then stop, reach down under and pull them out of the scupper holes, prepare anything you haven't upon launch ( for me, rudder down, install pedals).
_________________ Mark Tandem Island- 2013 2 - Sports - 2014
Last edited by CR Yaker on Fri Nov 06, 2015 9:41 am, edited 4 times in total.
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