Quick question about the 2012 TI

I know the AI got a major overhaul in 2015, but what about the TI?

Did the older TI's "suffer" the same need for upgrades that the AI's did and got in 2015?

A friend offered to sell me his 2012 TI, with trailer, for $4,500, but I'm not certain if it has the same "drawbacks" I've read so much about with the older Adventure Island, single-seater.

I know this particular pre-'15 TI has the older/lower seats, no retractable daggerboard, single bungie Amas, etc. , but do you helpful folks on this board recommend avoiding it in favor of a newer model, as you did when I was asking about the AI?

Unlike the AI, the TI has only had minor changes since its release in 2010. The daggerboard has always been built in and retractable. It has never been removable.
Adding double bungies is an easy mod.
The major 2015 upgrades included the raised CT Vantage seats, reverse bows and GT drive.
Other than that there have been running changes. Upgraded V-Brace stud, 3 bolt transom, through welded mast bearing plate, epoxied aka knuckles, higher quality finish on Xbars/akas and levelled tillers come to mind.

What are “ reverse bows”?
I am pretty much a total noob, looking at/for an AI.
I found it tough to get out of a revolution 16 when I rented one due to metal knees and hips.
I have seen pictures of a TI with H-bar set up to help stand, otherwise to get out have to “roll out”

I have a 2012 TI and it has no significant shortcomings.

The dagger board is a swing down unit same as has always been used on the TI.

Reversing the shear on the amas or main hull doesn't really making a hull "wave piercing." That's a matter of displacement.

The hull inclusive seats are, to me, more comfortable than the vantage seats. Of course, this is a personal choice and many if not most like the vantage seats very much.

In short, I have not seen the need to move to a 2015 or later TI. My 2012 works just fine and sails side by side any newer TI.

Like Tom, I never felt the need to upgrade my TI to a later model...and mine was a 2010, one of the first to make it downunder.
I did however upgrade it to the Vantage seats as seen here.
https://www.hobie.com/au/en/forums/view ... 0&p=300083
They made a huge difference to my comfort- higher and drier and made it much easier to hike out on haka.
They could not be used in kayak mode though.
I sold my TI last November within an hour of me listing it on Gumtree. One reason it sold so quickly was that it had the raised seats, though I substituted a much cheaper alloy framed kayak seat for the Vantage CT’s which I had borrowed from my Oasis.
What was interesting was that my mate has had his 2012 up for sale for months and cannot sell it because of the earlier seats.
I had many enquires after it sold due to it having the raised seats. There are some great bargains to be had with the pre’15 TI and its an easy mod to fit higher seats, which seems to be what most people want.

Reverse bows or inverted bows are when the bow rakes forward, rather than rearward which is the most common type of bow seen on most boats.
I have no idea whether it makes a noticeable difference on the Islands.

Any information on the cheaper alloy framed kayak seats you substituted them with....?

Magic, thanks! Will look at getting a couple of these and fitting to our very early TI in the near future (after I fix the clutch in the Defender...)