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PostPosted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 1:33 pm 
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Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2008 10:42 am
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Location: Prescott, AZ
Sounds simple right? Well, not so fast. I have to plan ahead that the girlfriend might also want an AI of her own once she tries mine. So, I need to have a method of transporting two of these things.

I am kind of liking the trailer idea (SportsRig or Rack & Roll) so I would not have to lift the hulls to rooftop level. But the 42" width of the AI with amas retracted makes that two AIs a bit difficult. So, I was thinking that since the amas remove easily, they could ride in the car. Unfortunately, Hobie does not pusblish the amas length (that I have found).

I suppose the amas could be detached and secured on the trailer, but I am wondering about the wisdom of that - primarily theft if left unattended.

How would you guys do this?


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PostPosted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 6:31 pm 
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Joined: Fri Aug 11, 2006 6:34 pm
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Location: Northern VA
Ay' Captain! Welcome aboard. You're smart to be planning ahead like that, because once she tries yours, she will want one of her own.

Unless you're in a full size SUV, the amas are going to be a bit long for most cars. They are about 7 ft long, and roughly 1 ft in diameter. In my opinion, the trailer is the way to go. I went with a Trailex SUT-250 myself, and have been glad I did. I only have one AI myself, but a friend (glenn_SouthRiver) liked mine so much that he bought his own the same day I picked mine up. I've hauled the two AI's from the MD Chesapeake bay area, up to Lake Erie, and down to the Outer Banks of North Carolina. I could have, and did once, rack one boat on top of my SUV. He also lashed his into the bed of his F250 pickup. Not a pretty sight. I've found it a lot easier to manage, as well as a lot more fun, to tow them behind my MINI Cooper convertible. They tow just fine, even behind such a small car. I just don't corner as fast as I do without the trailer. The boats only weigh 115 LB each, and the aluminum trailer itself weighs about the same as one boat. Whole rig weighs in under 400 LB. Of course, they tow well behind my SUV or his pickup too, but the MINI is definitely more fun.

Last summer I laid the boats upside down and strapped them down on the cross bars on the trailer. I'd disassemble the boats and strap the amas on top to the hull. Towed them something over 4000 miles that way last summer. You mentioned securing the boats. I found a Python cable lock from Master Lock at Home Depot that does the job. It's a cable lock that fits through the aka holes in the amas, and is 20 ft long, so it's plenty long enough to reach through 2 hulls, 4 ama, and the trailer frame. The rest of the gear lives in an aluminum pickup truck tool box that is bolted to the trailer frame. Can't get into the tool box without removing the boat above it, but that's just another layer of security for the toolbox, right? I recently picked up two sets of the cradles for the AI, and plan to mount those this season.

Again, welcome to the fleet. I'm sure you'll find them to be as much fun as the rest of us have. My friends tell me that when I'm sailing on my AI, I'm usually wearing a grin that's so big it connects in the back.

- Jim L


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PostPosted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 9:35 pm 
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Joined: Sat Nov 12, 2005 10:46 pm
Posts: 3017
Location: Escondido
Setting up the AI isn't that time consuming and I believe you have a lot more hauling flexibility if the boats are broken down. On the other hand, it may depend on the way you store them. If you have to break them down to tow and then set them up again, you might as well tow them assembled. But if you store your hulls and amas separately, I think it's easier to transport them that way.

Jim's cable idea is excellent and it's easy to secure the amas to your roof rack, trunk or trailer -- wherever they may be exposed. 8)


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PostPosted: Sat Apr 26, 2008 5:02 am 
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Location: Northern VA
Roadrunner is definitely right about that. The AI is a breeze to set up. That was a big reason I bought the boat. I also have a Hobie 16, which I love to sail. The problem was that it takes forty five minutes to an hour to rig, and I end up tying up the launch ramp while I do so. With the AI I don't need an actual launch ramp, and it's so easy to set up that I'm usually feet-wet & sailing within fifteen minutes after I arrive at the water. In my opinion, and it's one I've seen echoed on this forum numerous times, the only drawback to the AI is that it's basically a one person boat. That's part of the reason my friend & I decided to buy two. I'll buy one & you buy one, and we'll both have two to use. Would be nice to have a non-sailor date on the same boat with me though. Still, they are a ball to sail. Most fun I've had in 30+ years of sailing.

Enjoy,
- Jim L


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PostPosted: Sat Apr 26, 2008 7:17 am 
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Joined: Fri Nov 19, 2004 6:56 am
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Location: Tallahassee, FL
Jim_L said:
Quote:
I went with a Trailex SUT-250 myself, and have been glad I did.


As Jim said, the Trailex SUT-250 is an excellent, lightweight trailer for hauling 2-4 "regular" yaks or two AIs. I have been using this trailer for about 4 years now and have no complaints (except their goofy instructions about how to assemble the trailer!). Here is my earlier post re this trailer. Note the twisted straps--this is by design. It keeps the tie-down straps from setting up an annoying vibration racket when underway.

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http://kfs.infopop.cc/groupee/forums/a/ ... 030751/p/1

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PostPosted: Sat Apr 26, 2008 6:13 pm 
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Location: Northern VA
Apalach,

I just read your old post on KFS about the SUT-250. Lots of good information there. Like you, I've got nothing but praise for the Trailex trailer. I bought mine from the dealer who sold me my kayak, so I didn't have to do the assembly, but I have added the toolbox, and moved the rack positions. I'm an engineer, and I was quite impressed with the design. I thought about mounting the toolbox across the frame rail like yours, but did it along one side instead. When carrying only one boat, I'll rack it on the side opposite the box, with the amas racked over the box. This gives me fairly easy access to the box. The only drawback to that was when racking two boats, and the toolbox loaded up with mirage drives, akas, pfds & the like, the uneven load would cause the trailer to track slightly off to one side. Not a big deal, and you wouldn't even notice it from the tow vehicle. If I were doing it again, I'd probably opt for the SUT-350, but with the same rack configuration.

I just spent this weekend rebuilding my trailer in anxious anticipation of getting a chance to go sailing. I replaced the 8 in wheels with 12 in (pretty much all of the aforementioned 4000 miles were highway, so it's easier on the bearings), and mounted a second toolbox on the other side of the center frame. Didn't necessarily need the second box for the boat gear, even when packing gear for two AIs. I did that mainly because the MINI has virtually no trunk.

I've also been known to strap a bicycle or two to the uprights on the trailer. That is one of the nice advantages of a trailer. If it's weather resistant, and you can secure it sufficiently, then there's pretty much always room for it on the trailer.

Happy Sailing,
- Jim L


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PostPosted: Sat Apr 26, 2008 7:44 pm 
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Yea Jim,
I was very impressed also with the design and the patented design of the nuts and bolts. Seemed like a pretty secure arrangement. If I was to re-do mine, I would probably go your route and set it up with the box on one side and the yak on the other so that I could get into the box when the boat was aboard. However, I have not had many reasons to open the box with the yak aboard, so the present arrangement will have to do for the present, plus I would still have the box inaccessible when carrying 2 yaks cockpit down. This is by far the most secure way to transport them, and is the one that Matt Miller suggests as well.

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PostPosted: Sat Apr 26, 2008 8:29 pm 
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Image

http://playtodaysunriver.com/traliers.htm


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PostPosted: Sat Apr 26, 2008 8:36 pm 
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Image

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Pi90FXW4JA
http://www.thuleracks.com/
http://www.hobiecat.com/community/viewtopic.php?t=8672


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PostPosted: Sat Apr 26, 2008 10:14 pm 
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Location: Tallahassee, FL
Hey CFIM,
Very nice--thanks for the pics. Looks like there are several good options now for handling the AI. Oh, and welcome to the Hobie Forum!

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PostPosted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 12:40 pm 
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Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2008 10:42 am
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Location: Prescott, AZ
Thanks for all of the great replies. Last weekend I looked at the "standard" Hobie trailer with 2 AI's mounted side-by-side in launch-ready state. Unfortunately, I had the terrible realization that this particular set-up is too wide for storage. (In addition to the pair of AI's, there were side arms that held the lights and license plate, total width was in excess of 8 feet.) It couldn't fit into the the third bay of the garage. And I can't back a trailer into the back yard due to landscaping.

The narrower set-ups hold promise. I like the Trailex upper rack idea where one kayak rides the upper shelf. The "A" frame configuration posted by CFIM also looked good.

I really like the Rack&Roll trailer based large wheels, light weight, and the ability to fold it "flat" for storage. In this scenario the yaks could even be suspended from the garage ceiling, taking care to do this in a fashion that would not distort the hulls. R&R doesn't offer the Trailex racking options but perhaps I could have the upper rack done by a local welder.


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PostPosted: Sat Sep 20, 2008 6:34 pm 
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We modified a Sunfish trailer to haul the AI and an Outback SUV fishing kayak. We've got about 800 mi on it so far with no problems. Very sturdy but light enough to pull behind a Mini Cooper. I don't know how to post pics to the forum so I put them on Flickr site. http://www.flickr.com/photos/speedyedie/

Sail Ho


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PostPosted: Sat Sep 20, 2008 10:53 pm 
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Joined: Thu May 25, 2006 5:17 pm
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Location: Ettalong Beach, Central Coast, Australia
This is a problem I am looking to solve real soon, because I am about to sell my Hobie 14, and then the cat trailer will be gone. It currently handles one AI just fine. I would have liked a photo of your trailer without the load too, as that always gives one a better idea. But thanks for posting.

Geoff.


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PostPosted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 6:16 pm 
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Just went fishing today so was able to grab some shots of the 2-boat trailer without the boats. If we're were only hauling 1 boat, obviously wouldn't need the top rack.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/speedyedie/

Good Luck!
Sail Ho


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