Hi , iv been aproched to modify a TI, we are looking at puting stays on it , posably runing back stays with the end resolt being to run a A cym of its nose , eny thorts from TI pilots gratly apresiated, my clame to fame is about 20 minits tooling around in one, and i must admit it was grate fun and can see why tribers like them !
Info needed about hoby TI
(4 posts) (3 voices)-
fusioneng
MemberI've been running a modded out TI for about 5 yrs now. You can read all about all of it on the Hobie forums (ultimate tandem Island- hydrofoils-jib, spinnaker-etc). Be careful about adding massive sails to the TI, side to side the mast bracing is ok, front to back not so strong, only a small 1/4" screw in the bottom of the hull holds the mast base, because of the 17 to 1 leverage on that stud it snaps like childs play any time you add sail area (I have 260 sq ft of sail, been running that for abot 5 yrs now). The mast is really bendy, adding side stays messes everything up I don't recommend side stays, but a back stay is pretty necessary if adding a spin (mine is a 130 sq ft assm on a roto furler). You will discover all this out yourself. Another big problem with adding sails to a TI is nautilus mode (the bow dives underwater and just stays completely underwater until you back off on the sails (I'm never willing to do that lol). The reason is the mast is mounted too far forward, and there is not enough flotation on the bow. Also the entire bow is very weak (because of the big hatch opening), without bracing you will fold the bow with massive foresails. The good news is if you add about a two ft bowsprit and angle all your foresails so they also create lift, all the problems go away. I highly recommend roto furlers on all the sails so you can whip in and out all the different sail combos in about 5 seconds as condition change and have the ability to use each one partially furled. The AMA's don't have enough flotation to support large sails (similar to the WETA) so don't get too comfortable sitting in the cushy seat, you will pretty much will always need to hike out (build a hiking stick for rudder control).
I believe Hobie is coming out with an optional spin kit hopefully this fall (they tested several in the 2015 EC. (Watch some of the videos to see the designs). Keep in mind adding all this crap turns what was one of the simplest easy to rig boats that is very versatile, into a complex boat. Also keep in mind the rest of the boat is only really designed to run thru rough water at 5-6 mph, hot dogging offshore in open water at 20mph plus puts a whole new catagory of stresses and strains on everything, that it was not designed for. My recommendation is if you want to go fast get an EC 'C' rated boat like the Windrider 17, h16, or Weta (and many others, I'm not recommending any in particular, they are all good). I can give tons of examples of stuff I've done with mine that didn't work out so well. Example one, lets say you really cranking hard on a downwind run and your traveling around 20mph and you need to jibe for you next tack, you pull the rudder hard but instead of turning, the rudder just snaps off and flies into the air (oops). Example two, lets say your cranking again (I tend to do that a lot) with the wind in your rear quarter, and a gust hits and you AMA buries, at that speed the nylon sheer pin is no match for the extreme water force (which increases exponentially with speed). The AMA folds and you go over every time. Example three: hopefully remembering what I said earlier about bow flotation and the mast being mounted so far forward. Your cranking hard with the wind on your rear quarter. A big boat goes by and you hit the wakes, pretty much every time you crest the first one, land on the second, then dive the last, the bow dives and the stern raises up about 4 ft, you go from 15 or twenty to zero in 2 seconds. Kind of embarrassing because my spinnaker usually blows off and I end up running over it (the floppy mast bends forward pulls the mast topper out and the spin and mast topper go in the water.
Hope this helps
FEPosted 6 years ago #
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