Hobie Cat Forums

Seems to work fine. Now if only I had a tramp to sit out on

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Good idea Chris. I was thinking of a curtain rod like the ones used to twist venetians but your idea looks a beauty. You will need a tramp now to stop those trickey little jellies from washing into the AI when you least expect 'em.....Pirate

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Master of the galleon 'Pirates Lot'

Yeah, I think I will afford myself the luxury of watching while you Beta test your design Pirate -it looks more versatile than the standard tramps to me - you and Mickey may have aced the vaunted Hobie designers.

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Hey Pirate,
What Chris said!
Those tramps look great -well done!

Chris- I like your tiller extension!

Nice idea-think I`ll steal it -looks like you might have some play in the connection though?

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New to PCs and this forum stuff. Had an original Outback and Classic. sold them both for the A.I.. Love the boat and especially this site... (if I can figure out how to use it)

You need some play so the handle can be moved from side to side and used from different angles. It doesn't prevent the lever being moved through its full range.

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Check in time:

Has this been tested yet? I am feeling the need for an tiller extension, badly!

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Yes, it works fine for controlling the lever from all angles. Easy to fit or remove or you can just leave it connected and tucked down beside the seat. I haven't tried it with tramps yet, because I don't yet have any.

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...I have an even quicker and much dirtier design... It's called "My right foot". I guess you wouldn't want to see a picture of it.

...works fine for me...

Update: I got an extendible boat hook to hold up the fly on my onboard hammock and figured since it's there anyway, it might as well be used as a longer tiller extension:

I haven't tried it on the water yet, but it moves the rudder lever around as easily as the earlier version (which works fine on the water). It would certainly enable you to sit right out wide on a full width tramp.
Other uses: Hawkeye, AI Kube and kayakinriverotter have posted about using one of these as a whisker pole for sailing downwind. The 'biner's already there, ready to snap onto the clew of the sail.
Hmmm, what else?
In this part of the world, it might come in handy as a shark prodder.
If I can find a way to sharpen the handle end and weigh it down, it might be usable as a stakeout pole.
Could be useful as a pushpole in shallow water.
Lastly, I guess you could use it occasionally as a boat hook.

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Welcome aboard, Dutchman. Some of us are left footed.

Great picture, roadrunner. That's the style I have been practicing last summer. I sail on inland lakes with ample wind without any waves. The AI design is however optimized for relatively mild winds. I found that, combining some of the tips given in these fora, you can really up your maximum wind, tripling your fun in the process!

First of all: get out of that cockpit on the leeward side, just like you do on the picture. Hanging on the left side, I can still control the steer paddle with my hands, on the right I indeed use my foot. Above is given the more elegant solution of a rudder extension. Of course, you will need 2 trampolines, offered by Hobie or available in the aftermarket (both also discussed in these fora):

viewtopic.php?f=69&t=12342

Second: Make sure the boat is in balance, because in high winds it gets a tendency to turn the bow with the wind. Tips can be found here:

viewtopic.php?f=71&t=8925&start=0&hilit=reef+rudder+control

Third, you will need a spray skirt. Many designs are discussed in these fora. I stick to the simple "double triangle" design.

viewtopic.php?f=69&t=20358

Combine these mods and you will have a speed racing AI!

...oh, and I forgot to mention my own innovation: a trapeze. I bought an old windsurfer trapeze vest with a hook on the chest, which I connect to a line fixed in the cockpit. This way, you can comfortably lean backward while moving your weight on the trampoline to the side. In case of an emergency it readily yields. Haven't seen that on the forum yet...

The windsurfer vest sounds like a good idea. I started using a surf lease on an open ocean and continued when sailing my adventure. I guess moving out on the tramps with a leash would be a tripping hazard... will have to think of that when it becomes an AI.

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...Indeed, as mentioned above, I have developed this style on inland lakes with sufficient winds but no waves. In case of whatever, I can practically float to shore. I used to live on Oahu myself a short while, and trying this style on open ocean sounds like a different undertaking altogether! If one wants to try this at all, a surf leash for safety sounds like the absolute minimum... The trapeze is for comfort, not for safety. It yields when the tension gets off, because I don't want to become entangled in case I fall. In my conditions, I will always be able to retrieve the boat.

Probably it would be fair to say that the combination of full winds and ocean waves will quickly push the AI over its design limits (as for many other boats), and it might be better to get another boat. The mods described above have however succesfully upped the wind range available for the AI for lake sailing.

Since I will be moving to Ilha da Santa Catarina, Brazil, I will be able to do some ocean sailing myself in the near future

Happy & safe sailing