Hobie Cat Forums

The AI already has a toilet facility - known as the drivewell (best to take the drive out first ).
Slaughter seems to have the BBQ side of things sorted.

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Phil, I think I like your idea of putting a T on top of the pipe. I might try it. Don't have a drill press, so cutting the hole may be a bit challenging. I'm thinking - why not just run a single tie-down strap under the hull and through the T? Easy to tension. Do you have a loop pre-tied in your hammock ridge line, to slip over the inner pipe?
I bit the bullet last night - launched the boat onto my dam, assembled the hammock out on the water and slept the night in it. Of course, a 15 knot wind came up while I was putting it up - a bit of a pain, but I managed. After sleeping the night, I can see what the guys on the hammock forum are on about - you have to surrender to the way of the hammock (Grasshopper ). I don't usually sleep on my back, but found it quite comfortable in the hammock. You don't feel the need to toss and turn as much, because you are so evenly supported. You don't really need a pillow either, since your head is slightly elevated and tilted.
All in all, an excellent first experience in the field.

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Chris,
Good on you! Glad to know it all worked out. I did the video today and it is currently processing on YouTube. I hate to show you all a 65 year old guy stumbling around on a kayak but oh well You don't need a drill press...if you have a 38mm hole saw that you can put into your hand drill and just very gently start from the open end it will do the job. Don't force it, just let it slowly eat it through.
I do have loops pre-tied on both ends that go over the inner pipe. I am using some old flat climbing rope or strap, don't know what you call it but used it for jack lines on the big boat years ago for the straps. Today I found that they float mostly and had to get wet to get them under the boat.
Other than that things worked pretty good. You could use the single strap as long as you can get it through the tee along with the inner pipe. Or just loop it over the other pre-tied loop.
I am still trying to get the fly worked out. The other thing is that we are always standing in water either in the seat well or the drive well. How do we keep that from happening?
Skipping ahead to the subject that Cowsgomoo brings up......one needs morning coffee and then there is the morning constitution
I will let you know when YouTube has it done.

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Phil Summers
08 AI

Chris - good to hear it went OK. Were you warm enough?? I always find sleeping bags are either too hot or incredibly difficult to get in and out of - particularly in a dark tent!! Don't know about you but the last time I camped out I went to bed very early because it was so dark and I had limited basic lighting (torch). Consequently I needed to make at least one (or two) "calls of nature". I can see two additional vital pieces of equipment being a "bottle" and a strap-on headlight - which will facilitate hands-free operation and should make it possible to read in bed (assuming I have some reading matter and can stay awake longer than the first page )
Phil - Looking forward to the video.

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Mickey
2011 AI Golden Papaya
2011 TI Golden Papaya

Thanks for the advice Phil. I'll probably stick with the boat hooks, so that leaves plenty of room to pass a strap through the T.
Can't do much about water coming up through the drivewell. Can't you use the plugs to keep the seat well dry?
I have actually found that getting the fly right was much more difficult than the hammock. I see you're using a ridge line for the fly - I've found that looping one end of that over the boathook and hanging the Mirage drive from it, using a biner, really works well - it automatically maintains adequate tension in the line. I'm now using ball bungees to connect the actual fly to the boathooks. The fly itself doesn't need to be under much tension as long as the ridge line is tight enough. I'm still using the paddle halves to wing it out and all in all, it's working pretty well now.

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No problem Mickey, I just used a blanket. The hammock seems to be inherently cosy. I was "camped" 100 metres from the house, so I just went out there at bedtime. I don't know if you would need a "bottle" for this application - just slip out of the hammock and the Pacific Ocean is at your feet. The hammock has an internal ridge line that you can hang things from. I hung my LED stern light in there. I might take my little Asus netbook with me next time and watch a movie in bed .

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The video seems to be up and running.....a real comedy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLoXdtGo ... re=channel

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Phil Summers
08 AI

What a comedy of errors!

I couldn't of done better, myself.

A couple suggestions.
Color code the lines, like red go to the right side of the yak, same idea front vs. back straps.
Use your paddle to position the front/rear straps under the hull easier. (You know, the funny shaped pole we carry but don't use much, as we have pedals)

Great project guys, and a great video Phil.

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http://KayakingBob.com - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2007, 2009 & 2010 Hobie AIs and a 2010 TI

Phil, that was just a fantastic video . As I also discovered, it's a lot more awkward (and less elegant) doing it completely out on the water than on land, or in the shallows. I really gotta admire you sharing your first experience like that. Even George Clooney wouldn't commit to film without a rehearsal. I'm sure we can both console ourselves with the knowledge it'll be a lot easier after the first twenty attempts . I had less trouble with the straps, because I knelt on the bow and stern to put them under the boat, but I didn't have a box of stuff to step over in the rear cargo well. I think keeping our feet dry may be an impossible dream - a small towel may be an essential hammock accessory. Anyway, the fact is you did it all in 9 minutes, out on the water, at your first attempt. Congratulations!!!

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Phil - great video! Thanks for sharing! I expect you will be able to streamline setting up a lot once you get the hang of it. As it is 9 mins is pretty good anyhow!!
I'll be interested to see how you manage the morning coffee and morning constitutional issues......

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Mickey
2011 AI Golden Papaya
2011 TI Golden Papaya

Also, it's much easier to do in ankle deep water, which would hopefully be the norm.
I mean rigging the hammock, not the morning constitutional.

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Excellent video

I think the tramps would be pretty much mandatory for putting up the hammock wouldn't they?

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I didn't use them to put mine up. I had forgotten to put them on when I started, then just never seemed to need them.

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hehe great video.

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How's this? http://www.2daloo.com

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