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 Post subject: Another New TI Report
PostPosted: Thu Jun 24, 2010 8:41 am 
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Here’s another first use report from a new TI owner. I am a devoted reader of these threads and owned an AI for two years before acquiring my TI earlier this month. I have sailed and paddled all of my life in various watercraft and currently split my time on the water between the TI, a 14’ catboat, a 28’ sloop and several paddle craft. My base is Westport, Massachusetts, which offers a big sheltered estuary and the rather more boisterous waters of Buzzards Bay and the Atlantic.

As I awaited the arrival of my TI, I read the posts about the TI’s rudder with some alarm because I experienced the same sorts of problems with the AI. My first sails in the TI confirmed that it didn’t want to turn right, but then the word came down from Matt to loosen the rudder bolt and engage the rudder while turning gently left, and that worked quite well. The problem was that I also followed suggestions that you really need to haul on the down line to keep the rudder engaged in the latch. While I could turn right, I found that it took a lot more effort than my thumb could sustain comfortably. Thinking about this and the guitar-like sounds of string tension that I could hear when I turned the rudder, I decided to see what would happen if I backed off on the down line tension once I had gotten the rudder latched. My first try using this technique was a success. After latching the rudder using Matt’s suggested turn to the left, I released the down line to the point that the T handle just sits in the big bottle holder. This gives me almost equal tension for left and right rudder. The effort required to initiate a turn or hold a heading in a gust is still harder than I’d really like, but it is acceptable. I should explain that I tried this technique in winds that varied from about 5 knots to gust of 15 or a little more. The water was quite flat and the gusts rarely lasted longer than four or five minutes. I am not sure that this technique would work well in steady winds of more than 12 knots and whitecaps or larger sea states. Given the threaded hole on the “tiller,” I am really hoping to see a vertical steering handle extension like the ones on tractor steering wheels. It would make things even more comfortable.

My first major conclusion about the TI is that it is a lot more boat to move around on shore than the AI. I could handle the AI by myself with no trouble, but I can’t really handle the TI on shore by myself. I will admit to a 68 years, but I am in pretty good shape. I can pull the TI up a fairly steep concrete launching ramp by myself, but it’s lots easier with some help. What I can’t do yet is tip the TI up on its side so that I can insert/remove the wheels after I slide the TI into the cradle I built to store it at the head of the ramp. The TI is just too big and unwieldy for me to lift it and balance it while reaching under to deal with the wheels. That said, I brought it back from the dealer on the roof of my SUV, an MDX, using a “goalpost” extension, which worked quite well. I couldn’t have loaded it without help, but that might come with some experience. I’m sure a trailer would be easier, but I don’t have room to store one.

My other conclusion is that the TI is a real sailing boat. Where the AI was a kayak first and then sprouted amas and a sail, the TI seems to have been designed as a sailboat with auxiliary power. Two things about the TI impressed me in this regard. The hull design is much more oriented to sail. At speed, the main hull throws water out to the side instead of sending it over the bow. I suspect that, in the right conditions the TI might even plane, although the triple curve bottom might make that hard to achieve. The design of the amas also enhances the sailing qualities of the TI. They don’t seem to submarine as easily as the AI amas do. I also confirmed the observation that the TI tacks quite well without power assistance, which the AI needed. I haven’t tried soloing the TI yet because I have too many people who want to try it out, but I think it looks to be set up to be sailed from the front seat. Where I sail, I need to be able to work the center board and the furling line as well as the sheet and rudder. I suspect that it

The other thing that makes the TI a better sailboat is the rig. The sail seems much more effective to me, and it’s not just size. It seems better shaped because of the way that the battens sit. The greater height is nicely compensated for by the bendier top section of the mast, which means that I am reefing later than I would have had to in the AI. However, I think I will have to make a commitment to single seat sheeting to deal all that sail area. There aren’t a lot of dinghies with 90 sf of sail area that don’t have a 3 to 1 mainsheet.

In short the TI is a great success, as proved by the enjoyment expressed by my wife. My 5 and 9-year old grandsons greatly enjoyed the tramps, and the 9-yer old can peddle with the seat in the front pins.

PBurling


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PostPosted: Thu Jun 24, 2010 10:53 am 
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Location: Central Florida
Nice review.

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PostPosted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 3:48 pm 
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Location: Port Macquarie, Australia
Great to hear! My primary interest in the TI is also sailing!

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PostPosted: Tue Mar 22, 2011 7:07 am 
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Thanks for the review. Am considering at TI myself, and would appreciate a little more information on how you transport. I have a 2006 MDX w/ factory rack and cross bars -- trying to figure out whether I need a trailer or would be able to transport on top of MDX. Any additional insights would be appreciated.

Jim


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PostPosted: Tue Mar 22, 2011 11:09 am 
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Location: CLEARWATER, MN
I would like to concur on the feeling that the TI really wants to move onto plane.
Last year several threads cautioned that the TI probably could not truly plane, except while sliding down a large steep swell.
But several times when moving downwind, it sure felt like the hull was climbing
up and over the bow wave. I was solo sailing in the rear seat.


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PostPosted: Tue Mar 22, 2011 1:22 pm 
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Location: Point Lookout, Maryland
The TI is a kayak? Huh... who'da thunk? We purchased our Tandem with only sailing in mind and always refer to it as our trimaran - our 'yak is Cindy's Revo. :lol:

Good review!

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PostPosted: Tue Mar 22, 2011 1:54 pm 
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Location: Sydney, Australia
JDMcConnell wrote:
Thanks for the review. Am considering at TI myself, and would appreciate a little more information on how you transport. I have a 2006 MDX w/ factory rack and cross bars -- trying to figure out whether I need a trailer or would be able to transport on top of MDX. Any additional insights would be appreciated.

Jim

The TI can be car topped. I have a Mitsubishi Pajero (Montero) and I car top it.

Do a search in both this forum and (youtube) to see people's setup or how they car top the TI.

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PostPosted: Tue Mar 22, 2011 3:20 pm 
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Location: Virginia Beach, VA
The TI might be a car topper but I would not want to do it on a regular basis. I bought my TI used from a guy that had it for 2 months. The car topping is what got to him. I built a simple trailer that is from a modified Harbor Freight $300 small boat trailer. The boat sits assembled on it. I pull up to the ramp, open my wings and fly. The tramps take the longest to open. For short sails i do not use them. My recommendation to any TI owner is buy a trailer. It does make life much more enjoyable...

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PostPosted: Tue Mar 22, 2011 4:08 pm 
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Location: South Florida
I don't own a TI, but it is obvious to me, that a trailer is the only way to go. Good advice, Paul.

Keith

PS If you do choose to cartop a TI, you might consider a body building course on the side.

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PostPosted: Wed Mar 23, 2011 5:11 am 
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Location: Turks and Caicos Islands
ditto on the trailer. We got the TI with the Trailex trailer. It makes it hugely easy to go sailing. Just hook up the Land Rover and away we go. No pulled muscles, no chance of dropping major things onto hard surfaces. No "Oh SH...." moments while things are slipping away from control.

I put the Trailex together according to the instructions, but have since made some changes. I drilled new holes in the vertical members and lowered the kayak cradles by a couple inches. I built a little thing to hold the bow in place, etc.

Next, I am going to figure out a way to raise the entire kit and kaboodle, trailer and all, inside my garage so that I can park another boat under it and lower the Hobie onto the other boat for inside storage during hurricanes or when we are off island.

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PostPosted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 8:39 pm 
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Location: Texas
Considered trying to top the TI but got a trailer (Trailex).
Glad I did, so easy to launch and load.

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PostPosted: Tue Mar 29, 2011 1:21 am 
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Location: Bay Area, California
JDMcConnell wrote:
Thanks for the review. Am considering at TI myself, and would appreciate a little more information on how you transport. I have a 2006 MDX w/ factory rack and cross bars -- trying to figure out whether I need a trailer or would be able to transport on top of MDX. Any additional insights would be appreciated.

Jim


JD, We use a 2005 MDX with extra Yakima rack in front and their "goal post" rack that fits in the hitch. I use a gear bag full of towels to rest the stern on to eliminate the road rash part. It is a leverage game with a clean press to get the bow up and on. Then a pull/push to get it over the goal post. With practice I can now do it single handed. It is a chore, but well worth it when heading up to Sierras and not having to worry about a trailer on narrow roads or tight parking on the coast.

The goal post eliminates the 160 lb limit on the racks by transferring half of the weight to hitch. I do keep it upright as it would wreak havoc on car, TI, and me with scratches and dents. So far, with 6 trips out, I am still good with this concept.

Best,

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PostPosted: Fri May 27, 2011 12:38 am 
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Location: Camas, WA
Wow, I'd love to hear more about the Harbor Freight TI Trailer you built. Please give us some detailed photos and confirm it's the one on sale for $289.

http://www.harborfreight.com/1195-lb-ca ... 90154.html

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iHop

Dune TI - 6/4/2011
Camas, WA


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PostPosted: Sun May 29, 2011 11:00 pm 
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Location: Camas, WA
Well I bought the Harbor Freight 4x8 foldable trailer with 12" wheels. I'm in the process of putting it together and today I called Next Adventure in Portland and gave them my credit card for a Dune TI. Hope to finish the trailer in the morning and pick up the TI in the afternoon. I plan to just bring it home upside down and then customize the cradles once I have the real thing to finalize the shape.

I'll post some photos of the finished product.

iHop

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iHop

Dune TI - 6/4/2011
Camas, WA


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PostPosted: Mon May 30, 2011 6:49 am 
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Ihop,

I look forward to your updates. I am planning on TI in the next month or so, and intend on trailing. Fat and 46 y/o, the car top just does not excite me. With my budget, $1,000+ trailer would delay things a bit. Curious to see how the Harbor Freight fold-able trailer works out. Like the idea of being able to fold it away in the car port, while hanging my TI from carport ceiling.

Pete S.


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