Hi Tony,
Those bungee cord metal clamps (aka hog rings) I used were stainless steel, and, while they work fine, they are hard to manage. So, I have also switched to zip-ties--made by Coolaroo--I figure they may be more sun-resistant.
Yes, it is very difficult to attach the Coolaroo clips through 2 layers of sun-shade fabric. I cut the fabric at the corners & sew it so that the clips punch through a single layer of fabric.
I like the miniskirt design (especially mounted on bow posts) because it does not aggravate bow dives. Speaking of AI diving, I have greatly minimized that. Earlier on this thread, I complained greatly about bow diving--it was a real problem when expedition-loaded. See
http://www.hobiecat.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=70&t=7276&start=90 Now, a combination of (1) loading some gear on the hakas, (2) putting heavy gear in a large dry bag placed in the stern storage area behind the seat, and (3) placing 16-24 liters of water behind the seat & in the stern hatch, has essentially eliminated diving on my AI. The occasional dive does not go very deep. In addition to reducing diving (no longer a problem), that loading also keeps the bow up, and cutting waves is less of a problem. Hopefully, the 2015 Hobie AI model will effectively address the diving problem. We can hope, can't we? I'm thinking of buying 1, maybe 2, new AIs next Fall, depending on how Hobie modifies their 2015 model. If they don't change the hull/amas on the AI, I'm going to seriously consider a different boat. The Weta is an interesting possibility. More on that later.
Keith