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PostPosted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 4:07 am 
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Joined: Mon Feb 04, 2008 1:31 pm
Posts: 141
Location: New Jersey
I tried it once so far on sort of the most perfect day. The waves, ocean waves were 1-3, so very small for the east coast.

We usually see the surf anywhere from 2-6 on a very nice day. In the fish yaks most of us would not launch off the beach in anything over 6 or 8. The waves here really don't come rolling in, they are very short and break fast.

so I had the AI rigged up with the fins in and got the boat ready to go. I pulled the sail and jumped in. It was fun. I got thru the surf and played around for a while.

I was nervous about coming back in, because the waves at the surf could change at any time, sometimes the waves don't break until they hit the beach. I played around for awhile sailing close to shore and skipping over the waves as they started to roll towards the beach. It was fun

the ama's always took a dive, I'd really like to see some lift created in the bow of them. Like a surf ski

another great flight on the AI - I don't think I'll ever fish again - just kidding

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Al aka "YAKMAN"


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PostPosted: Sun May 04, 2008 6:48 am 
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Joined: Fri Nov 09, 2007 9:16 pm
Posts: 8
Location: Central Coast Australia
I got caught out in a thunderstorm the other day and put in at Umina Beach on the Central Coast just north of Sydney. The waves were only smalll, 2 to 3 feet, and it was fun getting out through them.

We had been up to Ettalong where there are some small waves, but they are certainly not good for surfing - the nose goes under and they tend to turn side on.

I was wondering what happens if lightening strikes the mast!

stevo


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 Post subject: AI in the surf
PostPosted: Sun Jun 01, 2008 11:50 am 
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Joined: Tue May 27, 2008 3:39 pm
Posts: 5
That's interesting that you sailed from the beach. I did a demo sail last week and no one from our sail shop seemed to know the procedure for launching through the surf zone. "Just do it," was their advice. :D I reasoned that without the dagger board, sailing wouldn't be effective, so I furled the sail, waded into knee-deep water, waited for a clearing and then pedaled like mad. I put down the rudder, but I didn't cleat it for fear of being driven backwards, as can happen with my Getaway. That didn't even come close to happening. Those darn pedals are quite the invention. It was as though the surf didn't exist. I just blasted through the waves. When I got through the surf zone, I put in the dagger board, locked the rudder, unfurled the sail and off I went. Returning, I did the same thing in reverse. I came in like a kayak, hugging the back side of a wave. Then the moment it broke in front of me, I pedaled hard. I felt the mirage fins hit the bottom, and I instantly raised them against the boat and let the surf take me in the rest of the way. I got turned 90-degrees to the beach, which would have flipped a kayak (and my Getaway) but with the amas out, I just rode to the beach sideways. It seemed a bit ungraceful, but effective. How are other people doing it?


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 Post subject: here is how I did it
PostPosted: Tue Jun 03, 2008 7:18 pm 
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Joined: Mon Feb 04, 2008 1:31 pm
Posts: 141
Location: New Jersey
I got the boat into position, angled to go out over the waves

I stood on the windward side of the kayak in between the yak and ama's

I pulled the rudder down, pulled out the sail and got the center board ready to drop, I think its important to use the centerboard especially on the way out because you will be able to hold the course and not slide

Once I had power in the sail i jumped in, i did assist the boat going out with a little peddle

I like my feet on the peddles as I jumped out over the waves

It is very serious and dangerous here in New Jersey to launch from the beach

we call it a garage sale when you flip the kayak in the surf, because all your stuff is all over the place

the boat was solid as it got smashed from the waves that hit the sail and my chest thru the life jacket

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Al aka "YAKMAN"


Last edited by yakman on Tue Jun 10, 2008 5:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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 Post subject: Pedaling thru the surf
PostPosted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 6:39 am 
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Joined: Tue May 27, 2008 3:39 pm
Posts: 5
I bought my new AI since my last post. What a water toy! It really draws a crowd at the beach, too. :D . You're The Man, yakman, sailing it through the surf. I've experimented quite a bit now getting through the surf, and I must say, I prefer pedaling to sailing as the locomotion through the surf zone. By pedaling, not sailing, I can slow and pause to wait for a wave to break in front of me. I don't have to consider wind direction, and I don't have deal with lowering the dagger board in the wild surf. (One less thing!) I did discover that you HAVE to cleat the rudder. I experimented with leaving it uncleated as protection against a backward movement, but the ability to steer is greatly diminished. So here's my method:

Place your paddle on the leeward akas of the boat and, with the sail furled, walk the AI to knee-deep water. Climb over the forward aka and standing on the windward side insert the Mirage drive and lock it. Push one pedal full forward. Check your sheets and make sure they're cleated and off the seat. Lower the rudder and cleat it. Wait for a lull in the surf. Sit down and start pedaling. If you fear an approaching wave is going to break over you, slow your pedaling just enough to steer directly into the wave. If you stop pedaling altogether, you lose your ability to steer. Let it break in front of you. After it breaks, pedal hard working your way out past the surf. Pretty easy to master, actually, and not that different from what paddlers do.

Returning, I try to stay on the backside of a breaker. When it breaks, then I pedal like Lance Armstrong at the end of a race. When I feel the Mirage fins brush the sand, I quickly raise the rudder and push one pedal hard forward. Now I'm helpless, without steering or power, which would be bad news for a catamaran, but the trimaran cannot flip in shallow water with the sail furled. So you let the surf turn you, as it will, bringing you in the last little bit sideways. :oops: Use this time to bungy the Mirage pedals into place. Then you climb out into shin-deep water and pull it onto the beach.

Having said all this, I'm very impressed by the stability of the boat. You'd have to get hit pretty hard broad side to flip it. The surf zone has always been my nemesis with my Getaway. But with the AI, I can see it's really going to be a non-issue.


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