Yet again : advantages and disadvantages of AI vs. TI ?

I received some very helpful (though inconsistent!) advice about transporting an AI over the beach. Thanks! This forum is a great asset.

I know this topic has been visited before, but I thought I'd "bump" the issue and ask whether there's any new feelings out there about the relative advantages and disadvantages of the AI and the TI.

I had originally been set on buying the AI, as I plan to use the boat by myself a majority of the time. However, something that I read in this forum made me believe that the TI is a better choice even for individual use because it was designed from the bottom up to be sailed.

I understand that transportation issues become more complicated with the TI, but other than this is there anyone out there who has experiences with both boats who could comment? If the boat will primarily be used by me individually, is a TI still the best idea?

scsugarman,

My wife and I bought 2 AI's a couple of years ago and sailed them quite a bit. When the TI's came out we bought one and sold one of the AI's.

When we go sailing together we normally take both boats with my wife in the AI and me sailing the TI solo. My wife has no desire to sail the TI solo because she feels it is too big for her to handle. The TI is a lot heavier than the AI but the last sailboat we owned, before getting the Hobie's, weighed about 60,000 lbs so the extra weight doesn't bother me.

My wife works full time and I don't so in the summer months I go sailing alone quite a bit during the week. Our boats sit on a Hobie trailer side by side and I can use either one. I almost always take the TI. I only took the AI out sailing once since getting the TI because someone who was going sailing with me was going out on his AI for the first time and asked me to help him get familiar with the boat. The whole day I kept thinking that I wished I was sailing my TI.

On the other hand, I will sometimes go fishing and then I strip down the AI and use it as a kayak. I haven't tried fishing out of the TI yet.

The Hobie trailer we own is the older galvanized model and is designed to be backed into the water. When we had the 2 AI's I never got the axles wet. I would back up to the water and push them off or pull them back on without a problem. Now, I push the TI off when launching but back the tyrailer into the water and float the TI on when pulling it out. I don't think the new Trailex trailer is designed for doing this (it is too tall) so if you get a TI I think you're better off getting a used marine trailer and adding the Hobie cradles.

Hope this helps.

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Jerry D.
St. Johns, Florida
2010 TI
2008 AI

I am quite keen on the idea of owning a TI - but would not/NEVER part with my AI if I was forced to own only one.
As KayakingBob said: "the AI is his own little sports car" - or words to that effect.
The weight factor makes it manageable on land in most circumstances and you can rooftop it if need be - or when it is preferable to do so.
I'm not saying the TI cannot be rooftopped, but it will be significantly harder to do so.
Personally, I would trailer either/both unless there are good reasons not to.
I don't know your age, height or level of fitness and body strength, but you may increase the likelihood of getting a hernia or two with the TI
Of course the TI is the most suitable for multiple people - if that is what you intend using it for. Multiple people may mean that you can also get some assistance with managing any heavy lifting etc.
The older I get the more I realise that big is not (always) best in relation to many things in life

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Mickey
2016 AI Hibiscus
purchased NEW Nov 2021 - My 5th
Adventure Island Sailing since 2008

I own an AI, and considered (but have not sailed) a TI.

The big things holding me back from going with the TI are as follows:
-- Transportation - Right now, I roof rack the AI on an economy car
-- Transportation (part two) - I also live walking distance from the lake, and it's a bit downhill, getting there is no problem, but pulling it back is a bit tiring.
-- Transportation (part three) If I trailer that boat, it's a LONG trailer for a small sailboat, (the Wave would need a much shorter trailer)
-- Storage. Finding room to store a boat that long is a bit of an issue for me.
-- Kayaking - I still like to use my boat as a kayak, and the AI is probably a better kayak for just one person.

That's the one thing about the TI. I'm guessing that most owners really only use the TI as a sailboat, and one of my favourite things about the AI, is how great it is at being two boats in one. (kayak and sailboat) The AI really is a 50/50 boat for sailing or Kayaking. Equally strong in both situations. The TI strikes me as a 70/30 boat. A bit better for sailing then the AI, but not as good for kayaking.

Other then that, the TI is a great boat, that I'd love to be sailing everyday. I have heard from some people on the message boards here that the TI is a bit more of an animal to sail, but the general design of these boats make them pretty safe as is.

One thing that happened last year on these forums when the TI was new, is everyone praised it, (rightfully so) but in some cases it made the AI look like a second rate boat. It's not. It's just different.

Based on how you say you'd use the boat, I'd probably vote TI for you. My next sailboat could be the TI (with tramps) for a family boat, but a big part of me is leaning towards keeping the AI for me, and getting a Wave for a family boat.

There's really not a bad boat in the Hobie line-up, they each have their strengths and weaknesses. Some view the TI as better in every way compared to the AI, I don't, but I do think that they both are excellent choices that will be fun for whoever sails them.

And really, it's all about fun. If you buy the AI, or TI, use them in every configuration, and you'll find that the fun and exhilaration from sailing is great, but also the silent kayak mode is fun in a whole different kind of way.

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augaug, that's about the best practical explanation of the differences between the two boats as I have read yet. I haven't used an AI, but have been following them with interest since they were first released. I considered buying two of them, but then realized that a larger boat, a tandem, made much more sense for us here on an island in the trade winds. And I knew if I waited long enough, Hobie would come out with one. And they did. And we have one.

If I had it to do over again, I wish I had bought two AI when they first came out. They would be about ripe to sell or retire by now, and we would still be on our new TI.

One aspect of the TI that I am appreciating and yet haven't read mentioned is the ability to take a break from sailing to do something else. I love being able to ask La Gringa to take over from the front seat while I mess with the GPS, or camera housing, or Mirage Drive or whatever in the back seat.

And sometimes it's nice to be able to just relax and stretch out for a few minutes. Get up and go check the galley for a beer.... or walk back to the head..

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Island life in the Devil's Triangle:
http://2gringos.blogspot.com/

One other point that I now realize about my AI, but will also be relevant for the TI, they REALLY are wet rides. I knew that before I bought my boat, but we bought the trampolines for our AI with the intention of being able to take my wife for short runs here and there. She's never come with me. Others have, but not her.

If you buy the TI with the intention of taking someone else on a regular basis, make sure that they understand the realities of getting wet. In warmer climates, that's often not a big deal, but in cooler water, you better make sure that you have a good relationship before you test it out on the water!

So if you're sacrificing manoeuvrability for the ability to take a passenger, just be sure that the passenger is ready for the same types of thrills as you are. Otherwise you'll be buying more boat then you need, and you won't use it if it's too difficult to get to the water.

The best boat is the one on the water, not the one in the garage.

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Without a doubt the AI is a better kayak for one person since it is a single person boat. We currently own 2 17 foot fiberglass sit inside kayaks so we have a lot of experience sailing and paddling.

We have taken our TI on several kayak trip on which we did not bring the sail or the amas. On one 2 day trip we didn't even bring the Mirage drives because the river we were going on had very low water and we didn't want to damage the drives.

We have also loaned it to friends to use as a tandem kayak.

As a stand alone kayak the TI is heavy but once you get it moving it glides through the water suprisingly easily. The same can be said for the AI which we have also used as a kayak. It's very heavy for a kayak, 80 lbs compared to 51 lbs for my 17 foot touring kayak, but once you get it moving it glides nicely.

Since augaug has not even sailed a TI I would be careful with his comparisons. The TI is easy to handle once you're under sail. It would probably be easier for me to launch if I used my Mirage drive but I don't like to get salt water on it unless I have to and I normally don't sail with it in. Like I said I have both and when I go by myself I can push either one off the trailer and leave it at home and I always choose the TI unless I want to use a single sit on top kayak.

auguag is right about both boats being a wet ride. Since he lives in Canada that's a problem when you live where you do it just makes for a cooler ride.

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Jerry D.
St. Johns, Florida
2010 TI
2008 AI

Yeah, be careful!

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Without getting into the relative merits of the two boats on the water, it depends to some extent on how important the issue of getting down to the water is to you. The posts on moving the boats on the beach single-handed have not really been inconsistent. The overall message is: It's fairly easy with an AI, with or without a cart and it's very difficult with a TI, with or without a cart. We have now had two recent reports on the forum of a TI hull being ruined by the scupper cart. In both cases, the boat has been pulled through soft sand. Hobie has come to the party in both these cases, but the time must be approaching when they say enough is enough.

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When the AI first came out there were a number of similar posts regarding scupper damage. I don't think the TI is more prone to damage. It is heavier, but it is also much better balanced when on the cart. It actually feels lighter when moving it around than an AI.
Armed with the great info in these posts you really need to demo both boats to make an informed decision, scsugarman!

Steve,

Keep in mind that you will spend a small fraction of your time launching and pulling your boat. The majority of time will be spent on the water.

Most of the people who post on this Forum sail with their Mirage drives in because they have to use them to tack their boats. The AI tends to stall when tacking but if you backwind the sail by holding it with your hand and forcing it into the wind you can tack without peddling as long as you have the whole sail out. If the wind picks up and you have to reef the sail I don't think it's possible to tack an AI without using the peddles or the paddle.

The TI on the other hand tacks like a dream. As long as you have stearage it tacks whether the main is reefed or not. The TI also seems to track better. You can leave the rudder control go and it wants to keep sailing but the AI seems to need constant tweaking.

The hull on the AI wants top submarine when you build up speed going to weather in any kind of chop. I sail my TI from the rear seat so I can see my sail without getting a kink in my neck and the bow comes out of the water and gives you the sense of flying in the same conditions. A buddy sailing an AI next to me told me he could see part of my center board as I flew past him. I weigh about 225 in case you're wodering. Here's a picture of my TI going to weather.


I think the bottom line is if you like to sail get the TI.

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Jerry D.
St. Johns, Florida
2010 TI
2008 AI

Stringy's right, you need to try both boats, including pulling them over sand, yourself. The whole thing is very subjective. I also sail a catamaran and it ticks all Jerry's boxes - equally at home carrying one or two people, a "pure" sailing experience and much faster than a driveless AI or TI on all points of sail. It's great for blasting around the lake without going too far from the launch point. For expedition type trips, going out to sea or into narrow waterways, an AI or a TI wins hands down, because the Mirage drive is always there to get you out of trouble. One thing I prefer on the Cat, is the freedom to move around on the boat. With the AI's/TI's, you are forced to sit facing forward in one place for hours on end and you can wind up feeling saddle-sore. For this reason, I actually prefer to use the Mirage drive, so I can be a bit active while out on the water. A lot of people also like to hike out on the tramps or sit on the akas for the same reason. I haven't yet seen a post of anyone sailing the TI solo while hiking out, but I imagine it's quite possible.

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Chris,

I agree totally with you and Stringy.

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Jerry D.
St. Johns, Florida
2010 TI
2008 AI