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 Post subject: New Guy Question
PostPosted: Fri Apr 18, 2014 9:09 am 
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Joined: Fri Apr 18, 2014 7:29 am
Posts: 33
I have been reading/studying the forum for more than a year – great resource. I recently pulled the trigger on a TI and trailer. Regarding the trailer, I am following Sun E Sailor’s lead, and have ordered a Trailex SUT-350-S with three cradles, although I won't have the PVC sail tube. My early plans are add spine board hakas and a “RAM ball” tiller extension. Years ago (no, actually, decades ago), I raced a Sunfish, so I am hoping the sailing part is like riding a bike and will come back to me quickly.

The TI is one the dealer got in stock in February 2014. A couple of items have got me thinking a bit;
1) The boat does not have the new “web style” carrying handles that have been talked about for quite a while, but haven’t seemed to ever made it to production.
2) More important, the Mirage drives likely have the pedal shafts that are more prone to fatigue cracking. There is a discussion regarding the shafts on the Watertribe forum and Hobie will make a running change with a beefed-up shaft design.

Given that I don’t plan on anything nearly as hard on equipment as the Everglades Challenge, is this something I should be overly concerned with? I did read about adding epoxy and a drill bit to interior of shaft to eliminate the stress riser, but I really do not want to modify brand new drives.

Gary


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 Post subject: Re: New Guy Question
PostPosted: Fri Apr 18, 2014 11:15 am 
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Joined: Tue May 27, 2003 12:44 pm
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Location: Oceanside, California
Sailing will come back quickly. Especially on an Island as they are simple to sail and stable. Nothing like the Sunfish! I too sailed Sunfish decades ago. Got into cat sailing after that.

The pedal shaft issue is not wide spread and is related to heavy use for sure. I would not be overly concerned. You have two drives 4 pedals, two paddles and sails!

"IF" you fail a pedal shaft... you can still pedal the single fin to some extent too.

I'm not hearing about "web" handles on the TI, so may be just a user addition that is not adopted by the factory.

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Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
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Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)


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 Post subject: Re: New Guy Question
PostPosted: Fri Apr 18, 2014 11:27 am 
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Joined: Fri Jan 05, 2007 9:21 pm
Posts: 2498
Location: Central Florida
Congratulations on your new Island. Enjoy your boat as it comes, then make the mods you are interested in. Hobie is very good on it's warranty. If you break a Pedal shaft under warranty (and often for a while after) they will make it right. Hobie is constantly making minor improvements to the boats and if you feel you need an upgraded part, once they come out with one, neither of these should be very expensive upgrades. The new side handles would be nice but I rarely notice a splash from them anymore.

If you feel it's a safety concern, or something you can't live without, then mod away like many of us. With this being a TI, the chance both drives will break on one trip is so low, I wouldn't worry about it. If in an AI (one man) I would (and do) carry a spare Mirage drive. But here in Maui, if I have a bunch of failures, I could be headed to Tahiti without spares or help!

Welcome to the forum and please post your journey and mods for all to enjoy.

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 Post subject: Re: New Guy Question
PostPosted: Fri Apr 18, 2014 12:47 pm 
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Joined: Tue May 18, 2010 2:31 pm
Posts: 3068
Location: Kailua 96734
Bob, Tahiti is nice this time of year…

Anyway Gary, welcome to the forum. You started off right. Many of us lurked here for a year of so, and absorbed tons of useful information and mod ideas. You can learn a lot from other peoples mistakes, right?

Now it's time for you to get out there and make your own. :lol:

Looking forward to your posts.


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 Post subject: Re: New Guy Question
PostPosted: Fri Apr 18, 2014 2:26 pm 
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Joined: Thu Aug 16, 2007 2:25 pm
Posts: 2863
Location: Central Coast NSW Australia
mmiller wrote:
I'm not hearing about "web" handles on the TI, so may be just a user addition that is not adopted by the factory.


I'm guessing this is what Gary is referring to and with the water getting colder here I'm also interested in where Hobie are at with this long overdue fix?:
viewtopic.php?f=71&t=44612
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 Post subject: Re: New Guy Question
PostPosted: Fri Apr 18, 2014 8:32 pm 
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Joined: Sat Nov 05, 2011 1:58 am
Posts: 2893
Location: Forster, NSW, Australia
Hi Gary,
Welcome to the club!

The TI has a slightly higher freeboard than the AI, so the handles are slightly less prone to the water-spray issue. Here's a tip if you are concerned. Squeeze a small rubber ball under the handle (squash ball maybe?) and this will interrupt the flow. Having said that, I have never bothered on my 2012 TI.

As regards th Miragedrive pedal shafts, I am a big bloke, and have been in situations where I have had to really stomp on the pedals (increasing outwards tide threatening to sweep me out to sea) to the point where I had to stop when my ticker nearly jumped out of my chest. No issues with the drive. I tend to believe the odds of failure are very small, to the point that we hear of all failures as they are so unusual.

As you have noticed, the forum is a treasure trove of knowledge on how to make your Island even better, and I have cherry-picked the ideas to pimp mine, so I have:-
*Lines from mast base out to middle of amas to prevent sudden collapse if brace pin breaks
*Raised "skipper seat"
*Shortened front hatch bungees to tighten seals
*Doubled up bungees on amas
*Spray skirts
*one-way valves on scuppers
*Re-entry loop
*Retrievable bow anchor harness
*Halyard on mast to enable sending up all-round light for night navigation
*Dinghy masthead wind indicator
*Back-up external steering linkages
*Secondary emergency rudder (uses scupper tube)

Plus, as I venture outside, I carry extensive safety gear including flares, sea marker dye, first aid kit, VHF, PLB, smartphone Navionics chart plotter app, Lowrance FF/plotter. etc.

But for all that, in sheltered waters, all you need to have heaps of fun with your TI is a PFD for each. Enjoy!

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Tony Stott
2012 Tandem Island "SIC EM" with Hobie spinnaker


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 Post subject: Re: New Guy Question
PostPosted: Sat Apr 19, 2014 2:59 am 
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Joined: Fri May 08, 2009 5:06 am
Posts: 1701
Location: Lake Macquarie NSW AUSTRALIA
Hi and welcome Gary.

I think we all agree that apart from the thrill of sailing, one of the beauties of have an AI or TI over any other boat is that we can tinker away in the shed making mods and coming up with ideas that may never have been thought of before. Some of these mods may be important and beneficial to the inventor but not to others. Other mods may be game changers. Please don't be backward in posting and sharing your ideas.

Also pics.......we all love pics. :)

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Don't take life too seriously................it ain't permanent.


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 Post subject: Re: New Guy Question
PostPosted: Sat Apr 19, 2014 5:22 am 
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Joined: Sun Apr 20, 2008 6:18 am
Posts: 3058
Location: Sarasota,Key West FL
Slaughter:
That's I think a theme that rings true with every AI/TI owner and opens up a door in sailing that has been closed for a very long time in the sailing world (I'm talking about the one class rules).
We should call it the second amendment of AI/TI owners. "The undeniable right to modify your boat any way you like to suit your own needs". Whether it tramps, HAKA's, evolve or outboards, fancy fishing rig systems, lorance fish finders, compasses mounted on the hatch, etc.
Pretty much every AI/TI that I have seen has been modded in some way or another to suit the owners desires and needs ( some of us a little more than others (lol)).
Bob


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 Post subject: Re: New Guy Question
PostPosted: Sat Apr 19, 2014 9:21 am 
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Joined: Sun Apr 20, 2008 6:18 am
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Location: Sarasota,Key West FL
GaryInWI :
We are all interested in what Hobie finds out about the possible design issues with the newest generation of mirage drives, I'm sure they are working on the problem if their is one. My drives are 2012 and I have not had a lick of problems with mine. I have not seen first hand the newest generation of mirage drives, and can't really speak much about them (since I don't have one, or have I looked at one close up). But I have tried to help a couple posters who were having failure problems with some possible short term fixes that may or may not help their particular situation, I only reacted in an attempt to help them solve their particular problem without knowing all the details, and all the ins and outs of the design it's all just a shot in the dark. There might not even be a problem, however I do suspect something is going on because we have a local Island club event last weekend where we had 4 stock TI's involved in a tag team race around the harbor using both pedal and sail on 4 identically equipped TI's, and I believe 2 mirage drives failed during the event, I looked at both drives and both were the latest design variety (with the sperical cover over the top of the pedal shaft), what this means I have no idea, but I've been running mirage drives since 2007, and never had any issues or problems, then to see two mirage drives break on the same day is unusual to say the least.
Bob


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 Post subject: Re: New Guy Question
PostPosted: Mon Apr 21, 2014 9:29 am 
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Joined: Sun May 08, 2011 6:36 am
Posts: 59
Location: CT
Congrats Gary!

I am going on my 3rd yr with my TI up in CT. I have used it mainly on a large freshwater lake and sometimes on Long Island Sound.
I have not had any problems with my TI. The only thing I have had happen was one of my Mirage drives having the fins skewed off center… turns out
I stretched the cables to the point of replacement. I am 6'4" 245 and my son 6'6" 260 (college hockey player) Hobie dealer noticed similar results for large men
with strong legs really pumping drives. No stress cracks, just stretched cables, which I replaced. Simple…..

I have tramps but found a XL Carlisle canoe paddle nice replacement for Hobie Yak paddle…. If you break a rudder pin (not happened yet) I practiced sailing without
a rudder and found it difficult to get to shore using Yak paddle but much easier with XL Guide paddle. Easier to change rudder pin on shore rather than dangling over stern, with wind and waves throwing you around. I followed Sun E Sailors advice on trailer mods and have had no problems trailering it to the boat ramp.

Good Luck, Have Fun, and Stay Safe!


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 Post subject: Re: New Guy Question
PostPosted: Fri Apr 25, 2014 1:25 am 
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Joined: Wed Dec 04, 2013 3:21 am
Posts: 78
Location: Pompano Beach, FL
tonystott wrote:
*Halyard on mast to enable sending up all-round light for night navigation
*Back-up external steering linkages
*Secondary emergency rudder (uses scupper tube)


Tony, like you I go offshore so I'm interested to learn more about these 3 mods.
Thanks,
Richard


Last edited by proyak on Fri Apr 25, 2014 5:46 am, edited 1 time in total.

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 Post subject: Re: New Guy Question
PostPosted: Fri Apr 25, 2014 2:13 am 
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Joined: Sat Nov 05, 2011 1:58 am
Posts: 2893
Location: Forster, NSW, Australia
proyak wrote:
tonystott wrote:
*Halyard on mast to enable sending up all-round light for night navigation
*Back-up external steering linkages
*Secondary emergency rudder (uses scupper tube)


Tony, like you I go offshore so I'm interested to learn more about these 3 mods.
Thanks,
Richard

Fitting a Halyard.
*I fitted a pvc pipe joiner on the masthead. Get one which is a slip-fit over the top of the sail.
*Secure it with a couple of self-tappers
*Cut a vertical slot in it.
*Buy a pair of small dinghy pulleys; tie a loop of strong 2mm or so line, and slip the knot inside the slot.
*This secures the top pulley.
*At the bottom, drill two holes in the top of the furling drum
*Loop some small bungee (3mm?) through the bottom pulley.
*Connect the two pulleys with a loop of 3mm cord.
*Tie two knots in the loop, slightly further apart from the keyhole slots you make in the light's mounting pvc pipe (see picture).
*Adjust bungee and halyard length to ensure the light doesn't flop around when you raise it.
*The halyard joining knot will prevent the light from moving too high up the mast as it won't pass through the small pulley. At that point, the light will just clear the top of the mast (ensuring 360 degree visibility), and there is enough scattered light to illuminate the masthead wind indicator.
The vertical slot was cut into the pvc joiner at the masthead
Image
Here are the small pulleys, and the keyhole slots in the light's supporting pole
Image

Back up external linkages. Since the photo, I have fitted stronger "arms". The port line has two to one purchase, while the starboard one has a strong bungee. So in operation I tension the starboard one to suit the weather conditions, and steeer by pulling on the port one. I can cleat both if required.
Image

The emergency rudder (since painted white to save my eyes!).
In order to avoid any possible damage to the scupper, a piece of glassfibre painter pole has a vertical slot cut in it so it is a press fit in the scupper, and effectively becomes the bearing for the emergency rudder. This "bearing" has a piece of marine ply epoxied to it so it can't drop out of the scupper. The rudder post is inserted from below, and a plate is pinned through it to stop it also dropping. Then the tiller is attached at an angle at the top of the post, so a person sitting in the back seat can steer the TI. Note that this does not fit an AI, due to the rear crossbar being too close to the scuppers.
Image

On reflection, I suspect that the breakage of my rudder lines was the result of a line being assembled incorrectly before delivery, and I doubt that external linkages are required if you have got through a few trip without failure.

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Tony Stott
2012 Tandem Island "SIC EM" with Hobie spinnaker


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 Post subject: Re: New Guy Question
PostPosted: Fri Apr 25, 2014 6:33 am 
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Joined: Wed Dec 04, 2013 3:21 am
Posts: 78
Location: Pompano Beach, FL
tonystott wrote:
proyak wrote:
tonystott wrote:
*Halyard on mast to enable sending up all-round light for night navigation


The emergency rudder (since painted white to save my eyes!).


Thanks a HEAP Tony for taking the time to keep my safer and helping me get back home!

I'll incorporate your mods on my new TI after my AI sells.

That yellow color (ur rudder) keeps me safe coming and going thru the Hillsboro Inlet at rush hour!

As I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer, I'm still a bit fuzzy on the halyard joining knot/ coupling slot, arrangement. :?

Could I trouble you for a bit more splainin?

Is that an Attwood LED light?

Thanks again!

Image


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 Post subject: Re: New Guy Question
PostPosted: Sun May 11, 2014 6:31 am 
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Joined: Wed Dec 04, 2013 3:21 am
Posts: 78
Location: Pompano Beach, FL
Tony,
I now have all the components.
Thanks for 'splainin' :idea:
I'll have a go - no further tutorial required.

Thanks HEAPS!
Richard


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 Post subject: Re: New Guy Question
PostPosted: Sun May 11, 2014 7:07 am 
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Joined: Sat Nov 05, 2011 1:58 am
Posts: 2893
Location: Forster, NSW, Australia
Oops! So sorry Richard, somehow I missed your request for further clarification. As you can probably tell, I normally need little excuse to speak up, so this definitely was an oversight on my part! :D :D

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Tony Stott
2012 Tandem Island "SIC EM" with Hobie spinnaker


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