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PostPosted: Sun Jul 21, 2013 5:16 am 
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Ok, I am fixing to buy either a Tandem Island or either a getaway and need input on which you would recommend. We are a family of four with myself 200lbs, my wife 130 lbs a 6 year old 50lbs and 2 year old 25lbs. I have owned a getaway before and I loved it because it was so big and roomy but now I am considering a TI for the ease of use. I will have to drive 1hr to sail the getaway or TI but I could use the kayak 3 minutes from here in the river. I realize the TI can be a very wet ride and the kids and wife may get irritated with a constant splashing but I don't know for sure how wet it is with a mild chop. Are the tramps on the TI plenty big for two small kids to sit on one side? I like having the mirage drive on the TI for no wind conditions but I will out fit the getaway with a small motor like I did on my other one. Basicly I am looking for input from users to help me decide. Thanks for the help!!!


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PostPosted: Sun Jul 21, 2013 1:27 pm 
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Location: Baton Rouge, Louisiana
My situation is very similar. Me and my wife are the same weight, we have a 3 yr old, 5 year old, and also a baby. My wife has to hold the baby so I like it best if she and the baby are on one side, 2 kids on the other, gear in front seat, me in the back. On a mild chop I don't find it to be a wet ride but they have all sorts of mods for this if its a big deal. The mirage is a dream when the wind dies down.
Check out this video if you haven't seen it. It shows a family if 6 on the TI http://youtu.be/Pb4orK9MLXE

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PostPosted: Sun Jul 21, 2013 1:43 pm 
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Location: Central Florida
Make or buy a Sprayskirt should minimize splash and spray in all but wilder sailing conditions.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqIP6MVSFOM&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqIP6MVSFOM

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PostPosted: Sun Jul 21, 2013 2:36 pm 
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I guess one of my things now is, they are gonna be happy on a TI for now but I wonder once my kids are 10 & 6 are they going to be happy on the TI and not be wanting more room? I don't really know!! I guess I need to get both and that would solve my dilema :shock:


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PostPosted: Sun Jul 21, 2013 5:25 pm 
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Location: Baton Rouge, Louisiana
I just pulled it up. The getaway looks like a lot of fun and can handle more weight. Is it prone to flip?

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PostPosted: Sun Jul 21, 2013 5:45 pm 
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No, not really unless you are out in winds that you shouldn't be in. I loved the last one I had. Shoulda never sold it.


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PostPosted: Sun Jul 21, 2013 5:55 pm 
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Location: High Point, NC
Any catamaran is prone to flip, if you can't hold the windward hull down. But with the number of people you have to weight it, I can't see that being much of a problem.


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PostPosted: Sun Jul 21, 2013 6:03 pm 
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I had mine for 2 years and was only able to force the hull up out of the water abcouple of times. I was out by myself in about 18-20mph winds and it was a blast. I wouldn't do that with my family of course but it was definitely fun.


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PostPosted: Sun Jul 21, 2013 6:32 pm 
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Location: Baton Rouge, Louisiana
If you do actually get both I would be very interested in hearing your feedback from a family perspective. It's hard to imagine having more fun on the water than with an island but I always try to keep an open mind. I like the idea of faster in the wind and more capacity but hesitant about versatility and overall safety.

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PostPosted: Sun Jul 21, 2013 7:03 pm 
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I am not really going to get both though it would be nice. I need to demo a TI to see if it will suit our needs. If so I will probably just go with it and upgrade later if it doesn't suit our needs.


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PostPosted: Sun Jul 21, 2013 7:22 pm 
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Location: Central Florida
Keep in mind a plain TI, without tramps or haka will seem quite different, more like a stable canoe than a boat. Adding tramps and/or haka will make it feel much more roomy.

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PostPosted: Sun Jul 21, 2013 7:26 pm 
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Location: Beach Haven, NJ
Hi av8erdunn, boy you have a fun decision on your hands either way you go. I just went through a very similar decision making process. We're a family of three with my wife and I having a 4 year old son. We also sail and fish with my brother/sister in law almost every weekend.

We've had Hobie Cats for years and only recently started to try out the mirage/Island kayaks. I'll tell you, though... once we did we were hooked and just this weekend purchased a new Tandem Island. Here's what went into the decision. Compared to the H-16, the TI is a far more stable, generous, and forgiving platform for an extremely wide range of family activities. We can sail, paddle, peddle into areas that I couldn't ever dream of getting into with our H-16. We also don't have to wait for as narrow a set of wind and tide conditions. As far as thrills, they've been just as fun on the TI as any boat I've ever been on. All that combined with the fact that I'm 100x more comfortable with my young son on the TI (...he LOVES it and spends time easily transitioning between the tramps and fitting comfortably as a third person in one of the seated positions). And, what is perhaps one of my favorite aspects of the TI, is the amazing portability and lightning fast setup compared to the cat.

As my son gets older, I can see us evolving in our activities to meet expanding interests with offshore fishing, camping/expeditions, and other Hobie fun to keep us engaged and growing with our boat for years. The only element I don't seem to have or have better on my TI compared to the H-16 is the scream-across-the-bay-flying-a-pontoon-fully-extended-on-the-trapeze-white-knuckled-adrenaline-ride... But, that had become in time a more solitary pursuit that didn't fit the family and the joy we have together is a far better experience overall.

Either way you go, best of luck.


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PostPosted: Sun Jul 21, 2013 7:54 pm 
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Location: Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Great info richsteeves1! Hard to go wrong with a TI

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PostPosted: Mon Jul 22, 2013 5:23 am 
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Thanks for the great info!!! I think I am steeering more towards the TI after reading all of the good reviews and ease of assembly/ versatility.

Thanks again!!


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PostPosted: Mon Jul 22, 2013 6:26 am 
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Joined: Sun Apr 20, 2008 6:18 am
Posts: 3058
Location: Sarasota,Key West FL
Like Matt Miller says: 'There is no day you can't go out on TI, wind, no wind, it just doesn't matter'. As a family boat with the tramps, there is no equal to the TI. Plus they are near impossible to tip over, so relatively safe with children on board (of course there are exceptions to everything).
You will be amazed at how much distance can be covered even when there is no wind at all with the Mirage drives, especially with two people pedaling.
Many of us who go out in open ocean all have motors mounted to our TI's (same as you would do on your Getaway), but with the TI my motor is only used as an emergency backup in the event all else fails while offshore. 99.5% of the time, the mirage drives get you home just fine.
Coming from a Getaway you will likely be a little disappointed in the TI's sailing performance (compared to the Getaway), however it more than overcomes that with the mirage drives, and ease and speed of rigging (more time on the water), and best yet mine fits in my garage, so no storage costs. I have a trailer, and I cartop depending on where I'm going, either is easy.
When in Key west (we are there now for mini Lobster season) we typically car top so we don't have to deal with the trailer, and can just pull to the side of the road and launch pretty much from any beach or roadside. If you know Key West, we usually just go to Higgs or Smathers beach (free parking) and launch from the beach there (pretty darn easy)
Bob


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