AI2 Availability?

Today I went down to the local Hobie dealer - perhaps prematurely, as I have yet to sell my windsurfing stuff - to talk price/availability.

The spiel I got was that he orders a couple dozen boats once a year in October for delivery in March - and does not stock AI's at all so I would have to special-order it six months in advance.

He also said that Hobie has sold out it's production runs through some date that I do not recall (end of summer?) but that, given a model/color, he might be able to scavenge among dealers in the area.

Anybody have better availability in their area?

If I am going to have to custom order and wait six months, I don't see how a brick-and-mortar dealer is adding any value - and maybe drop-shipping from somewhere would be cheaper and save me a couple of round trips to a dealer. (??)

Bottom line, the situation seems to favor waiting for release 2.1.... where maybe Hobie will add back the handles and a few attachment points they dropped from v1.

Comments?

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2015 AI in "Dune" - "The Grey Pig"
2017 Trailex 450 Trailer
Pre-September 2015 cradles
(anybody want to buy a slightly-used AI SpinKit?)
eMail: [email protected]

That "spiel" doesn't indicate good customer pre sales support.
Let us know where you are from, I'm sure other dealers can do better, notwithstanding the short supply.
Cheers,
Brian in South Australia.

Yes, people can't help much if they do not know what area of the country/world you live in. Please go to your Hobie profile and add a general or specific area. Some people put in their area code, but something we can all recognize is the most helpful.

I agree with ChangeMan that your first dealer does not sound very dependable. I bought my AI 2 mail-order because my locals are not very helpful. It may be worth going some distance to find a reliable dealer.

Keith

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2015 AI 2, 2014 Tandem

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex ... It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." A. Einstein

"Less is more" Anon

This is just a theory on my part. I'm wondering if the shipping costs have anything to do with availability. Whereas the larger dealers have a huge advantage over smaller dealers. I suspect the smaller dealers have to stockpile many orders over a long period of time to justify a full semi trailer of kayaks, this is I suspect why the delivery is sometimes so long (regardless of boat/kayak type).

(Edit: extra dribble removed, i tend to ramble lol)
Bob

FWIW, I found it interesting and was glad to have read it before it was snipped.

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2015 AI in "Dune" - "The Grey Pig"
2017 Trailex 450 Trailer
Pre-September 2015 cradles
(anybody want to buy a slightly-used AI SpinKit?)
eMail: [email protected]

I don't want to impugn the dealer in question.

The guy has to make a living and I am more interested in the realities of why things are the way they are and where they may be different.

That being said, I am starting to lean towards a used AI-1:

• There seem to be people successfully cartopping AI-1s via Hullavators - so it's more of a known quantity in that respect.
  .
• The cost is lower
  .
• If I hit it right, availability is immediate
  .
• If it turns out that I have proof-of-concept, I can always sell the AI-1 and get an AI-2.
  .
• OTOH, If it turns out that POC is not happening, I can sell the AI-1 without taking too much of a bath.
  .
• AI-2 right now is version 2.0. If I wait long enough, maybe v2.1 will include the handles and various attachment points lost when they moved from v1.x
  .
• Sooner-or-later used AI-2's will be hitting the market - so, again, later is better.
  .
• With everything else I've owned (bikes, surf skis, paddles, windsurfing gear) starting at a lower-end made me appreciate and enjoy the higher-end stuff all that much more.

There's more, but you get the drift...

_________________
2015 AI in "Dune" - "The Grey Pig"
2017 Trailex 450 Trailer
Pre-September 2015 cradles
(anybody want to buy a slightly-used AI SpinKit?)
eMail: [email protected]

Bob can probably talk to it better, but I think the AI 2 is changed significantly from the AI 1.

PeteCress:
Sounds like a wise choice to me. There is a flood of used AI-1's out there right now as people are rushing to the new AI-2 and many of the prices I'm seeing are pretty good, and there are lots of them on Craigslist. If you can get a hold of a 2013 or 2014 (possibly with a little of the 2yr warranty left) it would make a great first boat. I'm a TI guy and all my experience is on the TI's because we needed the extra seating capacity we never even looked at the AI. As far as I can see the only major difference is one seat on th AI vs two on the TI. The only real complaint I recall being the seat being mounted below the waterline, but that's esily fixed with a seat pad or I-comfort seat pad (from Hobie). I suspect the majority of the boats sold are all bought with good intentions, but truth is few are used more than a few times (like home exercise machines lol). Starting with a used one is probably wise, like you say if you really end up liking the hobby, you can always update to the latest and greatest once your sure you are going to use the heck out of it. I know we use the heck out of our TI and just love the thing.
Hope this helps
Bob

Firstly, I wouldn't hold your breath for a date for release 2.1... The handle molding was dropped because water was being funnelled into the lap of the occupant, and Hobie's efforts for a workaround proved fruitless. Any other issues are definitely too minor to even consider waiting. The AI2 came out over six years after the initial release, and while there were lots of running changes, I would not expect to see any further changes to moldings any time soon.

However, don't procrastinate! These things are awesome, and your "proof of concept" is an absolute no-brainer, I have NEVER heard of anyone getting rid of their AI because they were disappointed, only where they wanted to trade up to a TI to share the fun!

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

Smart move Pete, get an Attwood Centric I seat (see the thread here) for the AI1 and your golden. In fact the seat is more comfortable than the 2015's. For $260 extra (for the seat), you get a great comfortable ride.

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Mark
Tandem Island- 2013
2 - Sports - 2014

Another possibility would be to call around to dealers, and find out if any have any new AI-1 or AI-2's in stock, if they do then discuss a dealer to dealer transfer of the boat to your local dealer. You will likely still need to pay shipping from the one dealer to the other. But you stay in the good graces of your local dealer and you still get a shiny new 2yr warranty (I believe warranty starts from date of purchase from an Authorized dealer (regardless of the date of manufacture (this would need to be verified of course). Since you are doing all the leg work finding the boat, And making most of the arrangements I would think the dealers would cooperate with each other, after all they are in business to sell boats (as I explained it's the left over inventory that kills them).
I just did a quick search on craigslist and there is a brand new 2013 AI with trailer sitting at wind and waterworks near Butler PA for $3500, with new warranty, thats a very good deal. With the trailer means you only need a hitch to go get it yourself, even if its a few hrs drive it's way worth it (and way cheaper than shipping, even if you rent a vehicle to go get it. This is why we keep our teen age kids around, so they can go pick this kind of stuff up for us (lol).
Hope this helps
Bob

Can anybody ballpark dealer cost on a 2014 AI?

I have found one for sale by a dealer in my general area - but with no price specified - which I interpret as "We need to get rid of this thing and will take what we can get...."

I'm thinking that offering a wash cost-wise might have a certain appeal to him.

_________________
2015 AI in "Dune" - "The Grey Pig"
2017 Trailex 450 Trailer
Pre-September 2015 cradles
(anybody want to buy a slightly-used AI SpinKit?)
eMail: [email protected]

The new 2014 AI's we're 4K. Offer 3K. Then get yourself an Attwood seat.

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Mark
Tandem Island- 2013
2 - Sports - 2014

What is AI2? New boat I have not heard of??

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2012 Mango Tandem Island
and assortment of mods.

It's just what they are calling the latest model AI to distinguish it from the previous model AI since there were so many changes.

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2015 Hobie Tandem Island Hibiscus
"Third Normal Form"

• Trampolines
• Hobie cover
• Davis Spar Fly
• Kayakbob's Sprayskirts
• Spine Board Hakas