pegasus38 wrote:
Hello, all! I'm a new TI owner and fairly new to sailing as well. I've scoured these forums and have learned a ton, so thanks to all of you for sharing your wisdom here for newbies like myself
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I know that the TI is not prone to flipping, but one question I have that I haven't found an answer to is, what happens to the mast if you turtle/hulli a TI/AI in shallow water? The lake I typically sail in is only 10-12 feet at its deepest. Will the mast break/snap as it hits the bottom? Or will the boat just be propped into the air with the mast propped against the bottom of the lake?
Thanks in advance for your help!
The best advice I can give you is to never allow the TI to flip. Unless you plan to run offshore in heavy waves, this is largely preventable. All the info you need is in this forum.
First, ensure all the TI updates have been installed if you own an older model. The aka update should prevent them from separating. You can also install safety cables/ropes to further guard against this.
Next, install safety lines to prevent an ama collapse in the event of an aka shear bolt breakage. Or, alternatively, replace the plastic shear bolts with stainless steel bolts and accept the possibility of damage to the infrastructure if it collides with something. If the amas don't ever collapse, it's very hard, but not impossible, for the TI to overturn.
Finally, never sail the TI in winds in excess of around 20 knots. If you're caught on the water in high winds, completely furl the sails immediately and use an installed gas or electric motor to get safely back to shore.
If you do all of this, it's highly unlikely that your TI will ever overturn.