Hobie Forums :: View topic - AI long term storage on cradles

mikereddy wrote:

I went with three cradles and a bow support on my trailer. Seems fine after 9 months storage on the trailer. Not so sure about two cradels. Maybe someone else can chime in.

Curious--why not use the trailer as your storage rack? I built a Winter frame and cover for the Northeast here, and the boat lives always on the trailer, always ready to go in season. It's a heavier boat than the AI.

Thanks. So you were able to buy individual cradles and not a pair/set? I see your point about storing on the trailer. Most days i launch by cart from my yard. The trailer is only for road trips and has to do double duty for a 16' whaler (assuming i can pull this design off).
thanks again

Author:	narwhal [ Mon May 14, 2012 1:13 pm ]
Post subject:	AI long term storage on cradles
Would it be OK to store an AI full time on the two Hobie cradles plus some additional support near the bow? I am thinking of having the boat trailer mods i am planning to hold two AIs be removable to be used also as a ground rack for the boats in the yard. thanks in advance

Author:	mikereddy [ Mon May 14, 2012 2:03 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: AI long term storage on cradles
I went with three cradles and a bow support on my trailer. Seems fine after 9 months storage on the trailer. Not so sure about two cradels. Maybe someone else can chime in. Curious--why not use the trailer as your storage rack? I built a Winter frame and cover for the Northeast here, and the boat lives always on the trailer, always ready to go in season. It's a heavier boat than the AI.

Author:	tonystott [ Mon May 14, 2012 3:06 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: AI long term storage on cradles
Matt Miller has already posted that storing a TI on its cradles is fine.. adding additional support front and back can only enhance the suitability

Author:	narwhal [ Tue May 15, 2012 8:08 am ]
Post subject:	Re: AI long term storage on cradles
mikereddy wrote: I went with three cradles and a bow support on my trailer. Seems fine after 9 months storage on the trailer. Not so sure about two cradels. Maybe someone else can chime in. Curious--why not use the trailer as your storage rack? I built a Winter frame and cover for the Northeast here, and the boat lives always on the trailer, always ready to go in season. It's a heavier boat than the AI. Thanks. So you were able to buy individual cradles and not a pair/set? I see your point about storing on the trailer. Most days i launch by cart from my yard. The trailer is only for road trips and has to do double duty for a 16' whaler (assuming i can pull this design off). thanks again

Author:	Geordie [ Fri May 18, 2012 3:31 am ]
Post subject:	Re: AI long term storage on cradles
narwhal wrote: mikereddy wrote: I went with three cradles and a bow support on my trailer. Seems fine after 9 months storage on the trailer. Not so sure about two cradels. Maybe someone else can chime in. Curious--why not use the trailer as your storage rack? I built a Winter frame and cover for the Northeast here, and the boat lives always on the trailer, always ready to go in season. It's a heavier boat than the AI. Thanks. So you were able to buy individual cradles and not a pair/set? I see your point about storing on the trailer. Most days i launch by cart from my yard. The trailer is only for road trips and has to do double duty for a 16' whaler (assuming i can pull this design off). thanks again I have only been able to buy the cradles for my TI in a pair in Australia. Man you are lucky to be able to launch from your yard. I am quite a few kilometers from the sea and I thought I was lucky. MY AI has been stored on the pair of AI cradles for three years now and I believe they are well supported that way. the cradles fit perfectly and are well padded. However, on my TI it is a different story: I tried using two cradles for my TI as has been posted elsewhere as the recommended spacing of 67" and I found that this places the cradles under the soft underbelly of the TI and in only three months from new, it has started to show a definite indentation where each cradle was located. Sorry Mat, (or was it Jacques who posted this spacing?) not intending to give you a hard time, and I know why this spacing is the same for trailer fitting for AI and PA, but it is not the best spacing for support of the much longer the TI. I have to also say that the quality and fit of the new plastic TI cradles is in my opinion sub-standard compared to the older fiberglass cradles I have for my AI. They have already started to show cracks on the outer aka support after three to four month use from new. I have moved the front and rear cradles out so that they are each under a better supported part of the hull. Front cradle under the front mirrage drive hole and rear cradle under the rear seat where ther is the support of the seat drain scupper holes. I have now purchased a second pair of cradles. One of these wil be mounted under the centre of rear mirrage drive hole for middle support. Mounting a third cradle needs to be done so that it is set down quite a bit from the front and rear because of the curve of the hull down in the middle. The extra cradle I have made into a dolly cart to wheel the TI down to the beach where there is no access for vehicles and a trailer. I figure this gives me the best of both worlds: I have a trailer to cart it to the boat ramp or launch from the beach, the trolley/dolly for paths to the beach and I have a side loader roof-rack for when I do a 4x4 trip to a remote rough track location where I can not take a trailer.

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