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PostPosted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 12:37 am 
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Joined: Sat Nov 12, 2005 10:46 pm
Posts: 3017
Location: Escondido
Note: This is a three part article on the Hobie i12s inflatable. Part 1 is about portability -- unpacking and packing. Part 2 shows the boat's features: http://www.hobiecat.com/community/viewtopic.php?t=7650 . Part 3 talks about on the water performance: http://www.hobiecat.com/community/viewtopic.php?t=7654.

Part 1: How portable is it?

To be honest, I have never been a fan of inflatables. We've all observed the misadventures of so many -- the boats that never seem to inflate all the way, those that won't deflate, those that, when contacting the cooler water, look more like bananas than boats, and those that are little more than sails before the wind, leaving their owners with the firm resolution that inflatable boats are for the birds!

So when the opportunity came along to try out the i12s for a day, I wasn't really expecting much. I couldn't have been more wrong! So lets take a look at what came in the bag.

The invisible kayak: I was concerned with having someone steal the boat while running errands on the way home from picking the boat up from the Rep. Could it actually fit in the back seat of the truck?
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Yes, there's a 12' boat in there!
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These wheels are included:
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These wheels are optional:
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Putting on airs: Someone claimed that the boat could be inflated in 3 minutes. That was surely an exaggeration, so I decided to time it in the real world.

Laying the boat out:
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Inflating one of the 3 chambers:
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Voila! Three minutes, rock hard; no experience -- I was impressed!
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Details, details: Here's a close up of the nozzle:
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And the fit:
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For those allergic to exercise, there is a cool accessory:
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Inflation side:
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Deflation side:
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Packing it up: Now to see if it will actually fit back in that tiny container if you're not Houdini (or a packing engineer). If so, how long does it take?

Ready:
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Valves open
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Folding (note the seat is still in the boat):
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And once more (air is exiting as I fold -- no waiting):
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Placing bag on top:
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Stuffing the corners (just like that form fitting sheet):
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Flipping it over and connect the cross straps loosely. No heavy lifting required:
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Cinch it up:
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Done. 10 minutes including pictures. With practice I think it could be closer to 5. The bagged boat (including wet seat) weighed in at 63lb. on my scale. I would estimate the bag at about 5 lb +/-.
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Here's the optional matching accessory bag. It contains drive, paddle and both pumps. I forgot the wheels, but wold have put them in the big bag, where they were originally.
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That's it for part 1. Sorry for the plethora of pics, but some people like all the details. 8)


Last edited by Roadrunner on Thu Aug 23, 2007 9:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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PostPosted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 6:19 am 
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Authorized Hobie Dealer

Joined: Mon Jun 02, 2003 7:35 pm
Posts: 1369
Location: 315 N. Hwy 79 Panama City Beach, FL 32413 850-235-2281
keep them comming!

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PostPosted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 8:09 pm 
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Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Fri Nov 19, 2004 6:56 am
Posts: 822
Location: Tallahassee, FL
Hey RR,
Great review! Like you, I was not expecting a whole lot, but I can see some excellent potential for additional ways to get into trouble with a yak!

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PostPosted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 9:18 pm 
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Site Rank - Admiral

Joined: Sat May 21, 2005 11:32 am
Posts: 218
Location: Portland, OR
So let's get to the bottom line: how much and when :P ?!


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PostPosted: Sat Jul 17, 2010 10:25 am 
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Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Tue Jul 13, 2010 9:29 pm
Posts: 10
Location: michigan
thanx for posting entire review...the folding and bagging part was especially useful. windlass aka judy


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