Akas/Trampolines Not Quite Right

Max,

Are you sure the braces are the correct length? I just measured and my TI braces are 22 inches times 2.54 equals 55.88 cm. My AI braces are 21 inches times 2.54 equal 53.34 cm.

Is it possible that they put AI braces on your TI?

_________________
Jerry D.
St. Johns, Florida
2010 TI
2008 AI

Max,
I doubt the brace balls would be out of place as they are molded into the hull.
Although anything is possible I suppose!
I think Jerry is on the right track. The AI and TI braces share the same parts except for the brace connector at the aka end.
Here a TI brace (top) and the AI brace are lined up evenly at the spring cap end. The difference is the longer end connector.
On my AI this part measures 29mm between bolt centres whereas the TI measures 41mm between bolt centres.


The tube only length for both braces (minus parts) is 46cm.

Thanks Stringy and Jerry for your comments!

I still think that fixing the 'angle of the dangle' would help. I've ordered the bits (brace balls), and I'll let you know how it goes.

Max,

Moving the brace balls to a new position but if you were given the wrong length brace bars wouldn't it be easier to get the right ones?

_________________
Jerry D.
St. Johns, Florida
2010 TI
2008 AI

Another option maybe to take them to a pipe shop and have them cut in half at some point. Then the 2 pieces threaded on either the inside or outside and have a sleve made or a cut internal bolt with matching threads male to female connects to make them adjustable be screwing in or out. Then you would have it fine tuned with no mistakes.

_________________
http://s909.photobucket.com/albums/ac294/gsammy925/

Another sugestion is to take it to the dealer and let Hobie fix it. It's a new boat that they put together incorrectly.

_________________
Jerry D.
St. Johns, Florida
2010 TI
2008 AI

Thanks all. It appears that I do have the correct TI end connectors, as they measure ~41 mm between bolt centres - thanks Slaughter.

What I had not realised is that the brace balls were fixed to a moulding in the hull, so changing the ball position doesn't seem like an option now.

Taking it to the dealer is not such an easy option either, he is 4 hrs drive from me.

Man, that is truly odd. Without the tramps do the Akas angle back as much or feel loose?

Damn, looks like you'll be adding another item to the checklist.

This probably won't help, but my mechanic would suggest "sailing in reverse" for the next hundred miles,..

_________________
The Wind Is Your Friend...

Max,

I swapped an AI brace with a TI brace yesterday and the angle in my aka seemed to be quite a bit more than what your pictures showed. Then when I put the TI brace back on and looked at it I realized that I have a bit of an angle to my akas also. I don't have tramps yet so I don't have your problem and I am not sure now if they are supposed to be raked back slightly or not.

_________________
Jerry D.
St. Johns, Florida
2010 TI
2008 AI

Captain Max

Those akas look angled wrong, at least compared to Hobie's photos that show akas parallel to each other and perpendicular to the hull.



Either the brace is wrong or the brace balls got put in the wrong spot.
That or the ama has holes molded in the wrong location

Sure is odd

....or the aka brace tabs are welded in the wrong place.
All unlikely though!

The akas on my TI are essentially at right angles to the amas and hull.
See Yakaholic's thread and photo above.
My tramps fit the akas and are rectangular. The tramps fit parallel to
the gunnels.

There does seem to be some kind of mis-fit on your TI, which is why your
tramps 'overlap' the hull. A rectangle won't fit correctly on a parallelogram
shape.

The dealer checked his display TI, and found the same issue, akas raked aft a bit.

When I have time, I'm going to try to determine how much 'longer' the braces would need to be to square up the akas. I don't think it will take much, maybe 6-12mm (1/4-1/2"). Then I'll see how much material is in the piece that bolts to the aka (inside the brace tube), as it might be possible to modify that.

_________________
Cheers, Max ● TI: the "Yella Terra" ● Website: www.MadYakker.com ● YouTube: madyakkermax

Max,
Placing a straight edge on the hull and aligning it with the rear crossbar the TI aka are indeed raked back.
Measuring the aka at the aka collar (the ring that sits in the ama at the bungee) there is a rearward rake of 5-6cm.

Well, if on some TIs the akas are raked back and on others they are perfectly square then there is a pretty big variance in construction that Hobie needs to address. It may be something quite simple but both boats can't be right.

The tramps won't fit correctly on raked back akas. The most stability and strength should be squared-up akas, and considering the picture and how the AIs are constructed I'd say the raked back ones are wrong.

It would be interesting if performance can be improved by adjusting the aka angles or altering the "tow in" or "tow-out" characteristics of the amas.
But like Tidlewave said "A rectangle won't fit correctly on a parallelogram
shape."

I have only Islands and put off buying the Tandem version. Still want a TI so I follow all the problems with interest.