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PostPosted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 6:13 pm 
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Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2007 6:14 pm
Posts: 3323
Location: South Florida
My AI has done a lot of bow diving. I don't try to avoid it like reducing sail or changing direction to the waves. My AI does the most diving when I am fully loaded running before the wind. Under these conditions, my boat is the driest inside--that is, when the bow is diving the most. I usually have a lot of gear in the front hatch, and that gear rarely shows a drop of water coming in from the bow hatch.

My boat takes on the most water when reaching especially when close hauled, when the bow does little diving. The most water gets in my boat when the stern is lower--when the T-n-S hatches, especially the stearn one, are frequently awash. For the TI, the stern hatch is slanted and should leak less.

The bow hatch is a good design. (1) it is slanted so water drains off, (2) it has a mote with 2 drains to aid in reducing water getting to the hatch opening, and (3) it has a double rubber seal protecting the opening. I have seen the front hatch leak when (1) something large & hard was put under the shock cords (this distorts the hatch cover which compromises the seals), and (2) when the bow was so full, the hatch cover had to be forced down before securing with the shock cords (there is upward pressure on the hatch cover, again compromising the rubber seals.)

Keith

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PostPosted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 8:34 pm 
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Location: Terrigal NSW, Australia
Perhaps I should add that it would be great if Hobie produced some sort of plastic cowling for the AI which would clip over the rear crossbar and create a bench behind the crossbar and rear akas - like on the Batboat, but I would prefer it a bit narrower (less bulky).
Apart from the sense of freedom from sitting up behind the seat well, it is a very effective way to counter the bow burying when going downwind with following waves. You don't usually need to be using the Mirage Drive in those conditions anyway, unless you are using it to try to surf the waves.

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PostPosted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 11:02 pm 
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Joined: Sat Nov 21, 2009 8:45 pm
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Location: Melbourne, Australia
1: Redesigned bow (for better buoyancy, less diving).
2: Bigger front hatch
3: Bigger twist-n-stow hatches (10")


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PostPosted: Sat Apr 09, 2011 5:04 am 
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Joined: Thu Jul 19, 2007 4:23 am
Posts: 39
Location: Belfast, Maine
Keith, Just wondering. Did you use the new lines and tubes with the check valves when you upgraded to the pull up and down rudder handles? That upgrade made a huge difference in keeping my bilge dry. Doug

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PostPosted: Sat Apr 09, 2011 6:24 am 
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Location: South Florida
To Doug, yes.

2 liters of water in the hull is typical--sometimes I get more, sometimes less on a typical day of an AI camping trip. I never worry about it coming in the front hatch, even through a rat chewed on the inside portion of the seal**. My wife's boat is relatively dry--because she is usually carrying 50-75# less weight?

Keith

**One evening a year ago, I closed my boat when there was a rat inside. After giving up on chewing into a plastic container with a couple of scones, the rat randomly chewed on a number of things including a 6" portion of the front hatch seal. The seal still works.

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PostPosted: Sat Apr 09, 2011 6:54 am 
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Posts: 15
My wish list would include a tighter plug for the Mirage Drive opening to help sailing performance. In the best of all worlds, there would be a handy way to stow the plug when it's not in use. I have added a little ring to the existing plug so I can tie a retaining line to the hull, but its awkward shape makes it hard to keep in one place and reachable at the same time.

My other wish list item is for a guide way of some kind that will locate the Mirage Drive when installing it under way. I have lost a couple of fins when I thought I had the drive in the right way (or an inexperienced guest was sure it was in the right way.) It's one thing to put the drive in while standing alongside the hull and quite another to fit the drive while sitting in the boat. Even if there were only a decal or painted stripe that helped to visualize the proper attitude for correct installation it would be helpful.

P Burling


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PostPosted: Sat Apr 09, 2011 7:04 pm 
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Joined: Sun Jan 16, 2011 9:18 pm
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Location: Virginia Beach, VA
I also added a gasket around the Mirage Plug and sailed with it for moths. Then during the EC I was taking on so much water over the bow that the well was not draining fast enough. I ended up ripping the gasket off.

How about a integrated self bailer in a tight plug??? Pop the plug in. Any water that gets into the well area gets sucked out by the forward motion...

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PostPosted: Fri Apr 22, 2011 7:31 am 
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Location: St. Charles, IL
Jim Brown, designer of the Windrider series has put together a clip of a mod he made to his W17. He calls it the Windfisher, but it's simple a ply platform that substitutes for tramps. Well thought out though and might be applicable to some of the mods being done over here as well.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-x-IaHTwqcE&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

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PostPosted: Fri Apr 22, 2011 8:50 am 
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Very nice!!


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PostPosted: Sat Apr 23, 2011 5:23 am 
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Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2009 5:57 am
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Location: Perth, Australia
Living Waters wrote:
Very nice!!


nice avatar name. My dad used to run a club in Oz called Living Water Dive Club.

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PostPosted: Tue Aug 02, 2011 7:07 pm 
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Joined: Sat Sep 20, 2008 8:19 am
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Location: Australia
Quote:
Perhaps I should add that it would be great if Hobie produced some sort of plastic cowling for the AI which would clip over the rear crossbar and create a bench behind the crossbar and rear akas - like on the Batboat, but I would prefer it a bit narrower (less bulky).


Chris, this is what I did to get a similar effect:

Image

Padded xbar mod. It works nicely :-)

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PostPosted: Tue Aug 02, 2011 7:42 pm 
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Location: Kailua 96734
Nice. Could have used that last Sunday.

Oh- that picture reminds me: add a sixpack-holding icebucket in the center hatch. :-)

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