Hobie Cat Forums

So I'm still waiting for my AI to be ready for me. Got a great deal by allowing the dealer to keep it for a couple weeks to use it as a demo boat for their demo day.

I took a look at the foam plug that goes in place of the daggerboard. On my boat it's tied to the metal loop just behind where the daggerboard goes. I read a Matt Miller post showing the correct routing of the Daggerboard bungee going through that loop, and I'm wondering if that foam plug is going to be in the way, or even if it's necessary.

I do plan on using the AI as a kayak at times, as my wife will have her Revolution, and we plan on kayaking together, but is the foam plug necessary? Who uses it? If you use it, is it really supposed to be fastened to that metal loop?

I know... some of these are random useless questions, but what's a guy to do when he's gotta wait for his boat?

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Yep, the plug is tied to that metal loop. The Bungree will slide in through there as well. The plug is handy if the dagger board is not inserted and helps stop splashing up though the hole.

Reasons you may not use the dagger board include downwind running or using the the pedals only.

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The loop is plastic.

I remove the plug from the loop and keep clipped inside the hatch for when I need it. I use a SS carabiner to both keep the daggerboard bungee from coming back out of the plastic loop, and to leash the foam plug when in use.

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http://KayakingBob.com - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2007, 2009 & 2010 Hobie AIs and a 2010 TI

If it is tied to the loop as normal, I found it is in the way when sailing with the dagger. So I retied the black line that holds the plug to the mash pocket directly above the plug. This way, I can easily put it in the dagger well, or put it out and store it in the mash pocket so it is not in the way, while it is always leashed and close to hand. For me this is very convenient.

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skua

That's a good idea. It would be good to stow it when not in use.

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That's the answer that I was looking for. I'm an "everything in it's place" kind of guy, and I noticed that when I took it out of the daggerboard hole, that their was no place to put it. It didn't fit up to the pocket, it just kind of sat in the middle of nowhere.

Thanks for the tip! I know what I'm going to do with it now!

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+1

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2010 Hibiscus Adventure Island

I replaced one of the sheet-metal screws in each of the mesh pocket frames with a small stainless eye. I think someone else did this up front, to hold a sprayskirt (I've been lurking too long - can't remember who). I did it in back, just to have two more places to leash small items, one of which is the foam daggerboard insert (which fits nicely in the mesh pocket).

The pic is of the wrong side, but you get the idea:



The guys on this forum say "leash everything," and I taken this to heart, but there seems to be a limited number of convenient places to leash TO. For this reason I've also replaced the pedal-keeper bungie dead-end with an eye. Since I seldom use the thing (mostly to help hold the mast to the deck when I'm packing up), this also means I can easly remove it if I want.

I recently bought an AI and am just getting used to everything. I like the daggerboard plug, but it keeps coming out when I go over a wave, seemingly pushed out by the force of water. Kinda defeats the purpose since then water comes in. Any suggestions to hold the plug in place?

Are you pushing it down enough? It should compress to be flush with the deck.

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http://KayakingBob.com - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2007, 2009 & 2010 Hobie AIs and a 2010 TI

I am not pushing it down to be flush with the deck, but I will try that. Since the plug seems to have a "top", I was assuming that it stayed above. If I forced it into the hole, it def would stay. Thanks!

I lost mine 10 minutes after I bought the boat. I found it vulnerable and annoying and have a sponge mainly used for soaking up unwanted pools of water that seconds as a plug when the daggerboard is not in place. It is only to stop splashes after all..Pirate

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Master of the galleon 'Pirates Lot'

You can have mine Pirate. I'm the same mate, ie: don't bother with it. It 'may' streamline the hull through the water but I doubt that it would be ever enough to notice or measure.

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Don't take life too seriously................it ain't permanent.

Ta mate. I'll collect it when we have our next dune AI outing...Pirate

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Master of the galleon 'Pirates Lot'