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PostPosted: Fri Jul 29, 2011 4:44 pm 
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Joined: Tue May 18, 2010 2:31 pm
Posts: 3068
Location: Kailua 96734
Cowsgomoo wrote:
The wetter you get the bigger the grin... :D
Just do it!

Embrace the wet! Get the AI!

More GPH ( :Dper hr) than any other yak!

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PostPosted: Fri Aug 26, 2011 11:11 am 
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Joined: Mon Aug 01, 2011 12:11 pm
Posts: 11
I bought a 2011 AI in late July and the main thing that attracted me to this sailboat was that it is truly cartopable. The kayak hull weighs 63 lbs. The amas are 15 lbs. each and the remainder, mast, akas, MirageDrive add up to the total fully rigged weight of 115 lbs.
But the main hull is what is a little heavy but workable as a cartopable.
I intend to rig an extender bar off one of my Thule roof rack bars to allow me a safe (for my back) way to get the boat up onto and down off the rack. But so far I have asked neighbors and passers-by to help me and that has worked well. I also bought a two wheeled cart to help me get it from my boathouse in the backyard out to my car in the driveway and assist in the short distance from parking lot to waters edge where I launch.
I drive a small economy car with no trailer hitch.
I'm an old sailer of monohulls Sunfish, Laser and C-15. But left sailing behind for the past 10-12 years having gotten into long kayaking.
Watching people sail this boat on Youtube caused me to fall in love with it.
The first day I took it out was a beautiful but hot day with a 10 to 15 mph wind which increased to 18 to 22 mph in late afternoon.
The speed that I achieved was nothing short of awesome and I spent five glorious hours doing one sreaming reach after another.
I was in some physical discomfort because I was too excited about the performance to take a rest and was not using the Mirage Drive and I think if I was I would have been more comfortable because my legs would have given me some exercise in that the seating designed to be ergonomically right for pedaling and my fatigue factor would have been less. Next time I will install the Mirage Drive for that reason.
I saw an older man going airborneo n a Hobie Bravo last summer in a twenty mph wind when I was paddling my CD Expedition and wanted one of those but they are heavier than an AI and here I am with an AI and I am very happy.

It is hard for me to understand how a 58 square foot sail can produce that kind of speed but it does and I appreciate that Hobie came up with a sail that does what this one does. The fact that you are seated only inches above the water has an effect similar to that of doing 20 mph in a go cart. The perception of speed is exaggerated by the close proximty to the water.
That big new rudder design results in very responsive handling.
I'm not used to steering a sailboat with a handle lever the size of a half strip Swingline stapler but it works so I will get used to it.

I hope you decide to go with the AI all at once.. You too will use the word awesome to describe the rate of acceleration and you won't be exaggerating.


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PostPosted: Fri Sep 02, 2011 8:13 am 
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Joined: Wed Aug 10, 2011 12:51 pm
Posts: 65
[quote="longkayakwithsail"]I'm an old sailer of monohulls Sunfish, Laser and C-15. But left sailing behind for the past 10-12 years having gotten into long kayaking.quote]

If you still had a laser, do you think you would sail it very often now that you have an AI? I will soon find myself in that situation.
thanks


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PostPosted: Fri Sep 02, 2011 11:33 am 
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Joined: Fri May 08, 2009 5:06 am
Posts: 1701
Location: Lake Macquarie NSW AUSTRALIA
I had a race with a Laser the other week in about a 10 knot wind. I couldn't quite match him on speed around a short course . The other bloke looked a bit lighter than me but I don't think the difference in weight was enough to make excuses. However over a long course with varying wind conditions of between 5 to 30 knots I know which I'd rather be in. And if the wind drops to nothing, you can always get home.

If there is a more versatile water craft on the face of the earth, I'd like to see it.

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PostPosted: Fri Sep 02, 2011 1:38 pm 
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Joined: Tue May 18, 2010 2:31 pm
Posts: 3068
Location: Kailua 96734
Slaughter wrote:
If there is a more versatile water craft on the face of the earth, I'd like to see it.

Image

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PostPosted: Fri Sep 02, 2011 3:28 pm 
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Joined: Mon May 04, 2009 5:02 am
Posts: 817
Location: Sydney - Parramatta
NOHUHU wrote:
Slaughter wrote:
If there is a more versatile water craft on the face of the earth, I'd like to see it.

Image


You win! :lol:

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