This is a concern I've had as well. I just joined this board but have been reading posts for about a week. I haven't purchased my AI yet but will probably make the purchase by October.
I'm a big guy (6'5"/255#) and weight limitations is something that has been on my mind since I decided to buy the AI. I was even wondering if I should get the TI and run it solo?
Anyway, I do plan to install tramps and a splash skirt to the font as our Hawaiian waters are almost always rougher than most seas on the east/west coasts of the US. I was already thinking of ways I could beef up a trampoline set or have a custom heavy duty set made. I thought that adding heavy web straps to a tramp set would do the job and will look into it when I have the products on my hands.
This raises another issue. Would the "super-tramps" put too much stress on the iakas if/when I climb my large frame out onto them? Would the iakas buckle under the load?
I've seen somewhere that some AI owners actually upgrade the AI iakas to TI iakas to improve seaworthiness. What are the differences between the AI and TI iakas? From looking at the product specifications the length appears to be the same. Are the TI iakas stronger/heavier?
Thanks in advance and Aloha!