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PostPosted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 2:46 am 
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Location: Byron Bay, NSW, Australia
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I thought it might be helpful to make a collection of hints & tips for people who have just bought their AI, to make their start a bit easier. Some things will apply to the TI as well, but i am not sure, as I never was fortunate enough to sail one. Feel free to ad some more. Here we go:

• The best wind speed to sail the AI is between 5-20 knots. Below 5 it is not really worth carrying the Sail and outriggers. It is more efficient to use the hull only, or to go Polynesian style (the hull with one ama). Above 20 knots it gets a bit rough (depending on the water conditions & where you sail ).

• If the rudder gets over-powered, either pedal hard, furl your sail, or let your sheet line out a little bit. Also if your ama burries you boat is overpowered. Furl your sail to about where the H of Hobie is printed on your sail and you will go even faster thsn before with less forces on the rudder.


• While Sailing in high wind speed, hold your sheet line in you hand, so you can un-cleat and let it go at any time.

• I like to knot the furling and the sheet line together. This makes handling the lines easier.

• Amas are the 'floats', the Akas are the cross-bars holding them in place.

• Store your spare rudder pin in the holder moulded into the lid of the centre hatch, not the rear hatch; you can't open the rear hatch in open water without getting water in it.

• To exchange the rudder pin out on the water, the rudder should be up, not down (applys to the old twist & store, not sur about the new one).

• Be careful with the trampolines in high winds. The wind can get caught underneath and lift the ama up (you might tip over). Stop and roll them up if you feel the 'lifting'.

• The AI sails better with most weight transferred towards the back.

• Having the amas folded back while wheeling your AI on the cart, balances the AI better, and makes pulling easier.

• Carry & wear safety gear, familiarise yourself with rescue procedures, have a back up plan & let somebody know where you are going.

• If you tip over, fold one ama in. Make sure the sail is furled or the sheet line is loose. I've found it easiest to then step on the opposite ama ( the not folded one ) & to hold on to the drive, hull and daggerboard while it rolls back up.

• Don't forget to undo the stretch cord around the sail and rudder before you set off, as well as lifting the fins, rudder and daggerboard before you land
(don't worry, happens to everyone (:-)

• To trim your sail correctly, let the sheet line out to the point where the front edge of the sail starts to flutter, and then tighten it until the fluttering stops.

• When you sail upwind the daggerboard should point straight down, while if you are on a broad reach or running, the daggerboard can be folded up.

• Use tooth paste with UV 30+; you won't be able to stop smiling while you're out there for the first time!

• Whatever can get lost needs to be leashed: 'leash it, or loose it'. Don't leash yourself to the boat though.

• In case of a capsize, swim around the boat, don't dive through underneath it; too many entanglement hazards there.


Last edited by hollgi on Thu Dec 20, 2012 10:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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PostPosted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 3:16 am 
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Joined: Sat Nov 05, 2011 1:58 am
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Location: Forster, NSW, Australia
Another good one Holger

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Tony Stott
2012 Tandem Island "SIC EM" with Hobie spinnaker


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PostPosted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 7:03 am 
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Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2007 6:14 pm
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Location: South Florida
All good advice, Hollgi.

Keith

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"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex ... It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." A. Einstein

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PostPosted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 2:10 pm 
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Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2012 4:16 am
Posts: 21
Location: East Maitland NSW AU
Two great posts Hollgi,

Still chuckling about

"Use tooth paste with UV 30+; you won't be able to stop smiling while you're out there for the first time!"

Whether you penned it or stole it that's a great advertising grab!

Just wondering if no mention of sail tell-tales was deliberate? I have been sailing small boats for more than 30 years and only last year had their use explained to me! I know that most old salts can tell by the feel of the boat when they are trimmed correctly but since your post is for beginners I wonder if you could shed some light. (I assume AI's have them??? My TI does) 8)


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PostPosted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 7:44 pm 
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Location: Forster, NSW, Australia
And I thoroughly recommend a masthead wind indicator, fantastically useful $25 worth IMO!
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Tony Stott
2012 Tandem Island "SIC EM" with Hobie spinnaker


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PostPosted: Sat Dec 22, 2012 12:02 am 
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I thought it is one of the best tool to depict and indicate direction.It seems to be feasible also..

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PostPosted: Wed Dec 26, 2012 12:38 am 
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Hi everybody!
Nice post I just wonder if you could add one more advice... :P
I just bought my TI last week and the wind keeps going up to 30 knots and more! it doesnt disturb me anyway but I got big difficulties to launch from the beach with the heavy wind in the nose! I sail alone... when I hold the TI (sail rolled up)with water at shoulder level, I don't have enough time to jump in the boat!... The Kayac goes straight to the beach! This time I could take off with the help of a friend... but it's not the intention...
I am sure (I hope :roll: )some of you guys have had the same problem once ....
Happy New year !!!

John


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PostPosted: Wed Dec 26, 2012 2:14 pm 
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Location: Kailua 96734
John - sounds like a good time to use a pair of short surf fins to swim the boat out to deeper water. Pulling it from the bow should be easiest.

I've had to do this a couple times when encountering gnarly shore break on windward shores.


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PostPosted: Wed Dec 26, 2012 2:47 pm 
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Location: High Point, NC
CaledonianJohn wrote:
Hi everybody!
Nice post I just wonder if you could add one more advice... :P
I just bought my TI last week and the wind keeps going up to 30 knots and more! it doesnt disturb me anyway but I got big difficulties to launch from the beach with the heavy wind in the nose! I sail alone... when I hold the TI (sail rolled up)with water at shoulder level, I don't have enough time to jump in the boat!... The Kayac goes straight to the beach! This time I could take off with the help of a friend... but it's not the intention...
I am sure (I hope :roll: )some of you guys have had the same problem once ....
Happy New year !!!

John



I never had this problem with the AI, but the TI is just large enough to catch enough wind across the bow that trying to manipulate it from the rear of the boat requires a lot of effort and perfect timing.

The only way I've managed to do it is to get the bow pointed directly into the wind and then take a few quick strides (as quick as you can do in the water) and jump aboard, immediately dropping the centerboard and rudder and get on the pedals. If the Mirage Drive is already in place, so much the better. I figure I normally only get about 6 or 7 seconds to get these things taken care of before the boat is blown back on the shore.

Let's just call it, "excitement."


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PostPosted: Wed Dec 26, 2012 3:17 pm 
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Location: Ocean City, NJ
At least all you did was end up back on the beach. We had a similar thing happen trying to push away from our dock. We got pushed into the stern of a neighbor's boat (accompanied by a big thunk!). :oops: Thank goodness for unpainted plastic. We didn't leave a mark on the boat.


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PostPosted: Wed Dec 26, 2012 6:54 pm 
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Location: South Florida
Does anyone ever consider using the third form of Island propulsion, a paddle, under these conditions? It can be used as a paddle and a push-pole.

Keith

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2015 AI 2, 2014 Tandem

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex ... It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." A. Einstein

"Less is more" Anon


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PostPosted: Wed Dec 26, 2012 7:25 pm 
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Location: High Point, NC
Depending on the wind, a paddle is quickly overcome in the TI.


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PostPosted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 4:12 am 
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Thank you folks... I think I'll try NOHUHU advice and take a pair of short surf fins to swim the boat as far as possible from the coast before jumping in and paddle like mad !.... We go for a cyclone next week.... Well!...I'll wait a li'l bit before trying the method ... :wink:
http://passageweather.com/#[/img]


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PostPosted: Tue May 31, 2016 9:21 am 
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All I can add to this is if you let the rudder down loosely before you jump in, all you have to do is start paddling. I have a narrow lane between my dock and weeds to get out and if the wind is blowing it can get pretty tight. Its all good.

Mike


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