Hobie Cat Forums

I would just add that my new hull leaks much more than my 2008 did. All the fittings are tight and clean.

With the new side handles the cockpit is full of water much of the time, and the aft deck storage seems wetter. My coolers flood all the time now.

Tramps help a bit with the splash zone issues, but I rarely use them lately.

We see similar penetration on other AI's and TI's that I sail with, but its dissapointing. Need to do a leak test to pinpoint the sources, I guess.

Don't rule out the mast fittings and tiller as sources of leakage.

Yes, I'd be a fan of better sealing the front hatch.

Thanks for that comment Keith! Very wise words. Some of the AI's does not leak at all or maybe they are not tested in right conditions. Who knows?
As said before, I love my AI, but before I really can wish for higher seat or added freeboard or some other genius modification, I wish for watertight hull.
The small extra effort to add sealant to all fittings and fix watertight rudderlines etc etc, I can take. But the fact (or my opinion) that ALL hatches are leaking water must come first. Therefore is my dream a watertight hull that I can trust on. Then comes the rest...

br thomas

Sounds like you might want to try the Tandem Island. I have one and the ride is dry (in the back), it can carry more than you need. There is little if any changes I would make on the new 2013 TAndem Islands.

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Steve

Well, I do agree the the water tightness could/ should be improofed.

A friend of mine went to the hardware store and got self adhesive foam seal, normally used for windows or doors. Its soft foam about a inch wide and maybe 8 mm thick and glued it into the front hatch / lid where the original rubber seal presses against the lid. So now it is rubber seal against foam seal.
That helped him a lot.

Regarding the TI. I would love to own one, so I could share my passion with my family.
But for a solo trip I would definitely keep using the AI.
It's hard enough to drag a AI up a steep beach, can't imagine to drag a fully loaded TI up the beach. Just thinking about it hurts my back...

Has anyone installed an electric bilge pump? Where would you locate the pump and drain?

1- Replace the 8" hatches with larger rectangular hatches (similar to the new Outback) that allow better access so that packing the hull is easier.
2- Better rudder line routing so it doesn't get caught up with what is packed inside the hull.

As to the other issues mentioned adding haka has solved the 'face full of water' wet ride, and the bow diving.
Wearing Goretex pants/shorts stops the soggy bottom. A higher seat would be a disadvantage in kayak mode.
It's probably unrealistic to expect a rotomolded hull with so many penetrations to remain 100% dry. Packing everything in dry bags (lots of small ones) guarantees your gear remains dry.

@ Laukahi



I have. Here is the description:

http://modernkayakfishing.com/articles/rigging/82-electrical-bilge-pump-for-kayaks

I have it under the rear well, by now i would install it right in the back behind the rear hatch.
Be very carefully relying on a normal hand bildge pump. It doesn't work in an AI!
You need at least three better four foot of hose attached to the hand pump to make it work.
All the water accumulates in the rear, the air in the front, so you can't actually reach the water from the centre hatch without modifying the hand pump.
By the time there is enough water that you can pump from the centre hatch you already have heaps of water in the hull and hardly any controll at all- you are going down.
That's why I went with the electrical setup.

One more tip for waterproof connections:
I solder everything, then I put lots of silicone around the connection and then shrink heat shrink tube over it while the silicone is still wet. Done right the silicone squeezes out of both ends and you have a 100% waterproof connection.

1: A broader/higher prow to negate the submarining and nose-diving nonsense...

2: Bigger hatches all-round - the front hatch as big as, or bigger than the Revo, and 10" hatches centre and rear.

3: Higher and drier seating position - an 'official' Hobie skipper-seat would be nice.

4: Less weight! A carbon/kevlar version would be the ultimate!

Cheers,

Mike.

Yeah I can follow you on the 10" hatches, 8" is quite a squeeze sometimes, just not sure if they would fit.
With the front hatch, is it really that much smaller? Had a Revo years ago, but I can't remember it as that much bigger?

A Hobie skipper seat would be great!

I'm pretty sure that the Adventure's front hatch is a little bit bigger than the Revo's. The difference with the Revo is that the hatch ends right at the footwell, so it's closer to the user. I'm working off of memory here, but I always remember that the Adventure was just a little bit easier to fit some of my bigger things into than the Revo was when we had one of each.

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I'm pretty sure that the Adventure's front hatch is a little bit bigger than the Revo's. The difference with the Revo is that the hatch ends right at the footwell, so it's closer to the user.

That's how I remember it too. But that setup is not practical on the AI because of the mast...

given choices, I would make both the AI and the TI significantly longer and narrower. Maybe, 18~19' for the AI and 22~24' for the TI and both boats 18~22" wide.
Fiberglass, kevlar, or carbon-fiber would be super also.

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2011 Golden Papaya TI with a 250 square foot spinnaker!
also a more manageable 100 square foot spinny...
&
the TI3 rear ama mod

I do understand the facination with fibre hulls. But it would probably double the price of a TI and I am quite happy that my AI is HDPE.
I can drag it over the beach or rocks without tears in my eyes..
Cheap and indestructible, I can understand Hobies material choise.

Ok, Ok - a full carbon/Kevelar AI would be F@#^*g awesome, after all the title says 'Your dream AI'.

$4-5K for a carbon fiber surfski here. Plastic flexes and takes a beating. I'm happy w that.

Would like to see some internal "skeleton" bow reinforcement to allow for attachment of larger mainsails, jibs, anti dive foils, spray diverters etc.

A nice skid plate would help too. Replaceable.

I used to have a Delta Kayak made out of this stuff. It was light, and stiff, and not very expensive. This is what I'd like to see a performance AI made out of.

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