Perfect sailing conditions today - 15 to 25 steady winds with gusts to 35 MPH. I sailed for 4 hours and occasionally touched 17 to 18 MPH. I can't do any more with the TI. Maybe someone else can but no matter how much more wind or how powerful the gusts, any more than this and she just rounded up or broached. Perhaps that was my fault. With only one person on board she was fast but tricky to handle. I don't see how this boat can go any faster, unless perhaps I had a passenger to get out on some tramps and keep her flat. But surely the extra weight would bring the speed down some.
I kept the sail fully out, never furled it an inch. I should have tried furling just a tad but was having too much fun being right on the edge. Water was 48 degrees, which proved invigorating every time a bucket full landed in my crotch.
Still plenty exciting - I kept it up for 4 hours. Only two other boats on the water today, one a Hunter 14 and a HobieCat 16. Both capsized shortly after launching. One turned turtle and had to be rescued, although the skipper is known to be quite a good sailer. Just some very powerful gusts today.
The Hobie Islands are very fun and very forgiving, especially for a sailing hack like me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-pd0Ojo ... e=youtu.be