Thinking of getting a TI

sounds doable and not to bad. so the cart with the grey wheels stows easily? you mentioned a mod, was that to stow the cart? i was thinking of getting that cart as well, but i would like it to stow easily.

On the Trax 2 scupper carts, one side has a removable cart keeper (pin attached with a bungee) to "lock" the cart to the hull. I found if I cut 1 1/4" off the other tube, it will fit into the front hatch. I also use use the TI Cart Cradle to protect the hull and scupper tubes. I use a rat-tail file to enlarge the holes to make disassembling easier. This has worked well for me for years.

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Hobie Island Sailing since 2006

mrasmussen:
We have had TI's now for over 4 yrs and use the heck out of them, we are out every weekend somewhere kayaking or sailing our TI every single weekend all year round. When traveling with our camper (which uses the trailer hitch) we car top the TI, the rest of the time the TI just lives on our modified Harbor Freight trailer which I bought for $140 bucks at Harbor Freight and modified to use with the TI (added some PVC piping to slide and store the boat on, and added some aluminum to extend the trailer, I did all the work in one weekend, and have had the trailer now for over a year with no major issues. When we are launching someplace where I can't back up to the water it's pretty easy to just unhook the trailer from the car and walk it down to the water to launch. I see a lot of TI owners doing this at the local park were many of us launch. There is a nice beach area that we can launch at but it is right next door to the Sarasota Sailing squadron, and on many weekends there can be hundreds of small sail boats trying to launch from there at any given time, so when crowded, most of us unhook our boats from the car in the parking lot then either roll it down to the water on the scupper cart (a few hundred feet), or take it down by hand on the trailer, walking the trailer down to the shore. What I do with the trailer to make it easer to walk with is I load everything onto the boat (coolers, Mirage drives, sails, kitchen sink, etc) then slide the boat back on the trailer so the balance point is neutral (over the axles). This makes walking the boat anywhere you like and any distance way more pleasurable. Because the trailer is only around 140 lbs (will be much lighter once I convert all the old steel frame to aluminum, as it rusts away). I can roll the boat plus trailer over a fairly soft sand beach and deliver it to the water (the beaches here are typically very large and it can be 1/4 to 1/2 mile hike across super soft white sand (same consistency as sugar).

We have owned several Revolutions and an Oasis, we find the TI (as a kayak) no more difficult to load and launch from the cartop than the Oasis was (it's actually a little easier), and you will find the TI to be much faster as a kayak than your Revolution, even with two people on board, and only one pedaling (as in my case my wife only pretends to pedal, (LOL)). Plus the TI has plenty of storage and a huge rear deck so it is actually pretty easy to kayak rivers, etc in kayak only mode with two adults and a child on the rear deck, plus any equipment like coolers, tents, etc (the thing is extremely versatile).
I am not a big guy at all and am in my 60's and have always load/unload, setup and launched all the kayaks all by myself (sometimes as many as 3), pretty much every weekend, and when down in the keys we try to go out every day when we can down there. Our kayaks have lived on top of the car for as long as 2-3 months at times when we travel.
Here is our TI all set and ready to go on the roof of our SUV, ready to go to our other house in Key West. Rolling the boat to the water on the scupper cart is no more difficult than it is with you revo. What we do to make it a little easier is we remove the AMA's when transporting on the scupper cart any distance, and carry them separately (makes all the difference in the world).


When car topping, it takes me around 30 minutes to get the boats off the car, get everything out of the car and set it all up on the boat (seats, AKA bars, AMA's, tramps, etc), actually getting the boat off or back onto the car only takes 5 minutes, it's installing everything that takes the time.

Here is a video of me setting up our TI, it takes under 15 minutes to setup completely from the trailer to launch onto the water, my TI has a ton of extra sails and crap, that you won't be using (mine is specially hardened for far offshore use (we are scuba divers)), you won't need all that crap. Most guys are setup and on the water in about 5 minutes with a stock TI when launching from a trailer.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Az2_doAgzCM[/youtube]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Az2_doAgzCM

We used to be powerboater, but these days who in the heck can afford to do that. In my opinion the TI is the perfect family boat for this generation, there is literally nothing you can't use the boat for.
Here is my favorite TI video showing a family of 6 out for the day (wish we had something like this when my kids were small)
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pb4orK9MLXE[/youtube]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pb4orK9MLXE

Hobie totally invented a whole new class of family boat with these boats, that will have a significant impact on generations to come in my opinion. Best yet we just store ours in our garage, it costs nothing to operate and store (powerboat storage down here is $350/month), with gas at marinas costing $4.50 per gallon not many can even afford to take their powerboats out anymore.


Welcome to the Hobie Life.
Bob

I recently purchased an AI, which is about 75lbs lighter than the TI (115lbs vs 190lbs fully-rigged). However, adding my tramps, camping gear, food, and fishing gear, it probably weighed in near 175lbs. I just experienced the solo boat ramp scenario for the first time, and it was also my first time using the cart (Trax 2). Since this was a heavily-trafficked marina packed with trucks and fishing boats, I had to park up a hill where my Corolla could survive for the night. I managed to transport it down the steep hill with all my gear without killing myself, bottoming out, or suffering other forms of humiliation. Launching was fairly easy as well. Only after arriving at my overnight destination miles away did I realize I'd forgotten to remove the cart. I mean, it sailed okay, just not as fast as I'd remembered.

Re-inserting the cart turned out to be tougher than I'd thought. I ended up pulling off to the side and taking a little swim. Those Trax 2 wheels are quite buoyant, and my plan of inserting the cart with one arm while staying in the boat didn't work out. Attaching the cart in any scenario where I had to lift the rear of my AI would have been extremely difficult by myself. Finally, getting the loaded AI back up the boat ramp and up the steep hill 50 yards or so to my car was definitely strenuous (I'm 27 and in decent shape), but I managed it. If it had been a TI with an extra 75lbs, I would have definitely questioned my decision to go solo without a trailer. Then again, I wouldn't be car-topping a TI on my Corolla to begin with.

I don't know how much that helps you with the TI scenario, but that's my take as a fellow newbie who just lived the experience a few hours ago. I'd guess that it all depends on your physique, vehicle, and terrain.

Well, I ordered the TI with the hobie trailer. I know I could grab a cheaper trailer but I like that it is made for the kayak and should fit the best.

I didn't order a cart, I am going to take a look at the cart that fits in the scuppers as well as some other cart the dealer by my house offered, not a standard hobie cart.

I'm excited over the purchase, I just hope it doesn't deter me from going out more often since the kayak is larger and more cumbersome than my revolution. I was planning on selling the revolution, but we'll see, maybe I'll keep both. I post pics soon.

I have been sailing my TI solo about twice a week since June 2012, launching from its trailer, with no problems, despite having had a new hip, spinal fusion and laminectomy on my lower back. You will never regret your purchase!

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

The extra fun you will have should more than make up for the extra setup and weight. Enjoy!

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Hobie Island Sailing since 2006

Hello mr, I am a TI newbie about 2 months in and thought you may benefit from the launching scenarios I have had. I haven't not had kayak experience nor haven't anyone with me that has to point me in the right direction of doing things so it's all been trial and error.

I didn't buy a trailer with mine as I envisioned taking it on my camping trips and I already fill a trailer with gear. I also already fill my garage with car , work ute and trailer. So it gets topped on my pajero so far just on the standard roof racks and 2 cheapo ratchet straps to hold it.

I am a 6 foot 3 plumber who is above average strength and I will not lift it up there by my self. I need to put one end at a time up and someone to hold that end while I get to the other.

From the car to water I use the big sand tyers, I don't know the name but the house dealer said there was 2 types and these are the larger ones and I got the plastic mold that goes with them to reduce the buckling effect under the hull.i try to launch from sand rather than ramp as I find these wheels too buoyant to pull back out one the boat is in the water and it's too cumbersome to lift one end to get them out so I roll the boat to get them out then set up then set up and drag it in. The wheels sit behind you in the same holes while sailing with no problem
When I launch from the river near home I walk a similar distance to what you gave on the wheels but I am thinking I should get a second set of hard wheels to make it easier and they may be easier to get out I the water . Can I use two carts at once?
When I put in at the river there is some rocks to go over and I find I need my older boy there to help so I don't scratch it too much.

I am thinking of getting a light trailer to make things a bit easier by myself. Can any of the Austin guys point me in the right direction of something small and cheap?

... I've never done it, but one of the oldtimer tricks I've read about is to partially fill the tires with water

Supposed to make getting them back under the rig quite a bit easier

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Alan W.

Papaya AI2 to replace my well worn V1
TheTwins - His/Hers 2007 Papaya Hobie Adventure Island's (v1.00.01)
.. and a Hobie Outback SUV

Frodo, there are plenty of choices available. Some people buy a second hand PWC trailer and lengthen the drawbar, or you might consider Easytrailer
http://www.easytrailer.com.au/marine_sp ... ilers.html.

Your life will improve tremendously when you can just hook up the trailer and go. You can store your TI on it as well as long as you have cradles (and I would recommend rollers about halfway from the cradles to each end)

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

I just noticed on my order sheet that I am being charged $1769 for the Hobe trailer. I noticed in the catalog the trailer costs 1349. I called my dealer and he said that they order the cradle kit (227), and they charge 100 for shipping and 100 to build the trailer. I would have put it together myself if I would have known that. Is the $200 add-on charge normal (shipping and assembly)? They aren't charging any of that for the actual boat.

If you had ordered the trailer mail order you would have paid shipping any way, then you would have had to assemble the trailer yourself (it a pain). This way you just hook the complete boat and all to your car , in my opinion it's a bargain.
Bob

Cool, that makes me feel better. And it is like you said, they call me, I show up and tow the boat away. I do work hard each week and I don't have a lot of extra time, so spending the extra time enjoying instead of fighting the trailer instructions sounds good. As long as it isn't tightening a few screws that takes 5 five minutes. Thanks for the reply.

I have an 8 by 4 trailer with cage and canvas cover. I was thinking I might make a hard cover for the trailer it's self, take the cage off and build some racks to slide in then some sort of extension for the front hitch. Has anyone done something like this?

The advantage Im looking for is that I wouldn't gave to house another trailer.

The disadvantages are using a new expensive trailer around salt water and it would be a lot heavier and not as easy to use as a trolly for the TI

Rust can be a problem! I hose down my (galvanised) trailer every time I retrieve my TI, and so far, after 250+ retrieves, it seems to be wsorking. A non-galvanised steel trailer would be less successful though.

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