Hobie Cat Forums

While on a rather lazy yak camping trip with some fellow islanders, Holger offered to do a AI capsize test for us all to observe and learn from. With flat fresh waters and a sunny sky it felt like a good time to do it. In the clip below he has a couple of cracks at it, both succesful. If you've wondered how you might go about righting your AI after capsizing it, watching this should help give you a good head start.

Its toward the end of the clip (relatively long):

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Founder: Modern Kayak Fishing
http://modernkayakfishing.com
Blue Water Kayak Fishing guy: SL Hobie
http://slhobie.com.au

Great stuff!

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Matt Miller
Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Hobie Cat USA

Very good!!
The video of the river looks a lot like my river - Nicholson River, Gippsland Lakes Vic Famous for black bream
I might have to come up and check out the Clarence after watching this
I noticed that he had one ama retracted to facilitate the capsize - so if this was done in a rough sea situation, you would have to release one of the amas and retrack and lock it in before attempting to right the AI. I can see that it would be very challenging I'd hate to think how hard it would be to right the new tandem
Maybe you could post a video when it's released shortly

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Mickey
2011 AI Golden Papaya
2011 TI Golden Papaya

Yes, that part of the Clarence is a lot like the Nicholson. I'm ex-Vic myself and know the river well.
I don't think it would be terribly difficult to fold the amas out at sea. All you need to do is find the support bar and release the knob. The TAI might be harder to right (don't really know yet) but it'll also be harder to tip is my guess.

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Founder: Modern Kayak Fishing
http://modernkayakfishing.com
Blue Water Kayak Fishing guy: SL Hobie
http://slhobie.com.au

Good stuff. On the Hobie 18 when turtled we used to stand on the stern of one hull to facilitate sinking the hull and allow the sail to rise up out of the water. I need to try this on my AI sometime but most of the areas I sail the mast would be stuck in the mud.

Yes, very interesting. I think that in some serious winds, especially with tramps, the wind would facilitate the righting of the boat. What additional measures will need to be taken if the sail is out when a person capsizes?

Keith

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I sail: S FL, Key Largo, Everglades to Cape Romano, Ft Desoto, Cedar Key

"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

All you need to do is to release the sheet line. It is not necessary to furl the sail. Also note that I've got the tramp in. That creates a lot! of resistance while rolling, and is the reason why it rolls so slowly. Without it would turn heaps faster.

Yes, agreed, but in serious wind, with both tramps on and both amas locked out, when the boat is turned on its side one tramp is going to be up in the wind--and the boat is going to take off with the ama/tramp acting as a sail. However, the other ama/tramp will act as a huge dagger board. The mast & sail will act as a drag & will orient towards the wind. The net effect, I think, of a tramp in the water and the other out of the water and vertical, the effect will be for the wind to force the boat upright with your help on the lee (downwind) side. At this point, one had better have a good hold of something or the boat is going to take off without you.

What we need is for you chaps to do this exercise in more realistic conditions--but maybe you don't want to mistreat your boat that way. Your audience (us), however, would be deeply appreciative.

Keith

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I sail: S FL, Key Largo, Everglades to Cape Romano, Ft Desoto, Cedar Key

"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

Somehow I can't really follow you. Why would it take off? To righten it, the sail needs to eather be furled, or the sheet line needs to be loose. In both cases the sail will create no power.
No matter what, you will need to fold one ama in. Otherwise the leverage is far to big, and you won't roll it, the tramp also 'sticks' to the water surface and makes it hard to get momentum. So it needs to be foldet in, which means it can't act as sail. I really can't see how it would go off..

And you are right, I won't do that 5 miles of shore, in 3 meters swell just for the fun of it.

I guess it is a bit hard to follow. I'm talking about 18-20 kt winds--when you might capsize. Or, maybe a aka brace breaks for some reason and you capsize in somewhat milder conditions. I do think if you were able to right an AI in 18-20 kt winds, even if the sheet line were loose you would have enough power on the mast, flapping sail, and boat to move it along. Its just a piece of advice in case one were in the situation of righting an AI in strong winds--you had better have a good hold on the boat when it comes up. It is a pretty light boat when no one is on board.

Keith

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I sail: S FL, Key Largo, Everglades to Cape Romano, Ft Desoto, Cedar Key

"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

Now I got you. Yeah, you'll get some drift, so yes get hold of it as quick as you can. But also make sure it doesn't hit you on the head.
Another thing is always swim around the kayak, don't dive through underneath. To many ropes and things hanging of it. You might easily get entangled...

We almost always travel with other AI's, so we have extra help available. The only time one capsized, we threw her a long throw rope had her tie it off to the windward side of an ama, and just pedaled downwind. It rolled up nice and easily. This was in 3-4' waves in strong gusty winds that had come up suddenly. The AI was very stable even upside down.

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http://KayakingBob.com - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2007, 2009 & 2010 Hobie AIs and a 2010 TI

K-Bob,

Seeing that picture of the AI turtled, I wondered about the possibility in rough water of one of the amas coming off. If you were alone, that could be a major problem.

Keith

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I sail: S FL, Key Largo, Everglades to Cape Romano, Ft Desoto, Cedar Key

"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

I doubt the amas would come off. They have the akas pushing up into them, and bungees holding them there. And if they did come off, they'd just float, not sink. Wouldn't be a drama.

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Founder: Modern Kayak Fishing
http://modernkayakfishing.com
Blue Water Kayak Fishing guy: SL Hobie
http://slhobie.com.au

Of course--I wasn't thinking straight.

Keith

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I sail: S FL, Key Largo, Everglades to Cape Romano, Ft Desoto, Cedar Key

"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