Glad it was helpful!

Enjoy the TI videos. Thank you for your service! During the long winter months....I just let the videos play to keep my spirits high. I have about 8 more hours of 4K video that I am working on .....from 2018 TI sailing offshore - Florida....

You can do it! Does take practice and expect a few failures along the way. I use the videos to help me identify areas for improvement ;-)

@@seewind thanks for the encouragement! I shall persist! 🙂

Yes Surf launches can be challenging but also rewarding. Enjoy.

Yes, this is one of the purposes of these videos is to share experiences (good and not so good) in the surf and offshore in the Hobie TI. A blast and lots of fun - but good planning and experience is a must for surf launches and landings.

A few have tried bow lifters. See this video. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/fdRoZLx80rzQkp8.html. As for the camera, the Garmin Virbe Edit video software reads the GPS data files and has instrument video overlays that can be added to the video.

Agree - paddle could help. Will try this in future surf launches.

I use both Garmin and GoPro action cameras. Post video processing pulls gps data from the data files and displays this as instrument video overlays.

Yes - Both - I always try to share my failures....great way to learn.

Obrigado!

Yes. I have safety lines installed including safety lines for each AKA joint... but the day before I had an AKA failure.... and I replaced the broken AKA but had not yet replaced the AKA joint safety line..... the Sea always finds your weakness!!! ..... and yes.... I travel with spare AKAs.....

The answer to your questions is uncertain. The day prior to this capsize in the surf I experienced a failure where the rudder pin snapped snapped. This caused a sudden lost of steering in the middle of breaking waves. The TI got sideways as a big wave broke on the boat. I did not capsize but did fold and break the port side akas (folder over at 54:24 in the video). I believe the replacement akas were correctly installed (clicked in) but not 100% certain. The force of multiple waves hitting the forward akas prior to the failure most likely loosen the aka joint and the final big wave separated the joint. To add insult to injury, I normally have safety lines installed to protect the aka joints...but failed to reinstall them when I replaced the broken akas the day before! I am hoping the new stronger aka joint pins that Hobie recently released will help reduce this failure in the future..... still going to use the aka joint safety lines.

The answer to your questions is uncertain. The day prior to this capsize in the surf I experienced a failure where the rudder pin snapped snapped. This caused a sudden lost of steering in the middle of breaking waves. The TI got sideways as a big wave broke on the boat. I did not capsize but did fold and break the port side akas (folder over at 54:24 in the video). I believe the replacement akas were correctly installed (clicked in) but not 100% certain. The force of multiple waves hitting the forward akas prior to the failure most likely loosen the aka joint and the final big wave separated the joint. To add insult to injury, I normally have safety lines installed to protect the aka joints...but failed to reinstall them when I replaced the broken akas the day before! I am hoping the new stronger aka joint pins that Hobie recently released will help reduce this failure in the future..... still going to use the aka joint safety lines.

Thanks for that, you've led me to a couple of useful mods for my AI

Need extra thrust to push out through the waves.

Crossing shallow sandbars.

I cringed too! Not certain if your comment refers to the aka join separation followed by a capsize of the TI in the surf with the sail up as recorded in the first 15 minutes or so of the video or the ama / aka folder over at 54:24 in the video. I have busted a few akas during surf launches. Not pretty. I have tried to take the TI out through the surf with the amas retracted but have moved away from this approach. Two main reasons - I need the power of the sail to push through the heavy waves. Second - occasionally need to run out over unexpected shallows (hidden sandbars) that limit use of the Mirage drive.... While not very clear in the video .... the root cause of the ama fold over at 54:24 in the video was the unexpected loss of the rudder a few seconds prior to the failure followed by a wave taking out the TI broadside with the force folding over the port side akas. These two failures are related. The TI aka fold over actually occurred the day before the TI capsize. I replaced the failed port size akas with spares that I carry, but in my hast to get back the water I failed to reinstall the aka join safety lines that is use to protect each aka joint.....and paid for this mistake with the aka joint separation and capsize in heavy Atlantic Ocean surf. The TI capsize and tumble in the waves also snapped both starboard and port side brace pins (which probably saved the akas from damage (all four aka arms survived the capsize (to my amazement)). Time is another factor. The wavelength between waves crashing on the beach can be very short 5-8 seconds. Time to take corrective action when....you .... suddenly have no rudder to steer and a big wave is seconds away is very limited.... This is the second of two videos showing surf launches and recoveries....as always....the failures are more interesting to study....but there are a bunch of fun successes also sprinkled in... ... Enjoy!

Yes the tramps will help hold everything together. I have sailed my TI in both the Gulf of Mexico (Florida) and the Atlantic. i find the Atlantic swells have a bit more power. I used safety lines to help keep the Almas out in case of a AKA pin failure. I also tie each AKA to the Cross bars for extra safety (as you may have seen I did have one pop out (that was not tied down) in a big wave). When sailing solo I generally do not use the tramps. This also helps reduce stress on the TI from big waves crashing down on the tramps.

Yes, need to be very careful in the surf. Not recommended for new sailors. Lots of fun. But you can snap the Aka arms quickly in the surf.... I learned the hard way....

This is a video showing failure points. Overall the Hobie TI holds up well in surf and shoal conditions. Recommended only for experienced sailors and kayakers!

Watch the of 3 tandem island going out with the ARC 2015. Will prove the reliability of a TI. Atlantic Ocean, 6-8 ft swells and a capsize.

Agree the TI gives you a good thrill - especially in the surf zone. Just spent close to two weeks in the Atlantic Ocean surf....bunch of new videos in the works....takes a fair bit of time to stitch together the long 4K videos....

Sorry for the very late reply.... Yes, in this and other surf videos I had the rudder pin snap which disabled the rudder in the middle of the surf (not a fun feeling). I some cases the waves pushed the TI backwards and the rudder hit the sandbar popping the pin. Best bet is to power through with both the sail and mirage drives (and sometimes an outboard) providing maximum thrust. The wave sets and size are very unpredictable and hard to time in these waters.

Yes - breaking past the surf is key. Speed is a must in the surf zone....no place to go slow or be timid. I look to get good speed any way I can, sail, pedal, motor... speed is need to punch through the waves. If you go slow the waves push you backwards which can put the rudder at risk of breaking the rudder pin when the TI scrapes the bottom....I have busted 7+ pins this way over the last 5 years.

I felt the same way for a fair number of years. Been pushing paddle kayaks and Hobie Mariage kayaks into the surf for many years. I had a Hobie Outback that worked great for the most part. Even had the small sail kit installed. I sold it and moved up to the Hobie AI and then the Hobie TI. I also have a Hobie Revo 13 that I take out into the surf on low wind days......but.....sailing is in my blood......the pull of the wind.....and the sea....takes me to the Hobie Tandem Island. Love the boat. While the video shows what can happen during a failure.....many more successes with thrilling fun sails in the surf and in other waters. I take many safety precautions and have installed safety lines and other backup measures to provide for a safe return. Agree - TI and surf are for experienced sailors!

Agree. I have used a single hull kayak for years in the surf and still do. Agree outriggers and surf do not mix well. I have broken several Akas on my TI over the years. That said.... the joy and excitement of launching and returning from surf launches can't be matched. I have been doing surf launches with my TI for over 6 years. Experience helps reduce but not eliminate the risks. The TI is a tougher bird then most realize.

I try to use what ever I can to maximize speed on the return. pedals are not always useful as shallow sand bars fold over the fins in seconds....

Yep - works great....I have added a small outboard ... even more flexibility and added safety margin.

Yes - The Hobie Islands .... are somewhat flexible.....to a point. I had an Adventure Island 2015 but moved up to the TI in 2016 to carry passengers..... but I mostly solo sail. The TI (and AI) actually perform well in the surf.....just need to avoid fail points....

I too use safety lines on my TI.....the day before this video....I broke an AKA arm on the port size. I carry replacements....I replaced the broken AKA ....but forgot to reattach the safety line.....nature always finds your weak point.... Lucky for me the new AKA arm did not get damaged in the capsize....did shear off a couple of brace bar shear bolts......saving the AKA arms.... As for taking the Hobie TI / AI into the surf....lots of fun....but need to be experienced and have safety precautions in place.....!!!

Need to open the sail to gain forward speed to get through the breakers. Also sallow draft from hidden sand bars limits mirage drives. Each wave pushes you backwards. Sail gives added speed that you need.

@@seewind Hi James, I've been sea kayaking for 20 years, without a sail, and have launched and landed in surf dozens of times......the most challenging being the Napali Coast. No sail is needed whatsoever. It seems to me that having a sail unfurled limits your direction of travel as you have to point your kayak relative to the travel direction of the wind for the sail to be effective. Having a sail unfurled, in my view just complicates things and reduces your flexibility relative to direction of travel. Having the sail flapping chaotically as I saw many times in the video would be nerve-racking at the very least. I would prefer to use timing and paddling (pedaling) to get out beyond the surf line where I can then calmly unfurl and trim my sails.

Agree - very tricky. AS stated above, I try to use both sail and peddles when every I can to speed the return. Many cross currents in the surf pushing the boat all over the place! Lose control when approaching waves hit the stern during return...

Agree, surf launches are only for the experienced sailors. As noted in the video this is a compilations of my failures for others to learn from. Not shown are the many fun and successful surf launches. Looking forward to many fun surf launches into the Atlantic Ocean this fall.

@@seewind the trick to tackling breaking waves is power on power off, wait , go, wait go... Sit back an let a set go through. Power on...

Ha, this was a collection of my failures.... always tricky in the surf. Several rudder pin snaps (hitting sandbar) and thus unexpected no rudder for steering in the surf... Always open to new ideas.

Agree - the waves were nothing special ... 3 to 5 footers with occasional larger swells.... The tricky part was taking the plastic polyethylene kayak with aluminum akas that unexpectedly separated from the kayak and snapped rudder pins with no rudder or steerage (from waves pushing the kayak backwards over shoals), rip currents taking the kayak sideways and short 5 to 6 second period between breaking waves in the surf zone....agree waves - nothing special....the rest....I will leave to your imagination....

Yes, surf launches and recoveries can be very tricky. I have tried keeping the sail furled but found I need all the thrust I can get from both the sail and peddles and sometimes even a motor to make it out past the far breakers. Tricky part is the unseen sand bars which can eliminate use of the peddles and some times snaps your rudder pin....leaving you in the surf zone with no steering....not a good thing....