Thanks guys hit me up anytime, I'm looking forward to pimping it to my personal style.

Also the tricks of sailing and fishing.

inshorebrawler wrote: Also the tricks of sailing and fishing.

PM me your email and I'll send you a guide to sailing an AI that someone else sent me.

Headed out from millers later then expected. The wind was up a little and blowing SE. The tide was out and with the sun shining I took my time setting up. My plan was to get to know the AI what it was capable of. There were certainly some nerves as i waded out deep enough to insert the mirage drive.Onboard I hopped and pedal out to the 6 meter mark. When I got out there I played with pulling in the aka/ama and my ability to reach all i require such as sounder, tackle, front hatch rod holders. This certainly showed me what a fantastic craft it is. Certainly sitting lower in the water compared to the PA and a wet ride as I was sitting in the dreaded puddle. I decided to check the hatch to make sure I had a dry hull inside check,check and check. Ready but nervous it was time to deploy the sail. So unlocking the control lines from the cleats I pointed her towards the east with half sail watching the tell tails straighten out and away she went YEAH YEAH. From here on I practiced tackng using pedal Power and watching the Garmin etrek I was crusing at appx 5km. After a 2km stint my confidence had risen and decided to deploy full sail and woosh the instant speed pick up was a rush. Clicking a max speed of 10.9 km and covering 8 km sailing and pedalling. I love the ability of the AI the way in cuts through the waves and keep you feeling safe and stable. Some of the green ones would of been a metre and she ploughed through in any direction I even coped a side one which sprayed over the sail. After heading out and time clocking close to my promised curfew I decided to practice trolling as the Lowrance was showing activity in 8 Meters of water. Found a good patch of activity and got a couple of flatties on a micro jig so the AI is a keeper. sailing and tacking back was issue it handle really well and feels great on the water. I look forward to using mono and polensian style. I certainly will modify a few things. There are pros and cons the pros certainly out weighing the later. It's no secret and I have read all of them. So wet seat, relocating control lines and replacing the elite5 with a GPS Garmin unit it probably the only things I require at this stage. When the sail is furled I want to have a the control line away from my head.
Everything else was perfect watertight,stable quick and easy to set up, thanks for reading I would love feedback on some great mods carried out.

Here's a few mods I did to mine... The skipper seat mod is the best thing you can do to an A.I. the difference in comfort (and dryness) is amazing.

There also should be no need to insert the mirage drive AFTER you're on the water. I insert mine as I assemble the boat (on the Trax cart), then simply
bungee the pedal, so the fins sit flat against the hull. I then drag the boat into the water and use short pedal-strokes (with the bungee still attached).
Once I'm in deeper water I release the bungee and off you go. Same deal on coming back to the beach. I don't usually remove the drive until I've
dragged the boat back to the house - there's simply no need to.

https://www.hobie.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=69&t=48115

https://www.hobie.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=71&t=59920

https://www.hobie.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=69&t=46998

Thanks mingle awesome mods oh and it needs a vyak sticker lol

Great to read that you had a successful 'shakedown' trip out. Glad to read that you took it slow/half sail to build confidence.

Look forward to reading more.

mingle - I really love the subtle/thoughtfully excuted mods in your links. Utilising existing bungs to fit extra bungies etc.

mingle wrote:Here's a few mods I did to mine... The skipper seat mod is the best thing you can do to an A.I. the difference in comfort (and dryness) is amazing.

There also should be no need to insert the mirage drive AFTER you're on the water. I insert mine as I assemble the boat (on the Trax cart), then simply
bungee the pedal, so the fins sit flat against the hull. I then drag the boat into the water and use short pedal-strokes (with the bungee still attached).
Once I'm in deeper water I release the bungee and off you go. Same deal on coming back to the beach. I don't usually remove the drive until I've
dragged the boat back to the house - there's simply no need to.

Some good mods there Mingle. I've done a few similar and also modified some further. I will eventaully get around to posting all my mods.

Regarding inserting the drive. If you fish away from Cleeland more you will find it's not so easy having the drive inserted first and can end up with some real damage. Concrete and rocks (eg Millers) can mess up fins and especially surf or shore break launches will move fins despite the bungy and end up with bent masts (I know ). For the majority of these launches it's better to insert/remove the drive when in deeper water. That's where dry pants come into their own.

Some other mods you can consider:

- Install bungee along the rear edge of the tramp as an attachment point and to slip things into, eg wheels, dagger board.
- Move the sheet and furling line cleats closer to the seat on the RHS. This requires a block at the old cleat position to feed the furling line. Raise the cleats up to make it easier to lock the rope in.
- Bullhorn trolling rod holders. Make out of 40mm PVC tube and elbows. I simply used a groove cut in the centre tee piece to lock onto the knob behind the seat and then velcro each side onto the aka bar.
- Remove the front hatch seal bottom section and replace with black foam pipe insulation. Line the underside of the hatch lid with sheet foam.
- Tighten the bungees that secure the front hatch down. You can unscrew the plastic insert put a knot further along the bungee and reinstall.
- Put a bung in the LHS small cup holder base to allow you to bilge pump out the hull without opening a hatch (almost impossible to do in rough weather or when sinking). The hand bilge pump will need a small extension to reach the bottom of the hull through the bung.
- Install barber haulers on the rear akas. A S/S loop and block on the top of the curve with a small cleat closer in on the aka. 3mm rope runs through the cleat, around the block and has a S/S clip that can connect to the sail/sheet attachment to keep the sail out to one side when sailing downwind. An alternative is a short bungee and clip.
- Replace the tramp strap clips with S/S cam cleats to allow you to tension tighter.
- Maka a haka to span the amas across the tramp. Mine is a ladder made of cut down pool fence that sits on the akas and is restrained by the straps at one end and the tramp bungees at the other. I put my cooler bag on top of this. It's really helpful when you catch very heavy fish as it stops the tramp sagging into the water.

[quote="Reeling"]Great to read that you had a successful 'shakedown' trip out. Glad to read that you took it slow/half sail to build confidence.

Look forward to reading more.

Thanks Nath and the holders mounted on the aka worked a treat

Shane awesome mods I have most of them done like the tramp mods and half an idea of what to do with the furling lines. My hatches are very tight to close so wouldn't dare to open them during a session. The cup holder bung is on top of the list. Hatch is sealed and tighten I will eventually modify with clam cleats
I want to see the width of the new compass seat and price as this may work as a skipper seat

Hmm i have an idea! You could give it to me for a weekend an I'll tell you everything, oh yah do you know how long my weekend is?