Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
March 28, 2024, 10:36:21 PM

Login with username, password and session length

Recent Topics

[Today at 09:59:11 PM]

[Today at 09:44:18 PM]

[Today at 09:12:36 PM]

[Today at 09:05:54 PM]

[Today at 07:11:09 PM]

[Today at 01:13:46 PM]

[March 27, 2024, 07:25:42 PM]

[March 27, 2024, 07:05:39 PM]

[March 27, 2024, 12:35:34 PM]

[March 27, 2024, 11:18:23 AM]

[March 26, 2024, 07:45:07 PM]

[March 26, 2024, 06:19:03 PM]

[March 26, 2024, 05:47:06 PM]

Support NCKA

Support the site by making a donation.

Topic: How usable are the AI/TIs in Monterey bay wind /waves?  (Read 5653 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Dropperrob

  • Sand Dab
  • **
  • View Profile
  • Location: menlo park
  • Date Registered: Jun 2020
  • Posts: 24
I am trying to decide if AIs are worth the money because you can fish AND sail or if there are only a few days where the swell and wind conditions will work. I have watched videos of AIs in choppy waves.  Looks like tons of water comes over the bow.  Are there hacks to block this?

Any suggestions on how to think about this for a Santa Cruz kayak fishing guy who get jealous watching all the sail boats come out in the afternoon.

Thanks

Sent from my Pixel 5 using Tapatalk



eelkram

  • Sea Lion
  • ****
  • it's my name, backwards
  • View Profile
  • Location: SFO
  • Date Registered: Dec 2013
  • Posts: 1771
AIs are very capable craft.  There are a number of members that fish AIs exclusively.  I would think that most of it depends on your comfort level. 

Wind chop makes for uncomfortable rockfishing since you're getting bounced around.  The sails make trolling much easier, but you have to really pay attention to your speed. 

It's a helluva fun ride if you're sailing.  It'll be a wet ride no matter what you do.  You're sailing in "rough conditions" and you're literally 6" above the water line.  Some folks have installed different splash guards, but honestly, it's a wet ride and your best bet is insulation under your dry suit (wind chill).

The problem with AIs is that if you're lucky enough to borrow/try one out, you're going to want to buy one.    :smt003

'15 Viking ProFish Reload, wasp
'11 Hobie Revo 13, skunk yellow
'12 Hobie Outfitter, dune (I'm the guy pedaling in the back)


Dropperrob

  • Sand Dab
  • **
  • View Profile
  • Location: menlo park
  • Date Registered: Jun 2020
  • Posts: 24
My wife ain't going to be happy to hear that!!

Sent from my Pixel 5 using Tapatalk



NowhereMan

  • Manatee
  • *****
  • 44.5"/38.5#
  • View Profile YouTube Channel
  • Location: Lexington Hills (Santa Clara County)
  • Date Registered: Aug 2011
  • Posts: 11259
I've been pretty much exclusively an AI-er for a few years. Here is my take...

It is an awesome, stable fishing platform, and under the right conditions, you can cover some distance. You can also use it as a kayak, or with one ama (outrigger canoe mode), so there are many options. Add a motor, and salmon fishing at the Sequel Hole is within easy reach.

But, IMHO, if you don't buy into the sailing part, you'll eventually tire of it. It's a big, heavy beast to haul around, after all.

Speaking of sailing the AI... It's super-easy, as there is only one rope to worry about, and you can reef the sail so that it's not overpowered. But, there are some things to keep in mind. The biggest issue is that it does not "point" into the wind very well, so if you have to go directly into a stiff wind, you might find that by the time you tack back and forth, you've actually lost ground. Also in modest wind conditions, you're still going to have to pedal some. And, those times where the sailing is great, the wind is beyond fishable.

Personally, I love the sailing part. This past Monday was typical. I launched from the harbor and trolled in a light breeze (pedaling, but easy pedaling) to Natural Bridges. By the time I got back to the SC7 buoy, the wind was picking up to where white caps were just forming. So, I put away my fishing gear and sailed back to the harbor. It wasn't screaming fast sailing, but it was fun, as swell and wind was causing the nose to dive on occasion, so I had to pay attention.

Let me know if you have any other questions...



Born in Arizona
Moved to Babylonia
Got a condo made of stone-a


SteveS doesn't kayak anymore

  • grumpy ex-kayaker
  • Sea Lion
  • ****
  • winter sturgeon
  • View Profile
  • Location: Marin, CA
  • Date Registered: Jan 2005
  • Posts: 3524
I fished in paddle, pedal and finally AIs. I had two, the old style and the new hull design.
Agree they are heavy, but for range and access they can't be beat. They're no wetter than a regular yak at the same speed, and way more stable.
I fished mine mostly in the sf bay, hmb, and up here on the marin coast, but did do a few trips down to moss for salmon.
Launching and landing in the surf is a totally different set of skills than a regular yak, but it is all doable. In SF bay it opened up way more spots, as sailing at 9 or 10 knots eats up a lot of ground quick.
Best part, if the conditions are too nasty to fish, you can sail. Flying with your ass at waterline going 15 or more is f'ing fun as hell.

The one thing is if you like fishing the pocket beaches, and long walk ins, it isn't the right craft


NowhereMan

  • Manatee
  • *****
  • 44.5"/38.5#
  • View Profile YouTube Channel
  • Location: Lexington Hills (Santa Clara County)
  • Date Registered: Aug 2011
  • Posts: 11259
I'm not saying that you can't go 9 or 10 knots under ideal conditions, but 15 is not realistic. On the Hobie forum, the consensus seems to be that 10-12 is the absolute max over and any reasonable distance, and there are a lot of nutcases on there who have TI's and fly additional sails (spinnakers and jibs mostly).

In my experience on the M-bay, I'd say that a sustained 8 knots is (just) realistic under good conditions, although even that can be a white-knuckle experience. More typically, you'd top out at 6 to 8 on any day that you'd even consider going fishing. By the time you have enough wind to achieve 10 knots, there will be whitecaps, and with any swell at all, you'll be burying your ama constantly if you try to go too fast.

Anyways, the sailing is a blast.
Born in Arizona
Moved to Babylonia
Got a condo made of stone-a


sebast

  • Sea Lion
  • ****
  • View Profile
  • Location: Emerald Hills
  • Date Registered: Mar 2015
  • Posts: 1102
I've done just over 10 knots (=11.5mph) - riding waves. But that is speed over ground.

For speed over water - from places I tried the best conditions for speed are several stretches in RWC harbor, open to wind, but very limited waves. The fastest I went was close to 10 knots (but less), at beam reach, I had to hike far out and still flying pretty high (I was 230 lbs then). I can see how people could squeeze 1-2 knots more if they are not afraid of capsizing, but not much more.

Anyways, anything over 6 knots feels very fast :)
2015 TI
2017 Outback


li-orca

  • Sea Lion
  • ****
  • View Profile
  • Location: Pacifica
  • Date Registered: Nov 2019
  • Posts: 1232
I have a Revo 16, which according to NCKA folklore puts me in higher risk group for getting an AI.
Regarding getting wet in an AI, I found this interesting splash guard on eBay. Not sure how effective it is.
Luck favors the prepared

2019 Revo 16


SteveS doesn't kayak anymore

  • grumpy ex-kayaker
  • Sea Lion
  • ****
  • winter sturgeon
  • View Profile
  • Location: Marin, CA
  • Date Registered: Jan 2005
  • Posts: 3524
I'm only 150#, and yes it was 100% white capping and basically living in a super soaker. I was hiked out with the sail reefed about a third. Ran from the marin Islands to the brickyard, and back a bunch of times trying for a max speed
Crazy fun.

Easy to go 6-8... here's a file from a striper trolling day. You can see max at nearly 8, and that's with good conditions


https://www.strava.com/activities/104430003



NowhereMan

  • Manatee
  • *****
  • 44.5"/38.5#
  • View Profile YouTube Channel
  • Location: Lexington Hills (Santa Clara County)
  • Date Registered: Aug 2011
  • Posts: 11259
I have a Revo 16, which according to NCKA folklore puts me in higher risk group for getting an AI.
Regarding getting wet in an AI, I found this interesting splash guard on eBay. Not sure how effective it is.

Yes, you are at high risk, so beware!

As for those splash guards, I'd think they'd help under mild/moderate conditions, but in the big stuff (where they would be most needed), it seems like they'd increase the risk of a nose dive turning into a full-blown pitch-pole (i.e., head over heals) event.
Born in Arizona
Moved to Babylonia
Got a condo made of stone-a


li-orca

  • Sea Lion
  • ****
  • View Profile
  • Location: Pacifica
  • Date Registered: Nov 2019
  • Posts: 1232
Yes, you are at high risk, so beware!

With the amount of research I’m doing I think it’s imminent  :smt013
Luck favors the prepared

2019 Revo 16


MistralWind

  • Salmon
  • ***
  • View Profile
  • Location: Folsom, Ca.
  • Date Registered: Feb 2013
  • Posts: 289
The beauty of the AI is if sailing ends up lower on your priority list than fishing, you still get the major benefit of running the beefy one outrigger set-up. While I don't fish the ocean, in bigger lakes and reservoirs the rig is rock stable and can carry a lot of gear on the trampoline (rods, portable fish finder etc.). No more being worried about big boat waves through narrows etc. The rig is a battleship yet still quite nimble. Speed does drop off some, but the overall roominess and rock solid stability make it a great rig for trolling and position fishing. 
Hobie Adventure Island


yakyakyak

  • Sea Lion
  • ****
  • Huh? What?
  • View Profile
  • Location: San Jose, CA
  • Date Registered: Jun 2016
  • Posts: 2834
I have a Revo 16, which according to NCKA folklore puts me in higher risk group for getting an AI.
Regarding getting wet in an AI, I found this interesting splash guard on eBay. Not sure how effective it is.

Yes, you are at high risk, so beware!

As for those splash guards, I'd think they'd help under mild/moderate conditions, but in the big stuff (where they would be most needed), it seems like they'd increase the risk of a nose dive turning into a full-blown pitch-pole (i.e., head over heals) event.
I notice you dont have trampoline and it seems trampolines are a no brainer.  Any specific reason why?

2019 Hobie Outback
2017 Hobie Adventure Island
2016 Santa Cruz Raptor G2 - Surf/stability champ!
2015 Hobie Revolution 16 - Speedster
2016 NuCanoe Frontier 12 - Extra stable with crazy load capability

-----------------
FOR SALE
-----------------

Rods and Reels: http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=88549.0 (Shimanos, Casting/Spinning Rods + Reels


NowhereMan

  • Manatee
  • *****
  • 44.5"/38.5#
  • View Profile YouTube Channel
  • Location: Lexington Hills (Santa Clara County)
  • Date Registered: Aug 2011
  • Posts: 11259
I notice you dont have trampoline and it seems trampolines are a no brainer.  Any specific reason why?

Just like the scarecrow, no brain...

If I tried tramps I might agree with you. But I’m thinking that benches are more useful for me. I’ve got a design all figured out for benches that’ll be strong enough to hike out onto, yet it’ll still be easy to fold in the amas for transport. And there will be plenty of storage. If that works as planned, I don’t see any advantage to tramps—and one disadvantage is that they might catch enough wind to increase the risk of capsizing.
Born in Arizona
Moved to Babylonia
Got a condo made of stone-a


yakyakyak

  • Sea Lion
  • ****
  • Huh? What?
  • View Profile
  • Location: San Jose, CA
  • Date Registered: Jun 2016
  • Posts: 2834




If I tried tramps I might agree with you.
 
If you want to try, you're welcome to borrow mine.

2019 Hobie Outback
2017 Hobie Adventure Island
2016 Santa Cruz Raptor G2 - Surf/stability champ!
2015 Hobie Revolution 16 - Speedster
2016 NuCanoe Frontier 12 - Extra stable with crazy load capability

-----------------
FOR SALE
-----------------

Rods and Reels: http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=88549.0 (Shimanos, Casting/Spinning Rods + Reels