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Although the Hobie Tandem Island (TI) is a bit expensive, it comes with a lot of versatility. It comes with 2 turbo mirage drives (the foot pedal system, and turbo means larger fins), which are quite nice when the wind quits and you still have to get home. When really pushing we can get the boat up to 6 knots.

The sail rig is great for when you have wind, and it comes with outriggers to keep you upright. A 25 mile trip is quite easy in this boat.

As a kayak, without the sail rig and outriggers, it is still a fun boat. It has a bit of freeboard, so bring the sail rig on windy days.

I love this boat. It is my play boat. With a large cockpit, it's easy to get in and out of the boat. When the skeg is down, it feel like a 17 footer, when the skeg is up it turns like a 10 footer.

It's too big of a hole for a skirt, but rain gear fixes that problem. I have taken it camping on rivers with lots of logs, and was able to load it with a tent and other supplies.

It's durable and a great boat to have in your fleet. It's my beater boat, when I don't know what the river will have in store for me, I grab this boat.

Reviewing the Hobie TI, without the sailrig and aka's, and with just paddles:

With the sail rig, it's nice and stable, and will perform as expected, speedy a little leg effort on the Mirage drive with the sail out and you can get a long way. It is great for island hoping in coastal waters, a 25 mile trek is not a big deal.

Without the sail rig, it's a heavy, long boat. It will haul a lot, and, again, Hobie's Mirage drive make it really easy to get around, 6 to 10 miles are no sweat.

Without the Mirage drive and rudder and a little breeze, and shallow water, it gets weather cocked like crazy and starts to become what you would expect of a 18' 6" boat with lots of freeboard, just like a canoe.

What I really like about the TI (Hobie Tandem Island) is the support from Hobie. They have a great set of forums to post questions, modifications, repairs, etc.

It's a great boat, especially because you can take someone out for a ride with you.

That said, I still love my wood 17' Chesapeake from CLC, I just don't want to ever have to choose just one boat.