My son and I went to Poole and were greeted by Steve and his co-worker, Chris. Steve showed us how to rig the boat and then how to sail it. The Hobie Centre is actually on the beach, making training with this craft straightforward. Steve took us through the details of trailing, sailing and maintaining the boat and I felt thoroughly equipped in its usage prior to me taking it out on the water alone. While on the water with Steve, Chris modified our roof bars so that we could carry the trimaran home with our small family car.

I could have chosen to purchase my TI more locally but the response from a nearby dealer suggested a lack of knowledge about the craft and total indifference with regard to the needs of the customer. This was in contrast to Steve’s experience, breadth of knowledge and enthusiasm. Additionally the proximity of the beach to the Hobie Centre enabled initial training and confidence building in what is an excellent aquatic vehicle.

Two days after, I had my first solo experience on the TI in South Devon. Conditions were relatively calm at the start of the day but grew to around force five, when pushing against the tide. The TI handled the conditions well and my training with Steve gave me sufficient confidence in the craft to be able to contend with this. I clocked up about 19 miles, something that would have been unthinkable on my own in my open canoe.