We have sabikis with 6 / 8 / 10 hooks. Sometimes we cut them if there are too many hooks. The number of hooks vary with the brand that makes them. the most common is 6 hooks.
I have sabikis made of plastic (of different colours) and also feather.
Here most people use the sabiki & then discard them as they are difficult to keep. I roll mine up on a piece of thermacole & keep on inserting the hooks one by one in line (on the thermacole) while it is being rolled up. I then rinse it in fresh water, dry it & store it.
I use them from shore, breakwaters & also from the boat.
A lot of people use a sabiki on a boat & let it hang off board. With the drifiting motion of the boat, they (including myself & my friends) have caught some big species (Grouper, Diamond trevally, queenfish, orange spot trevallys & even small reef sharks).
The hooks on the sabiki rig keep on moving with the underwater currents & it looks like a shoal of small fish.
The reason we used it for trawling is that it would appear like a fish (our lure) is chasing small fish (sabiki rig) & would attract more fish to strike at the lure & sabiki rig. Te difficult part is when the sabiki rig reaches the top guide on your rod & you cant reel anymore. You then still have a couple of meters of line still out, the fish on the lure & @ half a dozen hooks that get in the way
regards,
Keyur