Hobie input...
 

While contemplating my next sleigh, I can't help but wonder..... do those silly Hobies have enough room for my 6'4" long legged frame?:confused: Seems it would be hard on my knees to stay bent all the time. The drive system seems a little flaky as well, as two drive systems broke on the Catapalooza 08 trip. Any thoughts? :hmmmm2:Pros or cons?:captain:

Perhaps if you went down and tested one on the water you may have a better idea as to this kayaks functions , etc... A pedal hobie my be the answer to relieving shoulder and arm fatigue....:kayak-surfer:

Ive got a few yaks and I like my hobie....I like to switch up though give the arms a work out one day then the legs another....Although i only hoop from the x-factor...Like its already been said....try them out and you will know. As far as the drive systems being flacky. dont know about that, I have had mine for about 2 years now without a hint of a problem and im pretty rough with it... i wonder if those folks rinse there gear....The major differnece is the superior ablility to drink a frost cold one on the way out to the fishing grounds...

I think some of the drive issues have been resolved. Some people were having problems when they used the turbo fins. The fins were exerting too much force on the drive and it resulted in failures where a metal pin fit into a plastic adjustment hole
http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwegall...irageDrive.jpg
The problem was exacerbated by not clearing debris from the hole prior to installation. From what I saw on some of the Australian forums, this problem was corrected with a new metal fitting that protects the holes. Check with a dealer before you dismiss Hobies altogether. Fastlane in San Diego and OEX in Oceanside can probably give you the full details and set the record straight.

I'm not a big fan of Hobies, but they do have some significant advantages over traditional yaks. It would be best to try one out before you completely write them off.

I'm 6 ft and 235lbs
I luv my revolution

The pedals on the fins are adjustable

Regarding the drive unit
I don't think they're flaky. I think they're mechanical.
and anything mechanical which involves motion wears out.

My only negative comment about Hobie would be the warranty.
Specifically the length
from their website
http://www.hobiecat.com/support/index.html

"All hulls are covered for a period of two years.
Mirage Drive (pedal system) is covered for a period of one year."

I think when you consider the possibilities of failure
and the idea that your paying probably double, a longer lasting warranty
should be considered.

I believe Malibu and Cobra, as examples, offer lifetime warranties.
Ocean Kayak has a 3 year warranty.

my 2 cents
MikeG

I'm 6'3 and I'm totally comfortable in mine. The Mirage Drive holds up fine when you take care of it.

Come on by and try one at sometime. I'm here 7 days a week and would be happy to let you demo some boats.

OEX Oceanside
236 S. Coast Hwy
Oceanside, Ca 92054

760-721-6195

- Nate

I admit that I was one of the catapalooza drive destroyers and it was all on me. I got pushed back inshore during launch and instead of unhooking my paddle, I tried to paddle surge out and was too shallow. The fins completely buckled but the system remained healthy.

It just cost me the turbo fin replacement to repair. Just got back from a day in wind and large swell outside of newport and the drive is as good as new. No input on the height as I am only 5-6. But it makes trolling simple with the drive system.

2 cents

I thought you were a MTB'er, handyman.

Just a thought, but, if you paddled a more efficient yak, you might have a revelation. Then you can go pedal your bike.

Faster
 

I know that I have to work pretty hard to do 4 mph on my xtreme and they claim to cruise at 6 mph, thats about 50% faster.:kayak-surfer:

Rinse the drive with fresh water after use, and spray the chain
down with WD40. 2 years and no problems so far.:idea:

What's up Chuck? I bought an Outback so I could fish a couple weeks after my quad bypass in 2006, I didn't want to rip open my sternum paddling. :eek: The Outback is absolutely great for bays, not so good at La Jolla. I haven't tried them but the Revolution and Adventure seem better for La Jolla.

I was out about 2.5 miles miles one day when the drive came apart. A set screw had come loose and I didn't have a hex wrench with me. I was able to tighten it slightly with my long nose pliers and it would hold for about a 1/4 mile before coming loose again. I would suggest bringing the right size hex wrench for the drive and a phillips screwdriver and extra cord for the rudder cables. Otherwise the drive was very cool, I did 12 miles at San Diego bay about 4 weeks after my surgery.

But where would you put a 50# fish?

I really do not like the idea of having to carry x-tra equipment in case my sleigh breaks down. I understand it may be prudent with the Hobies, but not necessary with other yaks. Hmmmm....:hmmmm2:

Dunno.....:hmmmm2:

That's ex-MTB'er...:cool: no one is as out of shape as an ex-MTB'er!:turtle::)

That is part of my concern... I am not always paying attention to things like that either, and to think I could probably ruin numerous sets before learning not to do it.:doh:

Thanks for everyones input! It is exactly what I was looking for..... some of my concerns seem to be founded, and others alleviated. Leaving me in my same, normal, state of confusion! But I have to admit that being able to visit the "9s" is definitely an attribute my current ride would be extremely hard pressed to do!:paddleersmilie:

Ha ha I love it... and I imagine that IS a nice luxury coupled with your molded beer... er CUP holders.:cheers1:

I have never had a problem with my drive, ever. It will work just fine if you don't abuse the crap out of it. Besides, my Adventure with no drive still paddles better than a lot of the pig SOTs out there so what have you got to lose?. I really advise that you try one before you let someone else talk you out of it. Trust me, Hobie owners aren't the people that bad mouth Hobies. I can go all day and not get tired. Also, I can have 2 live baits out trolling and be casting iron while enjoying a beer. Yeah, that's right.

Ed

I am 6'3" and 225 lbs. I take my 2 boys out with me all of the time so the stability question is answered there. The only thing that can be a problem is losing the Mirage drive as you may have already read a few posts about. I keep mine in and am careful not to run it aground when I come in. Having the drive gets you through the surf at LJ much faster and easier than without. I power through the surf. Sure I might get a little splash in the face but it is better than being dump on your side.

<O:p</O:pSee the boys down at Fastlane and take one for a spin. If and when you decide to try one out try to do it on a day when the current is rip’n and the wind is blow’n so you can compare with your own ride. You will see what an advantage the mirage drive is.

<O:p</O:pGood luck in your choice.:kayak-surfer:

Doesn't one of the OEX shops carry Hobie?

:doh::luxhello: :p

I don't know 'bout that, but I drove by a kayak shop at 236 South Coast Highway in Oceanside last week and they had all sorts of Hobie kayaks. You might want to check them out.;)

I think I know that place. I went to a taco/car wash place at that same address, some guy in a light blue shirt out back was cooking em up and half neked wimmin washing cars, inside the building I saw a bunch of Hobie kayaks stored away. I don't know if they will sell you one though, everyone was so focused on the tacos/car wash.

One Rev

Mike,

Its almost time for another Fish Taco Bikini Car Wash :luxhello:

I'll call the girls..you call Tommy Gomes :cheers1:

I'm picturing you with one of those helmets with two beers and straws, Ed.

Team No Fish- Amateur Staff
<!-- / sig -->

hey doug! how do u get on that exclusive team?

Perspective from a newbie
 

I am relatively new to kayaks and kayak fishing but I can tell you that when I take my Revolution out to the kelp beds, I can sense a lot of "Peddle Envy" from my fellow yak riders.

The Hobie mirage kayaks have a clear advantage over all other kayaks when used as a fishing platform. Anyone who says otherwise is either uninformed or stuck in the past. A good kayak fisher will do well on any boat but those of us who have not yet reached that experience level will probably get there more quickly in this type of kayak.

Bob

Different strokes for different folks. Wow, that Cliché was never more appropriate. :D I own an Outback and a Prowler 15. I prefer the Prowler in the open ocean for many reasons. I keep two lines in the water almost all the time to double my odds, something I learned from Jim Sammons. I don't like how the lines would get hung on the mirage drive or the rudder. I don't like how kelp gets hung up on the drive. I like having the Outback because it is good for the bays and good for my wife and newbie friends. Just another opinion, don't be hating.

hobie pedal unit
 

I had a single pedal hobie kayak, now i have a tandem pedal kayak and personally the pedal unit is extremely well built. But, I can see why or how the pedal unit might break, 3 reasons.
1.) They might of not lock the safty pin properly, before going out.
2.) They might of got caught in the kelp and kept on pedaling, forcing it too hard, when they should have unlock the pedal unit and pull the pedal unit out to untangled kelp.
3.) When you come on to the beach after kayaking, once your pedal unit hit the sand, stop pedaling and get off the kayak. If you have a fart brain that day and keep on trying to pedal while your pedal is stuck in the sand you can break the pedal unit.

I have experienced all three situations and if you force it hard enough, I think it will break.:( :rolleyes:

Well its like this....
First, you've got to go fishing but not be very good at it. After many, many months of hard fishing, but no catching you might come to the attention of the Team No Fish talent scouts. They hang out at the landing and carefully sniff the air for the scent of skunk on the assembled kayaks. If you really suck bad enough, they will offer you a spot on the team. I screwed up when they scouted me; I had bait in the tank. If I hadn't been able to make bait I would have been assured the full sponsorship. Instead, Team No Fish brought me on as an Amateur Staff member. It's just like being a Pro Staff member, but I don't get the custom kayak. I get to wear my Team No Fish gear to the Fred Hall Show, my bio gets posted on the Team website and they even taught me the secret handshake. I just know that someday the team will recognize my lack of ability and make me a Pro Staff member. If I get skunked again in WCW 2008, there is no way that they can justify keeping me off the Team. I got my fingers crossed.

Team No Fish receives corporate sponsorship from Confluence Holdings, makers of the Patriot Kayak.
http://images.westmarine.com/full/5298203patkayak.jpg
All Team No Fish Pro Staff receive custom yellow kayaks.

Team No Fish Pro Staff Surf Launch Skills Demo at La Jolla

Not only is this a great marketing tool for Confluence Holdings, it also makes it easy for other kayak anglers to identify the Confluence Holdings/Team No Fish Pro Staff (CH/TNFPS for short) on the water. This is sort of a public service for both newbies and La Jolla old timers alike. The newbies can easily spot the CH/TNFPS kayaks on the water and can paddle up to ask them questions about fishing and rigging kayaks. While the newbies follow the CH/TNFPS yaks around, it will enable the Malibu, Hobie and OK pro staff to fish unmolested. The newbies, now beneficiaries of the years of fishing knowledge imparted by the CH/TNFPS, will soon become frustrated at their inability to catch fish, lose interest in kayak fishing, sell their yaks and take up surfing. La Jolla will then go back to being a small community of friendly local kayak fishermen and everybody will be happy.

When we did San Quintin last September, there were about
7 of us on revolutions, outfitters, outbacks and an adventure.

We made it out to the true point, started fishing. The first paddlers showed up 20 minutes later.:D

Like riding a recumbent bike.

Hey, I only use that helmet on my P15........................................

For those that were there to witness it, by drive got DEMOLISHED at Catapalooza. Open water, just peddling, and SNAP SNAP SNAP! Game over, no chance of repair. Unfortunately, I was down the coast from our camp spot about 4 miles in probably the worst seas I have seen. Yes I was able to paddle back. Yes it sucks. I have the adventure. After being able to paddle it for the remainder of the weekend I was fairly pleased with how it paddled. If you look at the pics of the weekend, my disabled hobie and I made an appearance in many of the pics even after the "incident". The worst part was enduring the comments from the peanut gallery about how the Hobies are good, except that the drives are too likely to fail. I had no rebuttal. Probably there is some truth in what others are saying. If you take care of your s&%#, they will last a looong time. I do not take care of my s&%#. I don't feel that I should have to. With that being said, I have had hobies for 4 years now and only 2 mirage drive incidents to speak of.

My experience goes the other way. My hull was out of warranty and they replaced it when I had an issue, no questions asked. Tim at Dana Point Jet Ski was super helpful. I think that the guys at OEX Oceanside would be the same way. Hobie stands by their stuff.

Ditto!

My old outback hull had a rod holder fall into the hull (thin material).

It was out of warranty, and fastlane :you_rock:got me a NEW hull free of charge.

I usually find that the bigger problem is figuring out how to effectively clean blood off the deck...
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1...r/P2190051.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1...r/P2190074.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1...r/P1010049.jpg

Sweet!

I love that Picture!

Disclaimer: I'm affiliated with Hobie Kayaks
Disclaimer to the disclaimer: I bought my Hobie before being affiliated :p

I'm 6'-4" and hover around 225 (235 come the holidays) and pedal/paddle the Adventure. Leg room is not a concern, in fact it excels in that department. Plenty of room. The pedal drive is great and I've yet to experience any problems other than a hex nut loosening once...easy fix. The beauty of the Adventure (as stated elsewhere in this thread) is that it paddles very well. I bring a paddle leash to secure the pedals when they're out...very handy since I primarily fish for bass and spend a lot of time in the kelp. I've spent a lot of time exploring Catalina and our local coastline and the advantage of long distance trips with the pedals is awesome. The pedals offer other advantages as far as repositioning while casting/fighting a fish, etc.

As for fishing for the pelagics, I can't offer you much input. If you're concerned about the extra weight of a 50# fish, I can say that a big cooler/livewell filled up + myself still works out just fine. If you're concerned about where to put it - the lap works out fine, you just have to paddle. ;) As for paddling, I do it a lot when I'm out at LJ, etc. to switch things up anyway and to save my arms from atrophe.

Here's a little write-up I did on the Plastic Navy site...and if you have any questions about my experience with Hobie, I'll answer them without BiaS, PM me or throw 'em up here.

http://plasticnavy.com/forum/viewtop...c9cb7fedc25147

Just wash it with water from the Yakgina...................:kayak-surfer:

Be careful about surf launching without the plug or the drive. It squirts! :eek:

I hope my posts haven't come across as anti-Hobie. I actually own two of them, the Outback and the Sport. I really like them for certain applications. My 12 year old would not be able to paddle out to the "spot" ;), but on calm days he can pedal the Sport out there no problem. I love the Outback for the bays but not for the open ocean. My Outback takes on water through the rudder cable holes in rough conditions, not enough to be unsafe, just a hassle to have to drain it after a trip. Not hating, just sharing an informed owners opinion.

I respect your opinion as I know your not the bias type.
 

The nice people at Hobie/Fastlane Sailing Center gave me an opportunity to try every craft Hobie has to offer. Each vessel had great distinctly different features that made for a challenging descision. I made my descision 100% based on finishing out WCW on top. The local pattern has been set for over two months concerning catching local Yellowtail. On "sunny days" with little to no cloud cover the schools of Yellowtail (with numbers of 15 giant homeguards all above #30, to huge schools of fish in the #18-#25 class numbering around a 100 fish each) have been fairly easy to find while "sight fishing." I chose the Hobie Outback, at the confusion of the Hobie people as it's the least popular model of the three.
I would like to say how impressed I was with this kayak in open ocean conditions (as it's all I fish). I took it out with confidence logging over ten miles a day in some really nasty conditions. The most impressive thing about the "mirage drive" is how it handles the worst possible conditions. Being that the mirage system fins are always underwater there is never a glitch in ability to create speed. I found that you can go incredibly fast in ridiculous wind and chop. Being a 12' long and wide vessel you may take a little spray coming over the bow when "flying" along in big whacky swell with heavy wind, but the stability is equally great. Thus my descision to finish out WCW in this incredibly stable vessel. The Hobie Outback allows you to perch up on your knees with confidence or even stand up in calm conditions. This lighting difference from sitting down to up on your knees is "night and day". The difference between seeing all the fish swimming by laughing at you and consistently giving yourself an excellent shot. Even if you don't land that iron in the right spot and spook the school, you will atleast see Yellowtail in their natural environment like never before (a magical experience in it's self). As far as bringing in #50+ fish, don't worry, I had no problem and still beat everyone to the launch while drinking my celebratory cold one.

I need to learn how to "sight fish"! I'll give the Outback another try based on Josh's post.

Pretty much everything has been covered above. To me, these pedal kayaks just rock all the way around for fishing La Jolla or the bays. I've been pedaling them for a number of years now.

Heavy kelp or heavy stringers? Just pop the drive out and paddle. Best of both worlds.

The pedal drive has been very reliable for me over the years, and I have seen Hobie / Fastlane come through with excellent customer service both for me and for others with any needs or concerns.