Hobie Defectors
 

I am getting ready to make a purchase of a new kayak and have heard a lot of good things about the Hobie's. I am now looking for opinions of people who may have tried the pedal but went back to the paddle or are wanting to go back and your reasons. (i.e. ease of surf launch, more things to snag on kelp, sabiki's, etc.)

http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwevb/s...hobie+feedback

http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwevb/s...ht=hobie+input

:D

I've got an Outback that I keep for my wife and weak friends to use. I prefer a 15' paddle kayak. Besides the fishing I enjoy paddling the kayak and the silent glide. And I think WSB are attracted to the water movements of careful paddle strokes. Peddle strokes on the Outback seem to attract sand bass. I might be joking...

I had 2 Outbacks, gave up both, went to the Prowler 15, then got a thrid Outback, then gave it up too and went to the Revolution... Finally it stuck with the Revo.

Outbacks are just too heavy and weird to paddle and to move around on land.

The 3 outbacks I had were all different year models. First 2 were horrible.... the third was a 2007 model and was really decent. I sometimes still regret selling it.

Consider riding a recumbent bike as opposed to those
arm powered wheel chairs the physically challenge race in.

Legs can go all day. Plus you can hold you cigar and a beer.:cheers1::sifone:

Hands free propulsion while fishing....

-Its hard to beat the new 09 Revo. That click and go drive unit feels smooth and solid.

I can paddle with a cigar and a beer. You just have to practice a lot.:cheers1:

Ive had my 08 revo for about 6 months now. Here's my list of all the things that I don't like about it; (but dont get me wrong, if my revo were to get stolen out of my garage tonight, I would be at oex tomorrow morning buying an 09 revo!)

-The revo is a sub par PADDLER, it is almost impossible to keep straight in any kind of current or wind even with the rudder down (not really an issue uless/until the mirage drive fails) and the footwells are shallow to make room for the mirage drive so only half of your foot will fit in them.
- It's not very great in the surf, not horrible but not great
- Deckspace inst great (but the mesh pockets on the side are AWSOME)
- I dont like the way hobie designed the flushmont rod holders, theyre angled directly behind you, instead of cocked out to the side making watching your lines a chore ( problem easily solved with 2 ram rods up front)
- when I have a water bottle in the cup holder it seems to get in the way of my pedalling.
- The dry bags and water bottles that come with the hobies are POS imho, Ive ripped the seams of of 2 bags and cracked the lid on my bottle.

lol i got a bit nitpicky by the end but hope this list helps you. The stuff I listed above are easily forgotten when youre working a rod in one hand, have a bevrage in the other, and pedaling at the same time.

on th '08 revo it seemed i had one hand allways on the rudder control making constant corrections. :dontknow:

The rudder control system on the 09 locks into the down position securely. The down pull cord locks into a cleat and this holds the rudder in place.

Its much different that he previous models.
---------------------
Revo's are not great paddle boats. The Adventure was a better paddler.

I never had a problem with the rudder on my 06 Adventure.
--------------------

One of those Malibu X-13's looks like a nice boat. If they had access into the hull from the front hatch I would probably buy one.

I really like the Outback. Mine is an 07 model. 08 model is basically the same, but I would take any reviews from 06 or earlier models with a grain of salt. There were major improvements in the hull design in 07.

I guess it's like anything in life, there are usually tradeoffs. But being able to move around hands free is nice. Also, it has a lot of room in it, a lot of places to put stuff. It does get a little heavy though once you get it loaded down with beer :cheers1:

I agree that you do have to make a lot of corrections with the rudder, but really you're doing the same thing with the paddle. It's not a perfect system, but not too bad either. Also, I like where I put my paddle. On the side of the boat, under a bungee, out of my way :reel:

I can understand how some people like the paddle though. Convenience is sometimes overrated. I'm a hunter as well as a fisherman, and prefer the bow to the rifle or shotgun any day, although it's a bit more demanding. But then again I don't shoot a recurve :D

Cheers.

- Luther

test drive the Revo, Outback, and Adventure
before making any decisions...
but when you do...
bring something to drink, a snack, a camera,
and fishing rod with a trolling lure...
during the test drives do the following:
begin pedalling at comfortable pace,
set the rod in the rod holder with lure out,
open your drink and put it in the cup holder,
break out your snack and enjoy the ride while munchin' on the snack
and sippin' yer drink,
land the fish that you caught while enjoying the picnic,
take a picture and release,
post on the internet how happy
you are with your new Hobie purchased from OEX....

some may say "what will you do with a big fish?"

big fish...no problem...see avatar...41 lb WSB...no problem
here's the '06 Outback WSB hat trick...no problem...
http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t...9/IMGP0311.jpg

and the 07 Outback...no problem...
http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t...ctures7108.jpg

another advantage you have with pedal power is the wind...
you will fish on wind days that would normally make you think twice...
current is not an issue...if fishing a particular favorite piece of structure...
OK...so launching and landing are a little more difficult...who cares...
the advantages far outweigh the dis-advantages....
and besides...you can always keep the paddle yak for a mantle piece...
or those "no wind" days just for kicks...that's what my paddle yak is for...
oh yeah...and to remind me why I fish the pedal power most of the time...

yeah do what Josh said...
i have seen him do it:)

I'm going to start fishing Malibu...
 

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t...9/IMGP0311.jpg
Good going on catching your limit! Maybe we could trade a couple of spots to hunt ;).

Another moment of fame for Big Josh
(since yer bragging :rolleyes:)
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...joshyellow.jpg


by the way... any 6'4" 230lb guys fishing the Hobies???
not sure if my long legs will work in em... but i am thinking bout it...
tested them a year and a half ago... decided on the trident (which i love)
but after seening the guys hauling ass all over the place around me...:eek:
thinking twice
like Josh said wind and current? seems to be no big deal

6'2" 210 with a revo

I'm 6'3" and weigh about 230 and my outbacks were just awesome. I'm looking forward to the day I get my new one. I've had opportunities to pick up a paddle kayak but am holding off for the pedals.

Mike
Lakeside
(soon to be Chula Vista)

6'4" 230 here! (Well, I was 230 - down to 220 today). I have a revo and an outback - fit in both comfortably. Don't sweat it.

Not 1 defector in the bunch.
Once you go peddle yak.....you never go back.:)

Count me as a defector. I agree that mirage drives perform much better in windy/choppy conditions. I don't go out in those conditions much anymore. I prefer a paddle kayak all-around, less expensive, less maintenance, less risk, less things to forget at home or lose at the launch.

That said, the mirage drive is an excellent mechanical design, I'm still impressed with it's performance.

6'3" 225 on my Outback.
I take my 2 boys on with me (one 65lbs. on the front one 80lbs. in the back). We all catch fish and move around find.
Launching (by myself) at LJ is great. Drop the rudder and the drive in and cut through the waves like butter.

I tried....really, I did!
 

I must be the minority...After demoing both the Revo and Adventure (twice each) here is what I have found:

Both mirage drives were set to slot 7 (furthest out) to give me the most room available.

Revo: when reaching full stride (bottom of pedal stroke) my knees are still quite bent and can't get a nice full stride like a bicycle. When trying to make a fuller stride, mirage drive "bottoms out".

Adventure: More room (length) in the cockpit. Legs can get a full stride. At bottom of stride, heels hit the molded foot well on both sides with each revolution of the pedals. (Damn size 14 feet) Tried moving feet up higher on the pedals. Only way to get my heels to clear the foot wells was to position my arches on the middle of the pedal. Try this for 30min or so next time you are out and your feet will agree that this is not ideal.

1 Mile Time: Since the Adventure is considered the fastest yak in the fleet, I took it from point A to point B (about a mile) and reached the destination in approx. 19min. This was with a very consistent and relaxed cadence similar to what I thought I would be comfortable all day long while fishing.
Made the same trip with an OK Trident 15, again with a very relaxed and consistent paddle stroke, and what do you know......19 min!

Can't say anything bad about the Hobie's (other than I don't fit too well). For now, I am going to stick with the paddle as I just picked up a new yak ('08 Tarpon 160i) at a great price. (Thanks again, Dave!)

I think I have the new offensive line to help out the chargers this year...:D

:grouphug:

Steveoo, you don't want me on your football team, I'm a wuss when it comes to playing football. To much running around and getting hurt. I do pretty well at softball though.

Mike

At this point, I think you would be a great asset to the chargers offensive line, heck, my wife would be a great asset to them right now.:doh::rolleyes:

Steveooo
thats actually a small o-line for high schools now a days :eek:

and i played d-line anyways...

besides i am a Raider fan:the_finger:


oh my God... did i just type that?
wait let me hit delete before i submit....:)
and all the San Diego boys wanna kick my ass...:)

Chicks dig the longball
 

Paddling gives you bigger guns, guys.

Seriously, I would be concerned about a tow things with peddle power-
a) I can turn my Cobra Maurader on a dime and chase off in another direction -- like when birds start crashing 400 yars behind. A hobie has to make a big circle.... and I would challenge almost any peddler to beat most padders to the spot in a sprint like that.
b) How do you pack your rods into the dry hull on a tough day landing on a Hobie? Not possible... and, if you do this enough, you will encounter a crash landing now and then.

Then there is the cost difference between the boats.

Comments?

[quote=steveooo;31469]I think I have the new offensive line to help out the chargers this year...:D


Man....I started this thread, am 6'-5", 245 and got left off the list! I feel like the kid that get's picked last when choosing sides right about now. :mad:

My response-
A- Sailing rudder= Very tight turns. Plus, don't forget, we still always have a paddle. If it were easier or better to use a paddle to get somewhere or make a turn, we would use it. Fortunately, in most cases, it is more advantageous to use the paddles and rudder. I would bet that in a 400 yd turn then sprint, we would be pretty even. After that, I'd challenge you to a 6 mile sprint. :D

B- When we went to catalina last year I put five rods and reels
(up to 8 1/2 ft) inside my hobie. I even have a kayatank in the middle hatch. I have also done this OTW. Maybe not as easy as in a traditional yak, but still possible. I usually just leash and try not to flip.

Yes there is a price difference- A Ferrari is more expensive than a Kia.

Sure your guns may be bigger, but I have a HUGE A$$ from kicking that thing around the ocean. I'll build my guns through :reeling: Unfortunately :reeling:usually means I am snagged on some kelp or a lobster buoy, not on a fish.

:cheers1:

Can you honestly grab your paddle and pull the mirage drive out faster than you could just make the turn with the mirage drive?

Im Just curious, dont take this like I am taking a Side. I love my Paddle yaks, the peddling just isnt for me.

We all agree to disagree...:iagree:

My decision to go for the foot power, was based 90% on
my torn rotator cuff in my left shoulder, and the <link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5Cvargm%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsoh tml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026"/> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:shapelayout v:ext="edit"> <o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1"/> </o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->ominous pain
starting in the right (age and the abuse of my youth):help:.
I had a FND before the revo, and it was a great yak, but
if you can't paddle then you have to peddle.

I rarely take out the peddles. If I am going to make a turn, I will usually peddle because it it faster. If I am in tight quarters like making bait at the pier, I will leave the drive in, use the PAddle to turn the boat, and head on out. The peddles act as a pivot point and I can turn my 16 ft boat around on a flat plane.

I'm not taking sides either. I'll be the fist to admit that pEddling is way gayer than pAddling. In certain situations, pAddles are better than pEddles. I'm still filp- flopping of what yak I want next in the arsenal, but I know it will be a pAddle yak. I think I have an un-curable addiction to toys.

Currently, I use the hobie for several reasons.

1) I don't get out that often. When I had my pAddle yak, I found that I did not go out enough to stay in pAddle shape. After a few hours of bieng on the water, I was spent. Its nice to be able to go out for ten hours and twenty miles, and still return with energy. :cheers1:
2) Shoulder problems. Competitive training in swimming has left me with a tempermental left shoulder. Sometimes I have trouble lifting my arm above my head. The result was a VERY low profile paddle stroke, which was pretty ineffective for the type of fishing we do here. On the other hand, recreational basketball has left me with a bum knee, which is not hobie friendly. I really can't use either injury as a serious crutch. :stickyman:
3) Weather conditions. I have been turned away by weather only once. Bottom line- Peddling gives you the ability to get out in all but the toughest wind. I have never doubted my ability to make progress in wind.


While i defend Hobies because I use them, I know there is downfalls.

1) No purist aspect. But, how many of you can look at your kayaks and honestly say you are a purist? I do agree that there is something pure about gliding across the water with a paddle.
2) Peddles + Kelp = FUBAR. I dont like purposly fishing for calicos that much, so its not that big of a deal. I just stay on the edge.
3) More mechanics = More potential for failure. I have destroyed my mirage drive several times OTW. Catapalooza was the worst. I went waaaay to far south in some decenly nasty weather before POP! POP! Out of comission. I am lucky that my boat is shaped ok enough to paddle. In my old egg-shaped outback, I would have been calling the coast guard. While I probably have the worst record of mirage drive failure out there, it has never been bad enough to make me ditch the Hobies. :iamwithstupid::iagree:Worst case scenario is that I have to pAddle. :paddleersmilie:

To sum up, I'll say what has been said a thousand times. Go test paddle (or peddle) as many yaks (or peddle-boats) as you can. Find what works for you, and use it. My mistake last time is that I bought a yak based off of what other people said was the best, but I found that I ended up with a boat that was not the best for me.Someone got a killer deal because of that mistake. http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwevb/s...ead.php?t=2849
I have nothing but good things to say about OEX, Dana Pt Jet Ski, or Fastlane. They will all help you get the right boat, suited for what you need. But, if you do get a hobie, be prepared for the endless heckling. :spam:

Still have both
 

I still have a paddle kayak that i use of an on epending on conditons. But i can say that most of the turning and strorage is not a problem. Just have a little getting used to. LIke said before yu dont pull up mirage drive to turnin tight situations. it actualy helps. Same here with rod strorage I have put my rods in the hull plenty of times just tkaes a little more time. But how do yu make up that time. Well once yu have practiced with it for a wile its fun to try to use peddles at same time a paddle. I know some track better than others but in my adventure not to tough.... and it real gets out and moves. even if just for fun. I do this for a few hundred yards at a time and its not that hard. give it a try next time.

Paddle or Peddle
 

I have an X-Factor, bought it at OEX Sunset! :luxhello: Other than the handles wearing out, I love it. For a fat guy, it is the way to go

I was told by a few Peddlers, that they suffer form lower back pain after long rides….is that true?:confused:

I had more back, and shoulder pain when I used to paddle.

Those people that told you that must not have their seat/peddles set up
correctly.

Regarding the back pain - my back hurt the first few times a little. Probably just getting used to the correct angles, etc...I haven't had a problem since.

As for stowing the rods (the comment that you couldn't in a Hobie)...that's just complete misinformation. In both the Adventure & Revolution I've stowed my rods & reels tons of times with no issues. :confused:

What people forget is that you still have a paddle if you own a Hobie. I used to paddle my Adventure all over the place. I used a rod leash and tossed my pedals behind my stuff in the tankwell and off I went. I'm in or around kelp all the time - you can bring the pedal drive opening plug (AKA cassette something or other) and pop it in and it's a paddle kayak.

I will admit that the tracking isn't the best while paddling. I have the Revo now and you seem to fight it a little. I just drop my rudder down (the rudder control is fairly tight) and that seems to help quite a bit.

I know of someone who went to a Hobie and then went back, but for every one of them I know a dozen more who went to the Hobie and stayed. It's not for everyone but they're pretty awesome yaks IMO.

For anyone who bought a Hobie and wants to go back, I would gladly trade my Prowler 13 for a Hobie.

That is a bad-ass calico in your avatar. I though I ate all the big ones at LJ. :D

nope
 

Flip up rudder= 1 sec.
depress drive pedals (folds flaps completele up against hull)=1 sec.
unbungee paddle=2-3 seconds

from a standstill you would realistically have about 7 seconds on me but I would get up to speed faster than you

now if we were at stride all I have to do is turn that rudder and do an about face in about 3 seconds with very little loss of speed and be back up to spedd in less time again. :doh: