Hobie E-Volve ??? Looking to Buy
 

Looking to buy the E-Volve , broke my leg back in March,it's healed but get the tingle when peddling my Hobie Adventure .I know you're thinking to paddle more ,but that's not an option with ALL the INJURIES my body has had to suffer through with the stupidity of youth to the age of 46 .Has anyone dropped the Dime on this unit and What do you Think. Whats the true run time ,and Pros and Cons of this Unit .Thanks for your time and opinions ,Riskey

I think it would be an awesome addition to your Hobie BUT the biggest con would be the price.

Seem pricey. Here is the link to other option

http://www.kayakfishingsupplies.com/...-System/Detail

Call them see if you can get it installed for your ride.

have you seen this? called stealth serpent http://stealthserpent.com/

http://www.stealthserpent.com/wordpr...2/IMG_0544.jpg

that is cool. do you have one? i noticed that this is in Australia, is there a retailer here in the US?

Aye Carumba, that cassette is not going to hold up for long even with that little bit of reinforcement. You can steer with the rudder so the whole control up top is unnessary.

Lithium battery is the big cost factor, if you don't mind a little extra weight go with conventional deep cycle. Bass yaks uses a pulse modulator(?) that extends the battery life

Use it or loose it...
 

I don't know crap about the E-volve, but being an older myself, I hear a lot of that kind of stuff from my friends. That they are getting too old or that their past injuries keep them from doing things. My take is if you want to live a longer better life you have to put in the time and stay in shape. I'm on facebook now and I have all those old friends from highschool looking me up and saying hello. Most of them look like they are fifty to sixty even a hundred pounds overweight and headed straight for a nursing home. In contrast I wear the same size jeans I wore in highschool, and my last girlfreinds said the only thing that looks my age is my hands... :D


http://img530.imageshack.us/img530/1936/halibuhand.jpg

It's like a skateboard on level ground, if your not kicking yourself forward and putting in the effort, your loosing ground.

If your leg tingles now it's going to be a whole lot worse down the road if you quit using it. I'd say at least 60% of how we age is about mentality, how we see ourselves makes us what we are. If you think you are too old to to do the things you love you certainly will be. Basically my take is you got to push back and keep going through the pain, because once you stop you are done.

I'll admit it: I'm now fifty, but it beats the alternative and I still have a lot of years left to have fun. Keep peddling or paddling if you can, part of the beauty of this sport is it's good for you, even if it does make you sore at the end of the day. :D


Jim

Just the fallen getting deeper into the dark :D

i did this Bassyaks set up last year

http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwegall.../IMG_24741.jpg

http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwegall.../IMG_24781.jpg

http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwegall.../IMG_24761.jpg

Sorry Jim but I'm not one of those guys that put on the extra 100 lbs. I am a career swimmer who gets up at 4:45 am and swims 5,000 yds in an olympic size pool 5 Days a week with a resting heart rate of 32 bpm and a bp of 117 over 68 , My doctor told me to lighten up on the cycling and peddling .Had to hang up the Triathalon workouts but still surfing . I'm just trying to extend the warranty on this body . The E-Volve alternatives look nice but looking for feedback on the E-Volve itself

Hey Iceman , thats a clean set-up you got there ,did you install it yourself ?

It's cool... I give that same advice to all my friends. Sorry if it seemed heavy handed. It's a battle everyone goes through it. I've had to change my diet quite a bit over the last decade, and give up running do to knee issues but kayaking is one way I still keep in shape. My big issue is I get joint pain in my left shoulder from working a rod. Not so much with big fish, but more like little things like jigging Iron.

Good luck, Jim

This was a customer's yak. He purchased the Bassyak's motor set up and asked me to install it.

http://www.kayakfishingsupplies.com/...-System/Detail

http://www.bassyaks.com/about17.html

Thanks Iceman, Riskey ,Looking to buy the E-Volve, that should be the last choice of everything out there. The gear noise and lack of runtime should make up your mind in a hurry. try one before you order one. Another thing, it may have a higher top speed than most but that's NOT a good thing, as kayaks don't plain out and the faster you go the higher the bow goes and the LOWER the tankwell goes, THAN YOU SINK! , that's right the tankwell fills when you get into the higher speed, somewhere around 5mph is where you want to be.
Why Bassyaks and not the others
1. Price
2. Over 60 different kits designed for specific kayaks, not universal
3. Remove the motor in 10 seconds, for transporting
4. The motor can be raised and lowered from the seat
5. The motor can be tilted to gain ground clearance, from the seat.
6. The motor can be run as a surface prop, also effective for removing weeds from the prop something you can't do with the Torque, or Torqeedo
7. Directional rear propulsion is the ONLY way to go. FMD LOL
8. Almost unlimited run time, using any 12 volt battery, even multiple batteries
9. Quite, no whine like the Torqeedo, No vibration like the Torque
10. Can be surf launched, can be beached without damage.
11. Can be dry launched, no standing in the water to launch, no need to walk the kayak to a 10" depth like the Torque
12. Very low center of gravity, like a sailboat keel , no cavitation in rough seas
13. Self righting if capsized, which is very hard to do because of the pendulum effect of the motor
14. The best maneuvering EK out there.
15. The motor stays in prosecution when reverse is engaged
16. The motor is spring loaded and will jump to a safe position if an underwater obstacle is encountered, pull the lever and it will return to the normal position
17. The tank well is still useful
18. Clean factory looking setup.
19. The same battery can be used for all of your electronics, you need a separate 12volt battery for the Torqeedo
We will concede the Top Speed to Torqeedo, but if you go too fast the hydrodynamics will cause the kayak to SINK as the back of the kayak gets pulled under water, starting with the tank well filling with water. Under 6 MPH is where you want to be!

We seem to have two conversations going on here. I will comment on the age and fitness angle. I would bet that the tingling you have has something to do with the way you are sitting in the yak. If the legs still work and from the way you describe yourself, they must, I would try to find sitting position that does not put pressure on the nerve or blood vessel that is causing the problem. Try a different seat. Raise the seat a bit so your legs are at a different angle. You might even try some exotic treatments such as acupuncture.

As one the the more senior guys out there, (I will be 60 in a couple weeks), I can say that a full day on the water wears me out. The knees ache and the muscles burn. On the other hand, it is activities such as this that keep me from feeling my age most of the time.

I don't know anyone that has the E-volve but there are a couple of guys on this forum, Morgan, (Roosta) and Chris (Hypoxic), who have the stern mounted version. From what I have heard, they love them, especially for the long trips to and from the grounds. Personally, I would rather have the exercise and ward off the pain with a nice bottle of wine later on.

Bob

Hey DSafety ,thanks but I should have been more specific on the tingle in my leg ,its right on the the area of bone fracture , a spiral fracture of the lower tibia that didnt heal exactly straight ,3" above the ankle

I don't have a fix for that... except for maybe the wine.

Bob

Risky, I got injured pretty bad a few short years ago. I took a short break off of yaking (amongst other things), and slowly started getting back into it; I discovered that it was a bit early for me to be out there yaking. I went through times when both my legs would go numb and upon landing, I couldn't use my legs for a minute or two; luckly for me, I wasn't alone, and I always let the person(s) I was with know that I would be needing some assistance upon landing. I got that weird tingling feeling as I began to gain use of my legs again, it would subside after a while. After several months of that, I took another break from most everything for a few months; it seems to have done the trick, and I back at most everything (with some limitations). But I do have to constantly adjust my position on the yak, bend my knees, straighten my knees, through my feet over the side... Just keep at it at a pace that's good for you.

As for the E-volve, the only thing I know is that it looks cool; but that doesn't mean it's practical. But if you do get one, please let us know what you think of it.

All aches and pains go away after you have a good HOOKUP!!! thats what I noticed...
This thread is starting to sound like a Leasure World topic.:D\
Dont forget your AARP card

It’s amazing how threads get jacked, next thing you know you’re looking at someone else’s fish and reading a story about them....

<O:p
Try Fastlane in SD for a test ride w the eVolve or OEX in Oside. My buddy has one and they are sick and nearly seamlessly integrate into the Hobie. In places like LJ where it takes time to get to the grounds/ and make bait you can cover a ton of ground fast and get way outside in no time if you see birds etc.
<O:p
Don’t worry about the purists, anything that helps you stay on the water and enjoy your time out is worth the $

oh yeah and that Buddy who has the eVolve is one fishy mofo even w the evolve and I ve seen it open it up full throttle w a full live well and a 40lb fish on deck, he didnt look to be sinking :)

Ouch!!!

....and I though I was being harsh :sifone:

Seems to me when you start looking for a motor for a kayak, it is time to just get a boat. For the price of these things you can get a nice skiff with an outboard, fish all day and not worry about the batteries running out or flipping in the surf with a motor on the back of your yak. Just my 2 cents. Plus you can take family and friends out on a boat.

Jim I like the way you think.

yeah, what's wrong in getting a boat:confused:

6 years ago I paddled from San Pedro to Catalina SOLO for my 40th b-day .Stayed there a week and circumnavigated the island 3 times in that week then turned east to go home. I'm just looking to extend the mileage of my day by mixing up the paddle ,peddle,and a little troll time .Still haven't heard from anyone that has the motor yet .

Easy does it, enjoy my friend.:)

http://www.kayakanglermag.com/images...e_hard0001.jpg

I'll take a stab at answering the OP's actual question.

We took a look at the eVolve for a recent issue of Kayak Angler magazine. I'd never claim we took a scientific approach. The basic aim was to see if we could break it.

There were two other manufacturer models in the test set, the OK Torque and Native Volt. As an aftermarket add-on, we did not look at the Bassyak system.

Over the course of a few days, we surf launched the Hobie during moderate to slightly heavy LJ days. Then we went boiler rock fishing and dodged more curlers. The test unit was an Outback with a rudder mount.

There were several strong points. The system is ridiculously lightweight. Connections are the highest quality we saw, by far. It just plain worked.

The rudder mount is great, easy to retract when necessary. It plays nice with the Mirage Drive. It was the ultimate in range-increasing flexibility.

Downsides besides the price: the power unit sucked up several blades of eel grass. They gummed the works slightly, but it didn't appear they could have caused damage or entered the motor case.

Range seemed about half that of the OK Torque with full-size gel battery. That wasn't a big deal, because the eVolve throttle control displays speed, range, remaining charge, and so on.

In reverse only, the rudder mount was prone to pulling itself out of the water. Just go slow.

The rest of the story is on the web. Just look for Kayak Angler Magazine. Digital issues are $1.

PAL, {“Range isn't a Big deal"} Range or runtime is everything. I'd like to have the option of 20 miles opposed to 2miles. The evolve with its 30 min full speed run time on our test kayak just doesn’t make it, and on top of that the noise is ridiculous, it sounds like a Roots style blower on a hot rod. All of the kits we installed had major problems, one guy was stranded because the Orange plastic steering connection snapped in halve, another problem is inside the throttle control unit, there is a plate which is supposed to be spot welded but it snaps off inside. You must have received a good wiring harness, one of the ones I received just had the metal pins just pressed into the rubber grommet with NO sealant on the other end, and water could touch the pins directly. I was wondering if the wiring is Marine grade.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>
The throttle control unit should be backlit for night fishing.<o:p></o:p>
The rudder rising out of the water is dangerous and could land you up on the rocks before you know it. Once you learn the motorized kayak, you’ll use reverse just as much as forward, you want it to work properly<o:p></o:p>
I heard that Torqeedo is increasing the size of the battery for more run time<o:p></o:p>
You’re promoting something that you have very little experience with, and possibly don’t realize its faults.<o:p></o:p>
The stealth serpent takes up too much room in the cockpit, it’s in the way, and you’ll have wires in your lap. If you strike something underwater how does the shaft deflect the force??<o:p></o:p>
These are the things you should consider before purchasing any EK <o:p></o:p>


Tight lines
Steve

Here's what we came up with because we liked the idea of the brushless motor, but the rest was garbage. We have dumped the orange steering connector and install our setup

Sure as hell beats $1900 bucks for the evolve. Very clean set-up Andy, as usual!

Very interesting. I don't have a stake in any of these boats. Riskey Water asked about the eVolve. I shared my experience.

A few clarifications:

I could have been more specific on the range comment. With the eVolve, you know your power consumption, your speed, your remaining run time at that speed, and an estimated range. That means the user doesn't have to guess, and can adjust speed to reduce power consumption, extending range.

At full throttle the eVolve prop cavitates. Only an idiot would put the thing on the water then run it at full power, needlessly burning juice. That's another way of saying that in practice, I don't think anyone's going to do that.

It's better to ask whether you can get a 4, 6, or 8 hour day out of the thing, and how that translates to range in miles. Whether the eVolve battery is adequate is a matter of perception as tested against a particular user's needs. It was fine for our uses, although the Torque's heavy marine battery lasted much longer.

The eVolve was the loudest of the three systems we tested, but it wasn't obnoxious.

The issue of the rudder powering itself out of the water when in reverse is overstated. If you put it in 'R' then floor your car or truck, the results probably won't be to your liking. Land someone on the rocks - I don't think so. Remember, we spent most of our test time in the surf. Maneuverability was excellent.

We played with two Torqeedo motors. 1, Hobie's eVolve; 2, a Torqeedo kit. Our wiring harnesses were fine. We'd have said so if they weren't.

Although the eVolve is a Torqeedo motor, Hobie modified it heavily. It should be judged on its own merits. I note that picture shows a Pro A; Hobie's eVolve doesn't have a stern mounting option for that bad boy.

The throttle unit's positioning is adjustable. We laid it nearly flat on the gunwale, with the wires running through the hull directly beneath the unit. It didn't take much space or get in the way.

If you run into something with the rudder mount, it simply kicks up. The motor shuts off if it feels resistance. We repeatedly ran the test unit up onto the sand with no issues. I'd be leery of doing that with the cassette mount, but I don't have an opinion either way.

This isn't a comparison with a BassYaks kit, and I'm making no judgement on bang for the buck. The eVolve / Torqeedo is a premium product, a boutique item really.

Perhaps someday we'll take a look at the available aftermarket options. I think we should. Electric motors are carving a niche in kayak fishing. Personally, I prefer the simplicity of paddling, but I won't knock anyone who decides otherwise. Last I checked it's a free country.

I'm interested in hearing about the strong points of the BassYaks kits, particularly as they relate to west coast ocean use and surf transits. We were rough on the manufacturer models, managing to break one but not the other two. I'd like to know how the typical aftermarket kit would hold up.

I've spoken to a few people that had the hobie evolve rudder mount and they loved it. One guy out there had his rudder handle come off after the installation of an evolve and had a long paddle back with no rudder. Not fun. Should be avoidable. Another dude with electric power downed a whole 12 pack on the water and I don't think he could have made it back to the beach without power! (no need to name names)

The version that goes into the mirage drive well might be better if you want to switch from peddling to electric and back because the motor on the rudder mount would create drag when peddling.

I think the issues with the mirage drive version is where to put your pedals when your not using them. I have an Adventure and the front hatch is hard to get to and not very large. I haven't tried getting my peddles in there, but I think it would be tight. Also, if you are just looking for a little help on a long uphill peddle home, the mirage well version would not allow you to do peddle and electric at the same time.

Hobie has outstanding support for any product defects related to hulls or mirage drives, so you would probably get better support from them than you would ordering from a catalog from another company.

Two other observations:
One:the evolve drivers do seem to have a silly grin that they can't quite suppress, so its probably fun.

Two:If you are getting into a boat budget and have the complexity of a boat in terms of maintenance and prep time, why not just buy a boat? Standing up to pee and having a dry butt sound pretty good sometimes.

My two cents

This is probably a question for another thread but let me post it here. Some have commented about the noise that these motors make. One of the advantages that kayaks bring to the fishing game is a certain degree of stealth.

I would be interested in any thoughts on the possible ramifications of the additional noise that these units create? Does the extended range and speed outweigh any issues that the increased noise may bring?



Bob

Here is my set-up:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDGTuRUTbGQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXkw471NKgs

I don't have the patience for this type of stuff and was able to buy this ready with trolling motor and all. I'm not into my kayak for the exercise, I get that with other activities.

Top likes about the minn-kota trolling motor:
1) hands free fishing: control with feet.
2) Has I think 5-6 speeds forward, and 3 speeds reverse.
3) makes those skunk days a lot easier to take. At least I didn't have to paddle
4) I've yet to run the battery dead. I think the most I've run it down was to a 45% remaining charge. I think I covered about 10 miles in about 4 hrs.

Draw backs:
1) Sea grass and kelp can get you all mucked up, but so far not a big deal. I'm able to pull the cord on the left and pull the motor up and paddle over thick kelp or float in the shallow water.
2) More stuff to have to tow along. The battery, trolling motor, and full bait tank make for added weight. Good thing I'm a skinny guy and not bringing back 40# fish (maybe one day)

that's my 2 cents.

How about an Island Hopper outboard mount and a Honda 2 hp (only 27 lbs.) No batteries needed.

Dsaftey, there is NO extended range with the Torqeedo, Bassyaks setup can run much longer with no noise. The brushless motor of the Torqeedo has to be gear driven to achive the results they were looking for, the noise sounds like a helicoptor turbine, no stealth at all. The speed of the kayak is determinded by the hull design, not which motor your running, around 6mph is about max, because the kayak can't get on plane.

Dana PT on your Bassyaks setup when you get into a area that has eel grass just tilt the motor and run the motor on the surface, you'll even pick up a little speed.

Tight lines
Steve

I have one and happen to really like it
 

Ok, I know all of the purists will hate me but I really didnt expect to get invited to dinner anyway.
I have an E volve and love it. I have operated it at all speeds and with the exception of top spped and a following swell it operates very nicely. Igot mine after a few torturous long days when My ass was whopped from cruising with Darkhorse and I didnt want to work to get back in.
A few drawbacks....
Battery life......running at high speed will kill your juice pretty fast this is solved for me by having an extra battery but these batterys cost I think 5 or 6 hundred each

People look at you funny as you blaze by them

Getting kelp caught in the prop .........can make night fishing entertaining, best to pedal at night and just have the e volve as a backup

Getting your line caught in the prop..... happened to me, it can happen to you.

Cost.... I got mine shortly after the big december 2 YT morning when there were like 5 hobie guys blazing in and looking very comfortable in their boats, and just HAD TO HAVE ONE Fine its like buying another boat. I happened to have a ton of cash my wife was unaware of or this never would have happened 1800 motors are hard to explain to wives who notice everything. If I die and she sells for what I told her it costs, well, you know the end of that story.

Had one corroded cable connector and Hobie had me fixed in 2 days, so the maintenance issues seem small after 8 months but the jury is still out for a few years on new products

In short its a good unit, best for taking a tired boater back in if he just doesent feel like paddling or pedaling. I have towed several friends back in while we talked and drank a few beers, it was convenient.I have also used my evove to race out to a kayaker with a broken rudder and no paddle ,,,,,,,,hmm to bring him aid, took me like 3 minutes
You have to take very good of the cables and protect all of the connections with caps and dielectric silicone to ensure corrosion doesent become an issue.

I fish to relax, I just began exercising at a gym so both bases are covered. If you want any more specific information concerning the evove dropp me a note

Lets hope the fishing improves soon, getting tired of the gym :biggrinjester:

Chris

A kayak is a boat.