best way to land a hobie

[sdcityboy]

got rid of the extreme and got a hobie revo-thanks Nate. took it out to the big bay, BIG dif in the handling, turns on a dime and not quite as stable as the X but it hauls ass!(and the sandies seem to like it too.) now it's time to try LJ. never occurred to me but whats the best way to land? paddle and peddle? rudder-no rudder? pray? any suggestions would be great!

[thien]

I prefer to have the fins up against the hull and rudder up. That way there's no chance of damaging the rudder or fins/mast. When landing I do the same, using the paddle gives me more control and piece of mind that I'm not going to f***up the mirage drive or rudder. Piece of cake...most of the time.

[Billy V]

On the Adventure I use the bungee cord "hook" to lock the drive pedals so the drive fins are up against the hull.

I also lift the rudder, stow the FF, reels, and lay down the gaff.
-----------

Then its time to paddle like hell and torpedo the beach.
If I try to coast I get swamped.

[bajadog]

thien and Billy V got it.

Leash everything.

Watch out for pearling on the revo.

[dorf]

I agree with the others. If you follow the suggestions in the DVD that should have come with your kayak you are sure to lose your $350.00 drive. Keep it locked in when you come into shore.

When I launch I walk it out and hop in, start peddling then drop the rudder and peddle like hell through the surf. With the help of the peddles and rudder you can cut through the surf.

As with any kayak you should stow everything (especially the sharp things). I use the rudder and peddles as much as I can and when I get close to shore I pull up the rudder and set the mirage so the flaps are flush to the hull and continue in with the paddles.

[Joe11]

I always leash my mirage drive to a padeye, generally keep it locked in and bungeed on the way out. Coming in is a judgement call because I think that is when you have the greatest chance of damaging the drive. I noticed once when I had the peddles bungeed on flat water and was paddling in reverse, the peddles started to come together meaning the masts were being pulled off the bottom of the yak. When you land in the surf and get out while still in the water the water/wave/surge that passes underneath your yak from stern to bow will pull your masts off the bottom of the yak even with the bungee attached. When landing, I generally take out the mirage drive and keep it leashed. Put another bungee over the top of it, raise the rudder and paddle in.

I have learned to excercise a great deal of patience timing my landing to avoid the yard sale roll and since doing so it has paid off. I am not in a hurry. Been on the wate for quite a few hours by then whats a few more minutes looking for the best opportunity.

Enjoy your new ride.

[sbsyncro]

After bending one of my masts on a rocky exit early on, I ALWAYS pull my drives out before launching and exiting. I bungee them really well in the front compartment (I have an outfitter tandem) and usually loop another rod leash around one of the legs just in case. I put a drive plug in my drive well to keep the water and sand from washing my seat, and then walk out to about knee deep, jump in on my knees, and use a paddle to get out through the surf. By the way, this method requires buying a different paddle than the one that comes with the Hobie - for any serious work like getting through surf, it is not very efficient (tons of flex).

I paddle like hell out of the surf line, un bungee my drive unit, drop it in the well (the hardest part), flip down the rudder, and off I go. Exiting in the reverse.

I did my first complete "el rollo" this past Monday while trying to shepherd a friend of mine out of the surf. he is not as comfortable in the surf as I am (having grown up on the water) and we had stayed out past dark with a wide-open WSB bite (that was amazing, by the way). I escorted him into the surf zone and stopped to talk him back about 50' when my worst fear loomed up behind him - a 4-5' wind swell driven wave scooped up at just the worst distance from me, and I saw it too late because of the darkness. I shouted him back, and tried to turn around to face the wave. Because my Outfitter turns like an oil tanker, I ended up taking the wave full broadside. I leaned like hell into the wave and it picked me up where I rode up to the crest of the wave, then it peaked and threw me over upside down.

I came down underwater, totally submerged (in the dark) and hit the bottom. Somehow I managed to push myself up and with my hands above my head came up against my upside down yak, both of us still rolling in the whitewater. I pushed off the bottom again and with the extra "oomph" got the yak righted, and followed it into shore holding onto the rear toggle.

My CrateMate Jr. (with my custom-fabbed mounts) was still attached, and still had all four of my rods in place! None of them broke, amazingly.

I think the only thing I lost was a scupper plug - everything else was tied down really well. Oh, I did notice that the rubber ball I use to cover the end of my gaff was missing, leaving the gaff exposed (lashed to the paddle keeper) on the same side of the boat I came up on from under the water. The realization of what that gaff could have done to me in the surf was probably the scariest part of the whole experience.

[bajadog]

sbsyncro,

Thanks for the report. Glad you did no get hurt or lose something major.

Did your friend lose any gear?

I agree with you about the paddle too. I keep my hobie paddle as a spare,
and bought a werner kalliste carbon paddle. Best $300 I spent besides the hobie.

[sbsyncro]

Originally Posted by bajadog

Did your friend lose any gear?

Nope, he humiliated me by making a picture-perfect landing during a calmer set. I got nailed by a once-an-hour wind-swell wave that swept in. His landing looked like something from an instructional video on how to land a kayak in the surf. :-)

[LeeQ125]

I am seriously considering the Revo-but what do you do with the rods on surf entry/exits? Leave 'em in the rod holders, or secure them where a paddle could be secured?

[2na Killer]

I really love my revo, but I can't seem to steer my revo without the rudder in the water. Last weekend I took my revo in the surf for the first time and found myself making donuts in the surfline trying to paddle out. Not exactly safe considering I got dumped going out and coming back in. Any advice guys? At the moment not feeling very safe in it, almost tempted to go back to my old scupper pro of 14 years. Let me know if you guys have any recommendations on adjustments.

Kevin

[dorf]

Originally Posted by dorf

When I launch I walk it out and hop in, start peddling then drop the rudder and peddle like hell through the surf. With the help of the peddles and rudder you can cut through the surf.

Works great for me.

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by dorf

When I launch I walk it out and hop in, start peddling then drop the rudder and peddle like hell through the surf. With the help of the peddles and rudder you can cut through the surf.

2nd that.


LeeQ125 - If you're balance-challenged / a dunker / really worried about your gear, you might want to use rod leashes or hatch storage for your rods, otherwise it ain't no thang.

[LeeQ125]

I didn't think the yaks with the mirage drive had any storage room for rods- but then I have only been talking to hard core paddlers.

I am absolutely going to make leashes-just worried about breaking the rods coming in if rods are stowed in rod holders. I don't mind the surf part, I have decent balance skills, it's the money part from broken gear that bothers me.

[dorf]

I have a hard time stowing my rods in my Outback. I take them out of the rod holders and lash them down to the TOP of the yak. This way they are flush to the top and not on the side (like the paddle) where that is the first part that usually hits the sand in a roll over in shallow water. I have taken zip ties and attached about 3' - 4' cord to each of my rods and clip them to the yak for cheap and affective rod leashes.
Always trying something new. That's what I like about this site. Always new ideas.

[sbsyncro]

If I had to fish the waters around SD all year round where the surf gets a lot bigger than it normally is here in SB, I would probably do the following:

Separate rods and reels. Store reels in zip-loc baggies (or dry bag) inside a hatch. Lash rods together with a strip or two of velcro and attach them to the side of the yak using the paddle keeper, but also put a bungee-based tether on them just in case.

99.9% of the time up here, I just launch and land with them in the rod holders on my Crate mate. The worst thing that happens is my reels get washed with sand on the exit, and I have to take 'em apart and clean em out. (thus my Shimano Tekota is missing that *#$&^ little spring-loaded pin that keeps the drag lever tight.... ) ;-)

[Billy V]

Originally Posted by sbsyncro

If I had to fish the waters around SD all year round where the surf gets a lot bigger than it normally is here in SB, I would probably do the following:

Separate rods and reels. Store reels in zip-loc baggies (or dry bag) inside a hatch. Lash rods together with a strip or two of velcro and attach them to the side of the yak using the paddle keeper, but also put a bungee-based tether on them just in case.

I do a similar thing upon returning through the surf.

I remove the reels, and store them in a dry bag, then place them inside the hatch. The same goes for the fish finder.

The rods have their own system.
I use a couple of flexible twist tie sticks to attach them to a pool noodle, and leash the whole thing to the yak.

-It will float like a cork with 4 rods attached. Everything else is attached to the Game Clip which is also attached to the pool noodle.
Even if by some chance a leash should break the whole thing would be floating right there in plain sight.
It works with a bait tank in the well, just stick them along side, or leash them anywhere you want.

[Zed]

Best way to land a hobie:

I prefer the flying gaff and tail drag method. They die quick that way.

[LeeQ125]

Thanks for the pictures B.V. I really like the ingenuity that I've been seeing on this website. My next move is to just buy the kayak and go from there.

[THE DARKHORSE]

Originally Posted by LeeQ125

Thanks for the pictures B.V. I really like the ingenuity that I've been seeing on this website. My next move is to just buy the kayak and go from there.

Out of the few regrets I have in my life, buying the kayak never crossed my mind. Work and the hassles associated with life in general will be waiting for you on the beach.