Hobie Adventure-First Impressions

[forefrazier]

Current boat: Malibu X-Factor
In my sights: Hobie Adventure

Short Version: Wanted to try out a Hobie so started at the top and took out an Adventure for a 2 hour tour. No fishing this time just pedaling. Cuts like a knife, seems very fast and is definitely much more efficient than my current X-Factor. COOL!

Long Version: Since I am 6'5", 240 I was concerned about going to the "dark side" but was intrigued to try to say the least. Renting an Adventure and seeing how it handled was my first task. Right off the the bat I immediately noticed the difference in initial stability vs. the X. Felt real tippy like my core had to be centered the entire time. After purposely rocking it back and forth, I quickly gained confidence that it is just a bit squirrely in the initial lean angle and secondary stability is fine. I was not going to fall in the drink. Still would probably take a few outings to get used to. First impression when getting it up to speed was WOW! I am actually making a wake! Didn't have anyway to measure the speed but this thing glides through the water nicely. Took it through the bay and out the harbor exit to at least try some larger swell. (Pretty nice day out today though so not much chop to experience) When I did go through larger boat wakes, etc, it seems to slice through...not much water reaching me or my seat. The turning ability others have mentioned that is not too great did not seem to be an issue to me at all. While pedaling a quick flick of the rudder and it is on it's way around. Since I have been a paddler for a while and do not do much biking, my legs seem to not quite be where they need to be endurance wise to keep the Big A at it's top paces without frequent breaks. I am sure that would only improve with time and leg strength.

Seat was a little wet and I did notice that the rear scuppers had water almost up to the top of them. There was also a pool of water coming up from the Mirage drive hole. Don't know if that is normal or just a function of me being on the higher end of the size/weight limit.

All in all for only one demo, I am sure I could get used to the Hobie very quickly. I will probably take it out again for a full fishing day just to see how I feel with the lack of storage vs. better tracking and range and how it is to actual fish it. So far I give the Adventure a big thumbs up.

-Steve

[bjoseph]

Try the Revolution. I switched from an Adventure to an Revolution after two years and couldn't be happier. It is just as fast, just as stable, but way more nimble and easier to load and unload.

[Billy V]

Did the Adventure have Turbo Fins on it ?

-If you think its fast with the stock drive fins, you're going to be blown away with a set of turbo fins.

[forefrazier]

Originally Posted by bjoseph

Try the Revolution. I switched from an Adventure to an Revolution after two years and couldn't be happier. It is just as fast, just as stable, but way more nimble and easier to load and unload.

Thanks BJ...I plan to try the Revo also. Just wanted to start at the top. Anyone have any other input on why the Revo might be "better" than the Adventure?

[forefrazier]

Originally Posted by Billy V

Did the Adventure have Turbo Fins on it ?

-If you think its fast with the stock drive fins, you're going to be blown away with a set of turbo fins.

Billy:

Since this was a "stock" rental it did not have the Turbo Fins on it. I hope that I am pleasantly surprised if I decide to purchase one and can see the difference as I would upgrade to the Turbo Fins immediately. Is the effort needed to power the Turbo Fins higher? If so, I might need to start out with the stock fins until I get my legs back in good shape before upgrading.

[Billy V]

You will definitely notice the speed difference, but here is where the real benefit comes into play;

You get the same fast speed with a lower cadence on the peddles. The resistance needed to peddle is only slightly more, but the fins have a tunable ferrule screw on each sail mast so you can set them to suit you needs.

You can peddle like your in 10th gear, or 5th gear depending on how you tune the fins. If you have strong legs you can set the fins stiff and use fewer RPM's to achieve the same speed.

Its an immediate upgrade, and a must have in open ocean.

[Shorty]

My Wingman "Shufoy" who sometimes posts threads "West Aussie adventures" (nothing caught recently) has the Adventure with Turbo fins and the upgrade to the sailing ? rudder (a big one anyway) that thing turns on a dime, cannot keep up with him on the water either (i have a Malibu eXtreme) he does get a bit wet when its rough and choppy as it slices through the waves intead of over.

[aguachico]

Intersting info. Congrats on the depending trial/upgrade.

I wonder how fast the other yak companies are scrambling to develop their own "leg driven mechanical propulsion system"?

I see those peddle boats zip around pretty damn fast. LJ is a perfect place for them, no real swell, soft sandy launch and land.

The possibilies are endless with a peddle boat. We may see 2,3 or even 4 speed gearing to handle different wind and current situations. It would be cool if you could run your electronics thru a peddle powered generator, elimanating the heavy batteries. Bigger fins, faster speeds, more fin spins per peddle stroke - somebody stop me.

Eventually peddle boats will not be considered kayaks, if that has not occurred already. The same way row boats, power boats and sail boats are classified. Hopefully the other yak companies can get into the peddle arena to create competition, improve the technology and lower prices.

[805gregg]

.

I wonder how fast the other yak companies are scrambling to develop their own "leg driven mechanical propulsion system"?

I talked with a kayak shop owner in the Channel Islands Harbor, he had a discussion with the owner of Wilderness kayaks, the Wilderness owner said he had put his best designers on it, and could not come up with an alternate pedal drive. It must be 30% different than Hobies. He tried propeller, etc. He said Hobie had really done their homework and their system was so well thought out, that everyone would have to wait for the patent to run out.

[Billy V]

Here is another human powered kayak that is on the market.
The Wave Walker
-Its fast, expensive $2195.00, and heavy #120 lbs.

I have not seen it in person yet, but it looks like it would be fun once you figured a way to unload it from your truck.

http://www.hydrocycles.com/

[forefrazier]

This one is brand new from Native Watercraft....Just don't know about the whole "canoe" type thing. Seat looks comfy but it seems this would take on too much water through the surf and in choppy conditions without being a SOT.

http://www.nativewatercraft.com/ult_14_propel.cfm

[THE DARKHORSE]

Originally Posted by forefrazier

Thanks BJ...I plan to try the Revo also. Just wanted to start at the top. Anyone have any other input on why the Revo might be "better" than the Adventure?

Coming from an X-Factor myself, I freaked with the Hobie Outback first time out. I was aware of the specs, with the Outback being the most stable and slowest out of the Hobie fleet. This was the reason for my surprise, when I noticed the speed with little effort neccisary on the "slower one". This coupled with the fact that the demo I was on had stock fins .

In answer to your question, I find the Revolution to simply be "different" from the Adventure, as both are awesome kayak options. I think you will find the Revo to be a "less wet ride" all around. Less wet in the seat and very dry in the back, even with a bait tank. If you want X-Factor dry (I like), try the Outback.

I noticed you wearing shorts though, and I'm aware it's summer with water temps around 70, but for years I wear waders (breathable) "year round". I'm not trying to change anyone, so please wear your favorite board shorts and bronze all you want. I like to fish until I catch my target species (90% of the time Yellowtail), and this may take "all day". I've learned to pace myself over the years, and enjoy the whole greylight to greylight experience. I never look at it as some kind of grueling, painful, oh why can't I get bit, damn Yellowtail, way of thought (more of a free overnight trip). Putting a giant puzzle together takes time, gathering information and finding clues along the way is key. Especially if you are fishing once a week, and don't have a whole team of guys giving you information from previous days. I don't know about you, but twelve hours of sun on my white thighs is no bueno, especially if I'm going fishing the next day. I would have an endless cycle of burnt skin, which only makes me more hot, not to mention a rashy rear end, no bueno. My point, I kinda like the wet seat effect coupled with the waders, as it's a much cooler, comfortable ride all day. Not to mention, dry clothes underneath, no swamp crotch, no burnt skin, no Mackerel goop on my legs, or fish blood on my clothes, I like. I wore waders during all day sessions on the X-Factor too, and almost died from heat stroke while paddling, mucho effort. With the Mirage Drive, I pretty much never break a sweat, even on the hot days. Drag your hands in the water behind you, and you have air conditioning too. One good tip with the pedals for your next trip, use quick little strokes in just the middle portion of the full pedal range, as apposed to a full stroke from front to back. Just because the Ferrari tops out around 190 mph, just go the speed limit, and let me know how the legs feel after.

[forefrazier]

Thanks for the input Josh....I was hoping you would chime in sooner or later.

The one thing I am definitely NOT wanting to do is go with the Outback. I am trying to get away from the SUV of 'yaks and keep things simpler with less gear and gain more efficiency. I appreciate your ability to spend all day on the water but most of my time spent out is early morning until about noon or so. Getting to the fishing grounds and spending more time in the "zone" has become more important to me than a dry, stable kayak. I did experiment with pedal stroke and did find there was a bit of a sweet spot and that it is not necessary to hammer the pedals all the way through their range. The boat seemed to like the quicker shorter strokes than the full long ones. Not to mention, it seemed easier on the legs with the shorter strokes. My basic thoughts at this point in making a decision are:

1. Will there be a noticable difference in speed with the Adventure over the Revo? (Either would be upgraded to turbo fins)

2. Will I experience a difference in stabilty with the Revo over the Adventure? Is this something I would get used to over time anyway and should not be of concern?

3. If the Revo is almost as fast and I will not notice much difference, will loading and transporting the longer Adventure be a pain after a while?

I would like to make a decision soon so that I can still find a 2008 model before the price increase hits for the 2009's.

-SF

[bearlythere]

Im kinda wondering my self. I have been using an Adventure for the past 2-3 years....LOVE IT....have had a few other kayaks. (malibu, ocean and wilderness system. But now i finding myself wanting to tryout the Revo... Just to try out. I have had my adventure with me across country from LJ to Panacea Florida and fishing anywhere I could in between...It rocks for distance and fishing ability....In floridas case bewteen sandbars i have had to paddle long distances and its stil not bad. So try them out and lets us know what you end up with. P.S shorter would have been good on those river and canal runs. I mainley fish big waters though so no issues. I would like to test my limits in distance and speed in both. As far as stability goes...Ive done two lobster seasons on her and while she is a little thin I can now glide right op on my hoops with hand ready to snatch the line pull up the weight with no issues. just practice....Love having my hands free while approaching my hoops.

[Billy V]

Originally Posted by forefrazier

1. Will there be a noticable difference in speed with the Adventure over the Revo? (Either would be upgraded to turbo fins)
They will be similar in speed with the Adventure having a slight advantage in speed and ease of paddling.
16' and 27.5" verses 13.5' and 28.5" longer and thinner is faster, but they are both fast. The longer yak slices through anything like a dart.

If you were going to do any significant Paddling I would go with the longer thinner yak, but again, they both paddle good.

2. Will I experience a difference in stabilty with the Revo over the Adventure? Is this something I would get used to over time anyway and should not be of concern?
They both feel about the same to me. I climb all over mine and have never come close to flipping it. Secondary stability is good on both boats.

3. If the Revo is almost as fast and I will not notice much difference, will loading and transporting the longer Adventure be a pain after a while?
Its hard to say if you will notice any difference loading it. The specifications say both boats weigh the same. But I can tell you this....my Adventure seem perfectly balanced when I lift it over head from the midship handles, I'm sure this is no accident.

I would like to make a decision soon so that I can still find a 2008 model before the price increase hits for the 2009's.
Try them both a couple of times and see what you like, they both are great kayaks. If you still can't decide buy them both.
-SF

I hope this helps.

[forefrazier]

OK...So I am all wrapped up on wanting to try the difference and I know this weekend is going to be a zoo for rentals so snuck out a bit early to go and try out the Revo.

First off, trying to remember the pros/cons with the Adventure so I could compare were:

Adventure-
Pros:
1. I fit in the cockpit fine and it did not sink lol
2. Very fast, feeling of slicing through the water.

Cons:
1. My butt was wet just from sitting in the kayak paddling around in nice calm conditions.
2. Kind of a far reach to actually get out and use the front hatch.
3. Initial stability was kind of "twitchy" feeling.

So off I go in the Revo...right from the beginning I notice a nice dry ride and speed feels good. A bit more wind and tide coming in the bay than yesterday today but still tracking nicely. Stability is better than the Adventure. There is not that twitchy feeling I experienced yesterday with the Adventure and there is a better initial feeling of stability although it is probably minimal once one got used to the boat. Turns on a dime. Noticed the turning radius feels almost twice as sharp even though it is just a bit shorter. Climbed around the boat, sat side saddle, feet to both sides...all good.

Then I notice something that did not happen in the Adventure. The Mirage drive was set to 7 (farthest setting) on both boats due to my tall frame. When pedaling in the Revo, I was constantly bottoming out the pedals. Had to consciously think about not pushing them down all the way. Crap! And I had almost made up my mind......

Revolution-
Pros:
1. Feels just as fast to me as the Adventure. (Probably woud rock with the Turbo Fins)
2. Stability factor not an issue. Confidence is fine right from the start.
3. Better manuverablity, ease of handling.

Cons:
1. Mirage drive bottoms out at the same setting (7) where the Adventure does not. I don't think I would be comfortable at setting (6) but did not try.

I couldn't believe that the ride in the Revo was that much drier and wanted to compare speed in identical conditions so took the Revo back in early and grabbed the Adventure again. When switching the seat out, I noticed that one of the scupper hold plugs was missing. "Elementary my dear Watson", we have found the culprit! Stole the plug from the Revo and the water-logged seat disappeared.

Final thoughts...I would probably be ready to pull the trigger on a Revo if it weren't for the issue of the pedals bottoming out. With the difference in speed from my current ride (X-Factor) and the Revo with added turbo fins, I could be content with knowing that I made a good choice. Benefit of having a slightly shorter boat for manuvering when needed and ease of transportation would outweigh the slight difference in speed (if there is one).

Hope this helps others if they are trying to make a similar decison and more comments are welcome. Maybe I will end up with a Tarpon 160i after all this.....

[Handymansd]

I have the outback due to my insatiable habit of wanting to take everything with me, and spending 3am to 8:30pm shifts OTW. I am 210# 6' 4" with long legs. I have to use the 7 setting because of my leg length, and I also find that the drive bottoms out with a full stroke. I have adjusted my peddle stroke & I don't notice it, but then it also means I have lost alot of efficiency. The outback with half a peddle stroke still cruises at around 4 mph, as oppossed to my last kayak (FND) which at full sprint mode went about .000000001 mph!

[forefrazier]

Originally Posted by Billy V

I hope this helps.

Thanks for the great comments Billy....It does help. One question...when you say, "if you are going to do any significant paddling" do you mean pedaling or actually paddling the Hobie?

[Shorty]

Sounds like you need a model in between the Revo and Adventure

I would personaly wait a while,,with the 2009 models coming out the old model 2008's should be getting sold cheap to clear them out, thats what i imagine anyway,,,not sure if its done in practice ?

[Billy V]

Originally Posted by forefrazier

Thanks for the great comments Billy....It does help. One question...when you say, "if you are going to do any significant paddling" do you mean pedaling or actually paddling the Hobie?

--I read your test ride and saw that you said your butt was wet after a ride. The first thing I though of was the scupper plugs under the seat. Because the only time my butt gets wet is when I launch it through the surf. Then I use a grout sponge to mop it up and I'm good to go all day after that.

--The one thing I like better about the Revo is access to the front hatch, but then again its smaller than the Adventure's hatch.
Check out this link and Post #49.
http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwevb/s...e+hatch&page=3

--I have the larger sailing rudder and it make a big difference in maneuverability with the adventure, but I have taken it off the yak because in the ocean it doesn't really matter if I can make a quicker turn. If I was fishing around docks, or in a tight area I would probably use it.
----------------------------------------

I meant Paddling.
According to Ron Lane of Fastlane Sailing Center the Adventure won a paddling award the year I bought mine.

I do use my yak as an occasional paddler. The yak comes with a plug that fits in the place of the mirage drive if you want to go Old School.
You could park it in the kelp just like any other kayak.



I don't think you could go wrong with either yak, Revo or Adventure if we are talking about ocean use.