jason.fornelli:
I know I'm getting a Hobie kayak. I just haven't decided which one to get.
To start, this would be my first kayak purchase. I would initially be fishing lakes and rivers but eventually I want to get out on the ocean (after I get around to buying all the gear I would need). Bass fishing is appealing but I'm more likely to want salmon, halibut....
I always like the newest tech, and the new PA coming out with the 360 Mirage Drive sounds great.
I want fishability. I want stability if I choose to stand. I want storage (rod storage in the PA is good, yeah?). I would be hauling in the bed of my truck with a hitch bed extender so not worried about lifting up high. I have to plan for the time(s) when I might have to paddle but am expecting to predominantly use the drive system.
The negatives I've read about for the PA are the weight, difficult surf launches, poor paddle-ability. The negatives I see for the Outback are the lack of 360 drive (I know, I could get by just fine without it but new tech...), the handle up front looks weak (prefer the handle on the PA), and less storage.
So, what do you think?
jed:
First off I would say to try all of the models you are considering first to see how you like them and see/feel the differences for your self.
From the boats you mentioned and wants you listed, I would go with the Outback. I have a 19 Outback right now and really like the way the boat handles in flat water as well as the Ocean. Many people like the revo for the Ocean but standing may be a challenge.
New tech is good but many times the first year of a mod turns out to be a large scale testing of the new gear and may result in needing fixes and mods. The drive currently on the Outback does all I need. For Zero radius turns I use my paddle. Of course this is all just my opinion and other will add stuff.
Dawn Patrol:
I have a ‘19 Outback and love it. Had a paddle kayak for years, the 180 drive is great, 360 seems a bit much.
Tried the PA’s, they are really heavy. I recall going to a dealer when I was testing kayaks out. That was before ‘19 Outback had come out, and I was considering the Compass or a PA. Sales guy wanted to get me in a PA. His line was “that one’s a kayak, the PA is a boat”. Yeah, but I wanted a kayak, not a boat.
Then the new Outback came out, which made the decision easier for me. PA’s def have over the top fishing features (rod holders tackle box holders etc etc) but I find the Outback pretty full featured. It is hard to paddle esp when a DR and FF on the rails. I’d be worried with the PA, but that’s just me.
Like Jed said I’d try them all. You’ll know what feels right for you and your style/s of fishing. I am mostly salmon fishing in the Puget sound and need to be able to hand carry over obstacles at a few of my put ins, Outback was a good fit for me. Good luck choosing, you’re psyched!!
Rockbottom:
I think you'll have a great time no matter the Hobie....but if you have to beach it at low tide...hauling the PA back to the truck may involve some inventive swearing. Enjoy the hunt. I've now got three kayaks. I really appreciate the lightness of my paddle only kayaks for lakes. Because they're relatively inexpensive, I don't feel bad dragging them across rocks or pavement either, but I love my Hobie Compass, and my next Hobie will be an Outback. Remember the drysuit if you go in the salt!
Tinker:
I'm always curious why folks who've never owned a kayak want to jump right in with a Hobie without ever learning how to paddle a kayak. It seems to me they're putting a lot of faith in a propulsion unit that fails way too often - read about it here through the Search function and then do the same search in NorCal Kayak Anglers (NCKA).
Hypothetical situation: let's say you're a half mile offshore when the wind builds up and you're tryiing to get back to the beach wen a cable comes loose on the Mirage drive, rendering it useless. You grab the paddle and then what?
I think they're fine boats and all that, but they're not the end all and be all of kayaks. I own an iPhone and it isn't the end all and be all of smart phones. Both have a rabid fan base and are surrounded by a lot of hype, but hype isn't what you depend on in the ocean, now is it?
There, I got it all out, and I now feel better. But that said, I'd have to agree that if you cannot live with the humiliation of not owning a Hobie of your own, the Outback is the right choice for what you said you want to do.
I'm not sure why anyone would want or need to stand up on a kayak. They're pretty silent things and you can drift right up to fish in a kayak. Sight fishing is entirely different in a kayak than it is in a powerboat, but you can stand up in an Outback if you want, and an Outback won't give you a hernia while trying to launch, land, and load like a PA might.