Depoe Bay report 1-Jun-2019

Great discussion here.

On a different note, have you tried re-entering your kayak with the mustang inflated?  I'd be curious to hear about how much it impedes re-entry.

-Mark-

Your mileage is going to vary, here, no doubt about it.

I use a Werner carbon fiber paddle, and while I'm not a fan of Werner paddles (their ferrules suck in the two examples I own), the carbon blades have held up incredibly well for me abusing them to pole my kayaks over shallows and to push off barnacle-encrusted rocks.  Carbon fiber blades are tougher than you'd think.

But on the other hand, the fastest paddle I've ever owned was a Bending Branches plastic and aluminum Bounce.  I wish I hadn't gifted it to my Grandkid.

I may be in the minority here but I don't see a reason to get a high tech paddle as a backup to a pedal drive.  If I could count on the drive working 99.5% of the time, it seemed to me I wanted a paddle that pushed me fastest when I needed it, regardless of what materials were used in it.  Thus, the cheap-o aluminum Bending Branches was my back-up when I owned the Revo and if I still had it, the Werner paddles would be my backups in my Tridents - the BB was that much quicker and weighed but 7 ounces more than my lightest Werner paddle.

Dave, it's hard and it's dangerous to tow a kayak behind another vessel - including being towed by another kayak - because regardless of where you attach a rope or what's still in/on it, a kayak has a tendency to drive the bow underwater when being towed through even small swells.  The best way to tow one is a side tow - I learned that when I was in the Coast Guard - and you don't want or need a human harness to do that. Just sayin' - you might want to test what we learned for yourself before your life depends on a successful tow.

First off, I would not recommend using Loc-tite on those cable ends.  You may not have enough grip on the cable side later remove the Nyloc nut for servicing the drive. You could accidentally round out the plastic slot in the Mirage drive that the cable passes through.   Instead, I would suggest cleaning the threads really well of any oils and just use some Goop as a thread locker.  It is springy yet holds really well, with the option to remove it later without much issue. 

Second, I carry a 3mm Allen wrench and an 11mm open end wrench (7/16" works too) wrapped in a blue shop rag dowsed in Corrosion-X, all safely stored in a small Ziplock bag in my 1st aid kit on board with me.  A few spare nuts in there as well.  Have had to bust out the mini tool kit several times to tweak someone else's mirage drive cables a time or two (on and off the water).

I think the blue medium strength loctite is going to be fine to use, remembering that the threaded cable end has flats on it so you can keep it from turning, without damaging the threads, with a small spanner or leatherman.  I would not use the red high strength loctite stuff.

I'm also pondering a new slogan for those of us that are big Hobie fans, something like "Check your nuts!", maybe Dr. Evil could be the spokesman....

https://youtu.be/93gBDFPwgcA?t=60

 

 

First off, I would not recommend using Loc-tite on those cable ends.  You may not have enough grip on the cable side later remove the Nyloc nut for servicing the drive. You could accidentally round out the plastic slot in the Mirage drive that the cable passes through.   Instead, I would suggest cleaning the threads really well of any oils and just use some Goop as a thread locker.  It is springy yet holds really well, with the option to remove it later without much issue. 

Second, I carry a 3mm Allen wrench and an 11mm open end wrench (7/16" works too) wrapped in a blue shop rag dowsed in Corrosion-X, all safely stored in a small Ziplock bag in my 1st aid kit on board with me.  A few spare nuts in there as well.  Have had to bust out the mini tool kit several times to tweak someone else's mirage drive cables a time or two (on and off the water).

I think the blue medium strength loctite is going to be fine to use, remembering that the threaded cable end has flats on it so you can keep it from turning, without damaging the threads, with a small spanner or leatherman.  I would not use the red high strength loctite stuff.

I'm also pondering a new slogan for those of us that are big Hobie fans, something like "Check your nuts!", maybe Dr. Evil could be the spokesman....

https://youtu.be/93gBDFPwgcA?t=60

 

 
Great movie

First off, I would not recommend using Loc-tite on those cable ends.  You may not have enough grip on the cable side later remove the Nyloc nut for servicing the drive. You could accidentally round out the plastic slot in the Mirage drive that the cable passes through.   Instead, I would suggest cleaning the threads really well of any oils and just use some Goop as a thread locker.  It is springy yet holds really well, with the option to remove it later without much issue. 

Second, I carry a 3mm Allen wrench and an 11mm open end wrench (7/16" works too) wrapped in a blue shop rag dowsed in Corrosion-X, all safely stored in a small Ziplock bag in my 1st aid kit on board with me.  A few spare nuts in there as well.  Have had to bust out the mini tool kit several times to tweak someone else's mirage drive cables a time or two (on and off the water).

I think the blue medium strength loctite is going to be fine to use, remembering that the threaded cable end has flats on it so you can keep it from turning, without damaging the threads, with a small spanner or leatherman.  I would not use the red high strength loctite stuff.

I'm also pondering a new slogan for those of us that are big Hobie fans, something like "Check your nuts!", maybe Dr. Evil could be the spokesman....

https://youtu.be/93gBDFPwgcA?t=60

Please do an experiment with the blue Loc-Tite on said cable ends.  Give it a few weeks to cure and then see if it comes off as easily as we hope.  If it does, that is awesome.  If not, well then move to plan "B". 

This form of blue medium strength Loc-Tite might be the ticket if you want absolute control over application.



https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0053ZNMDE/?coliid=IROUTLSS14OKW&colid=2DQ8N76SROHNV&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it