Best all-use hobie?

No I havnt hit rocks hardly maybe a couple times when launching, but it wasn't any kind of direct hard hit more of a light brush against the rocks.  I tend to fish deep and I do lots of salmon trolling.  Its not uncommon for me to do 20-25+ mile days and be on the water 10-12hrs+.  I tend to cruise at 4.5 to 5.5 mph when the water lets me.  I spend 90% of the time in the ocean.

If you are pushing an Outback at 5.5 mph, that may be the problem with the broken pedal shafts.  When you move through the water, the yak makes waves.  The faster you go, the more distance between the crests of the waves.  At the "hull speed" of the yak, you are basically pushing it "uphill" because the distance created between the wave crests is so far apart that the bow is on top of the wave and the stern is in the trough.   The only way to overcome this problem is to get it up on plane.  I would love to see someone be able to get an Outback up on plane, but I don't think I will in my lifetime.  I would expect the pedal shafts to snap before that would happen.  Therefore, by trying to push it past its "hull speed", you are applying a lot of pressure to the pedals without much gain.   I personally have found that with the Outback, the increase in speed after I get above 4.2-4.5 mph is not worth the effort.  But, I am getting old.

Generally, the longer the hull, the higher the theoretical hull speed.  That is why I picked up an Adventure. Much easier fighting river currents while trolling for salmon on the Columbia in an Adventure or Revo than the Outback.  I have to focus on not going above 4 mph with the Adventure it moves so easily through the water.

I watched a buddy of mine this weekend ride 4 ft in saturday completely sideways, like a bobber.

But he was like 150 lbs soaking wet...You forgot to mention the 210 lb buddy who did multiple barrel rolls in his Outback in 6ft rollers!!! woo-hoo!

I watched a buddy of mine this weekend ride 4 ft in saturday completely sideways, like a bobber.

But he was like 150 lbs soaking wet...You forgot to mention the 210 lb buddy who did multiple barrel rolls in his Outback in 6ft rollers!!! woo-hoo!

Nothing wrong with riding a wave in sideways.  Learn how to do it, and you'll never huli.  It's actually an easy "out" if you start pearling and can't pull out gracefully.  Say you're surfing straight in and you start pearling.  Plant your paddle on one side to initiate a turn.  If you exit your paddle drag at the right time and start paddling again, you'll shoot down the wave.  If you wait too long, you end up side surfing.  Just change you dragging paddle into a brace into the wave, lean into the wave (flash your butt at the beach), and enjoy the ride.

-Allen

Im 6'5" 185lbs and have an Outback, but as of yesterday I broke the mirage drive peddle shaft for the 3rd time in a year on a new 2012 Outback.  2wice left and 1nce right peddle..  Im not sold on Hobies crap yet.  It works good for trolling and staying on a spot when it doesn't break.

How the heck have you gone through 3 shafts!?
Are you hitting the drive on rocks or bottom often? If so, I wouldn't be surprised if you have stress fractures in your shafts that cause them to snap.

I don't think he is talking about fin masts. I think he is talking about the drive arms the stick above the water. I have broken one and I know two other guys who have also broken drive arms.

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I would also say get the turbo fins but don't get the sailing rudder. If you surf land and take it in rivers you may bust it off because it sits below the haul. Unless you are doing a trick show on the water, or want to do really tight donuts. It's nice to be able to use your rudder when landing in big surf. once again in my humble opinion.

On surf landings: I would say the less bouyant the boat the more likely to huli. I watched a buddy of mine this weekend ride 4 ft in saturday completely sideways, like a bobber. I on the other hand fully loaded usaully get a nice rush landing in the same size waves. However I have never been able to pull my rudder while riding a wave in. That's unless I'm standing on the ground.

I think the sailing rudder is a purchase everyone who fishes from a Hobie should make.  I find it's important to turn as quickly as possible to release a snagged lure when you're being pushed by a current and the sailing rudder makes that happen.  Plus, the rudder assembly is designed to be easily reattached if it breaks off due to the rudder being hit by something.  There's a replaceable pin, which holds the rudder assembly to the hull, that is designed to break instead of the other parts breaking. 

I wouldn't recommend trying to pull up the rudder of a Hobie while in the surf zone to anyone.  That should be done only if you are begging to take a swim.    In my experience, my rudder has always ended up screwing up my surf landings when I forget to pull it.  Adjusting or pulling up the rudder requires me to do what I never want to do in the surf zone: take my hand off of my paddle.  I keep my paddle in my hands and if I use the drive to get through the surf, I use my paddle as the rudder. 

Im 6'5" 185lbs and have an Outback, but as of yesterday I broke the mirage drive peddle shaft for the 3rd time in a year on a new 2012 Outback.

Yeah, I would say you're doing something wrong.  I don't know what it is, but it's wrong.     Please clarify what part of the drive is breaking, the posts that the fins go on, or the pedal arms?  Feel free to start a new thread pertaining to this issue. 

Yes nansdog did a ninja huli on sunday, but easy 8ft waves at the beach. He came up without a drop on him though.

If you look at last weeks pole, outback by a significant margin. I just think revo owners are more passionate about thier boats.

I've found, in the 30 surf landings I've done in the last six months, for me personally leaving my rudder down and riding the wave in has been the most efficient landing style. Since the sailing rudder penetrates below the hull I would worry about busting it on the way in.

Let me add that I'm positive there are people on here who have more experience and prowess at landing in surf. It's just easier for me to kick like hell and use the rudder to keep me straight on the wave. Going in backwards works also but my doritos get wet!

Dirk, you need to start shooting video!!!

-Allen

Let me add that I'm positive there are people on here who have more experience and prowess at landing in surf. It's just easier for me to kick like hell and use the rudder to keep me straight on the wave. Going in backwards works also but my doritos get wet!

If it works for ya, no need to change what you're doing!   

Well I've been in hoebuck 3 weekends this month and every weekend someone from this forum has hulied. I have yet to dump it while landing with fish.

Dirk, you don't have any weight in your boat. All you got was a bunch of guppies onboard and you weigh 140lbs. LOL

Nothing wrong with riding a wave in sideways.  Learn how to do it, and you'll never huli.  It's actually an easy "out" if you start pearling and can't pull out gracefully.  Say you're surfing straight in and you start pearling.  Plant your paddle on one side to initiate a turn.  If you exit your paddle drag at the right time and start paddling again, you'll shoot down the wave.  If you wait too long, you end up side surfing.  Just change you dragging paddle into a brace into the wave, lean into the wave (flash your butt at the beach), and enjoy the ride.

-Allen

I'm sure it's easier said then done, but that's a great description.  I know I'll be trying to remember this next time I'm getting dumped; "what was I suppose to do again...damn too late."

Ray dumped it everytime. He doesn't slow his cadence or path at all, straight for the shore, wait for it wait for it huli. What did you go ray 1 for 4 on the landings?

outside of jacking this guys thread. My only advice is don't jump on board every thing everyone else uses. Some people like me can only land in surf one way, others like pole pole, go to the north shore with thier addy loaded down with gold bullion chasing down the fifty year storm. But all poking at pole pole aside? I have several things that i have bought that I don't and may never use.

I've been to every city in Mexico. I came across an unclaimed piece of meat in Baja, turned out to be Rosie. I guessed he picked a knife fight with somebody better. Found one of your passports to Sumatra, I missed you by about a week at Fiji. But, I knew you wouldn't miss the fifty year storm, Bodhi.

 

-Allen

No I havnt hit rocks hardly maybe a couple times when launching, but it wasn't any kind of direct hard hit more of a light brush against the rocks.  I tend to fish deep and I do lots of salmon trolling.  Its not uncommon for me to do 20-25+ mile days and be on the water 10-12hrs+.  I tend to cruise at 4.5 to 5.5 mph when the water lets me.  I spend 90% of the time in the ocean.

If you are pushing an Outback at 5.5 mph, that may be the problem with the broken pedal shafts.  When you move through the water, the yak makes waves.  The faster you go, the more distance between the crests of the waves.  At the "hull speed" of the yak, you are basically pushing it "uphill" because the distance created between the wave crests is so far apart that the bow is on top of the wave and the stern is in the trough.   The only way to overcome this problem is to get it up on plane.  I would love to see someone be able to get an Outback up on plane, but I don't think I will in my lifetime.  I would expect the pedal shafts to snap before that would happen.  Therefore, by trying to push it past its "hull speed", you are applying a lot of pressure to the pedals without much gain.   I personally have found that with the Outback, the increase in speed after I get above 4.2-4.5 mph is not worth the effort.  But, I am getting old.

Generally, the longer the hull, the higher the theoretical hull speed.  That is why I picked up an Adventure. Much easier fighting river currents while trolling for salmon on the Columbia in an Adventure or Revo than the Outback.  I have to focus on not going above 4 mph with the Adventure it moves so easily through the water.

Given that IIRC pretty much all the kayaks we on this forum use for fishing are displacement hulls, not planing hulls, I seriously doubt you'd ever be able to get an Outback, or any other fishing yak up on a plane.  Not without a motor anyway.  Tow it behind a PB at 30kts and it might plane.  At least until it breaks apart.

Once you hit hull speed extra effort with paddle, or peddle, pretty much only goes into creating a larger bow wave.

Hull speed formula (length is in feet, speed is in knots): v = 1.34√L

So my yak, a Prowler 13 (actually 13'6") would have a hull speed of about 4.9kts (5.6mph).  It's actually probably a bit lower than that as length should really be the water line length, which is almost always a bit shorter than overall length, but that only makes a difference of around 1/10kt, so overall lenght is close enough.  Once I hit that speed, harder paddling will get me a little more speed, but mostly just a bigger bow wave.  E.g. Increasing speed from 3.9kts to 4.9kts would probably take a 58% or so increase in effort (26% greater speed but drag goes by the square of speed).  To go from 4.9kts to 5.9kts would probably (SWAG alert) take 300% more effort for that 20% increase in speed.  It could be done, but not by me.

An Outback, with an overall length of 12'1" therefore would have a hull speed of around 4.65kts (5.4mph) using overall length.  Figure that's the very high end, and knowing the waterline length might shave a tenth or two off that.  So pushing it to 5.5mph is going to put huge strain on the drive train.  Back your speeds off to a max of 4.5-5mph and drive durability should improve quite a bit.