Question for the Hobie owners

My downrigger is mounted on the right side of my Revolution, and I store my paddle on the left side.  The bungied-down paddle doesn't interfere at all with fishing or climbing back into my kayak.

I wish they had kept the left-side paddle storage. Would make all of this a non-issue for me.

My downrigger is mounted on the right side of my Revolution, and I store my paddle on the left side.  The bungied-down paddle doesn't interfere at all with fishing or climbing back into my kayak.

I wish they had kept the left-side paddle storage. Would make all of this a non-issue for me.

Woops! I didn't realize that Hobie has eliminated the left side paddle holder on the current Revolutions.  Depending on how you mount your downrigger on the right side of your kayak, the downrigger may not interfere with keeping your paddle in the right side paddle holder.  When going through surf, I put my rod in the right side paddle holder, with its tip in a tip protector at the bow.  It sits below the base of my downrigger.

The right-side downrigger mount I am going to make will clear the paddle if it's stowed on the right side, but access to the paddle will not be fast, especially with the cannonball deployed. 

I think they killed the left-side paddle storage on the Revo's to accommodate the rudder lever being moved/turned further outboard.  I'm pretty sure that happened when they released the Vantage CT equipped Revos.

The right-side downrigger mount I am going to make will clear the paddle if it's stowed on the right side, but access to the paddle will not be fast, especially with the cannonball deployed.

I've never needed to use my paddle when my downrigger weight is down.  And unless I encounter a situation where I need to back up in a big hurry, I usually have plenty of advance warning of when I'm going to need my paddle.  So stowing your paddle on the right side of your Revolution under your downrigger will probably work fine.

 I would never ever go out without a paddle...With that said the only time I use mine is if there is big waves on launch/landing or when it's low tide at WG and you don't reach deep enough water for 100 yards to drop your drive. 

I have a Slayer Propel(not a Hobie but same difference) and I have broke one propeller on landing.  I must have hit it just right because the water was pretty flat and I came in normal speed and it just snapped one of the blades clean off. Ever since then I use my paddle when there  is any question.

We had a thread a while back about Mirage drive sprocket failures and other threads about problems with the pedal assembly.  Even restricted by the downrigger, wouldn't it still be quicker to get to the paddle if needed when carried in the paddle holder than it would be to reach forward, free the pieces and then put it together?

First time using a hobie was this weekend and only times I needed the paddle was during launching to get deep enough to clear the turbo fins and rudder. But definitely will always have it on me for safety purposes.