Paddling The Outback

OK, so last weekend, I paddled the new Outback. But only for a few hundred yards at a clip in the pond in Willamina. No problem, handled very much like my Predator MX, in fact. Sweet.

This weekend, I temporarily busted by Mirage drive, on a rock in the main channel between Garibaldi and the south jetty. Water depth was 12-15', I was actually heading from the shallows towards the deeper channel and I really think I was in it or just off it. All of a sudden I'm impaled on a rock not visible above the water. This was about an hour before low tide.

Anyhoo, that's just background/filler to 'splain why I was paddling.

I tried to paddle the rest of the way, but it was like I had very little control. Rudder up, rudder down, didn't seem to make a difference. I had to get towed to a sandy beach where repairs were effected by the fearless and ingenious Mr. Mojo Jojo. Thanks duckdawgmouse69 or whatever you call yourself. I wasn't really paying attention to the introductions - too many people and everybody has 2+ names. Exhausting.

Anyhoo, that's just rambling about the padding.

Point being - and this is certainly a SMALL SAMPLE SIZE - last weekend the paddling was fine. This weekend, it was like paddling a quarter pounder box with a seat.

The only difference was last weekend I had the drive well plug in place, this week I did not.

So, further experimentation is called for. But theoeatically, the "fairing" feature of the drive well plug is apparently really, really....eh, REAL. Pending further confirmation.

It may also be that today had outbound tide current working against the rear of the kayak, plus wind. Whereas last weekend if was a little wind, no current, and of course the fairing plug. Which was the big factor ? Inconclusive.

Can anyone contribute a relevant first hand experience ?

Alls I know is, in the calms, with the plug - no problemo. In wind and current without the plug - useless and alarming.

Tide and wind are big, big factors. My 13' perception triumph weathercocks so bad that trying to get up wind was nearly futile.... Until I added a rudder.

Unless you can get a third arm, controlling the rudder on a Hobie while paddling is not possible, which means they require a lot of paddling effort in the wind.

Sounds like you need to spend some days off in the bay soon harassing game fish and test paddling your theory 
Your quite welcome for the shaft repair and for inquiring minds.... I took my aluminum paddle in half slid it over the mast shaft stuffed the excess area with my fish pliers so the shaft didn't warp and used Pinstriper's lap and grip with my knee on the body we gently kept bending till they were close enough for government work.... My suggestion for Hobie guys is keep an aluminum tube that just fits over the shaft and is longer then the shaft in your repair kit, once I pick up my Hobie I know I will. Also extra pins and retainer ring, not that we lost one we were on the beach.

Sounds like you need to spend some days off in the bay soon harassing game fish and test paddling your theory 
Your quite welcome for the shaft repair and for inquiring minds.... I took my aluminum paddle in half slid it over the mast shaft stuffed the excess area with my fish pliers so the shaft didn't warp and used Pinstriper's lap and grip with my knee on the body we gently kept bending till they were close enough for government work.... My suggestion for Hobie guys is keep an aluminum tube that just fits over the shaft and is longer then the shaft in your repair kit, once I pick up my Hobie I know I will. Also extra pins and retainer ring, not that we lost one we were on the beach.

This is a great point, and Hobie sells a parts kit with key things like retaining pins, rings, sprocket assemblies and such. Coupled with a few cheap tools in a separate zip lock with juuuuust a smidgeon of rust inhibitor spray, and your original masts and fins from before the turbo upgrade, will give you a puncher's chance at saving your fishing day.

We DID have the good sense (take THAT, wives !) to do this on the beach where dropping a piece was no biggie. Doing this kind of work on the water is just asking for trouble, so if you have ANY alternative, beach for repairs.

Also, the fairing plug is now safely snuggled in the forward hatch. It makes a BIG difference in the paddleability. I put a padeye on it and will make it's own leash later today. My leashes consist of a length of paracord with a HFT carabiner attached with a palomar knot at each end, with the tag ends heatshrunked to the working line. Easy peasey. Lifetime supply of heatshrink tubing from - you guessed it - HFT.

I'm thinking my toolkit will be a visegrip, slotted screwdriver, philips screwdriver, aforementioned aluminum tube-persuader.

I think a lot of what you were experiencing had to do with the outgoing tide..  The tide really rips there and can almost be a bit scary if you're not used to it.  If you can't keep up with the current it can be tough to maintain control and change direction.  I wasn't there and am just making assumptions on my past experiences there.  Just my .02 cents.

The outback paddles like a barge. One more reason i don't like it for big water. I have known a few guys to paddle an outback a few miles but each one said it truly sucked.