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| Revolution 11 - accessing the front hatch http://www.hobie.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=46343 |
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| Author: | smithcorp [ Thu Jan 24, 2013 8:40 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Revolution 11 - accessing the front hatch |
Hi all - possibly silly question, but I am installing an anchor trolley on my Revo 11 and the plan is to keep anchor, rope and sea anchor in the front hatch (I have the hatch liner bucket for it). Trouble is, I am not all that confident I can easily access the front hatch out on the water. How do people get themselves forward, with the Mirage drive pedals sticking up? Each time I have tried moving around the cockpit (especially while wearing a pfd) it gets very tippy and I feel if I continue, I will end up in the drink. Do you move forward on hands and knees, shuffle forward on your butt, or use some other method to get up there and back without taking a swim? cheers smith |
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| Author: | Kal-P-Dal [ Fri Jan 25, 2013 10:40 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Revolution 11 - accessing the front hatch |
Well the mirage drive I simply remove and put it in the sea (well tethered of course) thereafter I move on knees. I have an Adventure kayak. No problem. Practice near land! br thomas |
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| Author: | Chopcat [ Fri Jan 25, 2013 11:15 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Revolution 11 - accessing the front hatch |
Its not that easy sliding down to the bow on the 11. as it gets narrower it gets more tippy. It can be done. Thats where my lunch is kept, however you might not want t o rely on getting to it in any reasonable sea state. CC |
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| Author: | Jcanracer [ Fri Jan 25, 2013 11:59 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Revolution 11 - accessing the front hatch |
Its not graceful, and I make sure the go-pro isn't filming at the time, but I spread my legs so each is hanging off a side of the kayak and scoot forward on my but to get closer to the hatch  I often keep my anchor in there when I'm doing an inshore trip and its also my default spot for water bottles and my drybox (phone/wallet/keys). I try not to keep tackle in there because I do not like having to revisit the front hatch when the waves start to pickup offshore. |
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| Author: | augaug [ Fri Jan 25, 2013 12:32 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Revolution 11 - accessing the front hatch |
smithcorp wrote: How do people get themselves forward, with the Mirage drive pedals sticking up? Each time I have tried moving around the cockpit (especially while wearing a pfd) it gets very tippy and I feel if I continue, I will end up in the drink. This isn't a silly question at all, it's a great question, and it's going to be a bit different for you than it is for other Mirage Drive boaters. The Revolution 11 is a new boat, and the design really is quite a bit different when it comes to stability as you move forward.   Moving forward on the Adventure (red boat) is still going to keep you in the wider section of the boat where it is the most stable. Moving forward in the Revolution 11 (yellow boat) puts you into a much narrower part of the boat. So the further that you move forward, the less stability you're going to have. I'm sure it will take practice, but part of that feeling of instability comes from the design of your boat, and the other part just comes from getting used to how to do it. I'd still follow the basic principles. Remove the drive, so that you can keep your centre of gravity low. I would probably scoot forward with your legs over the sides of the boat, and rest your butt either on the hatch, or where the mirage drive sits. That keeps your weight low, having your feet over the sides, and in the water, also acts to give you more stability. Another thing to keep in mind is that as the stern of the boat rises from the water, you will be balancing on the bow of the boat which is designed to pierce waves, not add stability. Keeping something heavier in the back as you move forward will keep the bulbous part of the boat sitting in the water. That bulbous part is what keeps things stable on a boat like yours. It's probably going to take some practice, and it's also going to take some getting used to. With any kayak, sometimes it just feels a bit more tippy than it is, sometimes it really is that tippy. I'm sure you'll get more comfortable with time! |
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| Author: | Jcanracer [ Fri Jan 25, 2013 1:36 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Revolution 11 - accessing the front hatch |
wow the picture really drives the point home doesnt it? |
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| Author: | augaug [ Fri Jan 25, 2013 1:52 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Revolution 11 - accessing the front hatch |
Jcanracer wrote: wow the picture really drives the point home doesnt it? Absolutely! Compare it to any boat in the Mirage Drive lineup, and you'll understand why it feels more tippy when you move from the seat. The Oasis that I own is similar in design. When you solo it from the front cockpit, and you move forward towards the hatch, the stability changes. The difference is that the Oasis has a HUGE rear end behind you, and it's a wider boat overall. On the Oasis, the level of stability changes, but it's nowhere near as drastic as it would be on the Revolution 11. The boat never tips forward onto the unstable bow, like it can on the Revo 11. That's just one of the trade-offs of having a boat like the Revolution 11. Each boat in the line-up has strengths and weaknesses. The Revo 11 is one of my favourite new boats from Hobie, and I'd definitely recommend it to anyone looking to get into a Mirage Drive kayak, but this is one of the drawbacks of the design. Having said that, there are a LOT of really expensive sea kayaks which don't allow any access to the hatches while underway. Hobie users often take for granted the fact that, for kayaks, these boats are amazingly stable, and overall access to on-board storage, across the line, is excellent. |
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| Author: | Roadrunner [ Fri Jan 25, 2013 8:50 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Revolution 11 - accessing the front hatch |
Using Jcanracer's method, the front hatch is easily accessed on the Revo 11. Legs in the water act as stabilizers and keep your center of gravity low. Leaving the Drive in with pedals in the #6 or 7 position makes it easy to crouch over (see pic below). The downward pointed fins act as additional stability and keeps things simple and quick. With a little practice you can scoot around quite nicely.  
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| Author: | augaug [ Fri Jan 25, 2013 9:36 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Revolution 11 - accessing the front hatch |
I don't know Roadrunner, that's not fair. You've got more experience with Hobie kayaks than anyone! You should be able to stand on the Revo 11 with the steady stick like you did in the Oasis review! 
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| Author: | Roadrunner [ Fri Jan 25, 2013 10:33 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Revolution 11 - accessing the front hatch |
I have to admit, standing was pretty dicey in that boat, even with the steady stick (not shown here)! I half expected to end up in the drink and almost did!  Which only proves that 1) this boat has very solid secondary stability for an 11 footer and 2) I'm not very smart! 
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| Author: | smithcorp [ Sat Jan 26, 2013 5:42 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Revolution 11 - accessing the front hatch |
Haha! Fantastic info chaps - thanks a million. i will give this a try this weekend! The legs of the sides makes sense. I used to paddle K1s and that was the default position in big water - flip the feet out and dangle them while bracing. I never thought of trying it with the Revo. Thanks all for your helpful replies. smith |
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| Author: | augaug [ Sat Jan 26, 2013 7:30 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Revolution 11 - accessing the front hatch |
| There's the Roadrunner we all know and love! I'm very impressed that you can stand in that boat, but you're right; It goes to show exactly how stable these boats are! Any comparable paddle kayak that I've ever been in that's as stable as any of my Hobie's are much slower. If you get something that is comparable in speed, it's much less stable, and there's no way that you'd be accessing your main hatches while underway! |
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| Author: | cnnashman [ Sun Jan 27, 2013 7:50 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Pull a string and hatch open. |
Why bother getting out of your seat at all. I rig a thin rope thats attached to the top hatch and then string it through the front handle u bolt at the very front of the yak. I then run the line along the side of the boat to my seat, when i want the hatch open i pull the string and it opens, i used this method to not have to turn around to grab baitfish . I put a bucket half filled with water and bait (with a portable aerator ) in the front hatch, whenever i needed another minnow, i pulled the string and the hatch would open up and i would use a 3 foot baitwell net to scoop them out from the seated position, let go of the string and the hatch closes. You could do the same but switch the bait well net for one of those extension arms to grab things out of reach. No more having to leave your seat, i have been using it for years. Side note: You should not use this method in rough seas or out in open water since you need to leave the latch for the hatch loose but you can still have it closed (it's just closed but not fully latched). |
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| Author: | cnnashman [ Thu Feb 14, 2013 8:06 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Revolution 11 - accessing the front hatch |
The below pics are how i access the front hatch as explained in the previous post, i use the net to scoop baitfish out of a front hatch mounted livewell. Very simple yet effective.    
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| Author: | Roadrunner [ Thu Feb 14, 2013 11:26 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Pull a string and hatch open. |
cnnashman wrote: Side note: You should not use this method in rough seas or out in open water since you need to leave the latch for the hatch loose but you can still have it closed (it's just closed but not fully latched). This is an important point and needs to be reemphasized. I seem to recall a distracted angler capsizing in a PA when they first came out due to a unseen surprise swell/boat wake. The boat reportedly sank -- it was initially blamed on a faulty hatch design and seal but turned out to be simply that the guy left his bow hatch unsecured. This was before the boats were equipped with flotation. If you're going to operate with your bow hatch unlatched, beware of the potential consequences!
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