Drive system questions

I'm new to this place, so I don't know if I'm in the right forum. My question is: can you use the Hobie Mirage without the drive? and is there a part that you can plug up the hole where the drive mechanism goes. If you anser then thank you.

You are in the wrong forum, but I can still answer your questions.

Yes, you can paddle the Mirage with a kayak paddle. Yes, there is a plug to put in place of the drive. I find the Mirage hard to paddle traditionally as it is a shorter boat and designed for teh thrust to be on it's centerline. It is also hard to use the rudder since your hands are on the paddle.

Check out further down the forum index for the kayak forums. There are many people there who know alot about them.

_________________
Nick

Current Boat
In the market
Previous boats owned
'74 Pearson 30
'84 H16
'82 H18 Magnum
St. Louis, MO

As Hobie Nick noted, yes you can paddle the Mirage kayaks using the cassette well plug in place of the drive. The drive itself does not have much drag, so you certainly can paddle with it in place if needed.

Not all models are wide and short though. The Hobie Mirage Adventure and new Mirage Revolution are very nice paddle kayaks too. Long and narrow. The Revolution's hull and bottom are very similar to our Paddle model... Quest and that model is highly regarded as a great paddle kayak.

If you have not yet tried the MirageDrive and are unsure about the performance and think you will want to paddle at times...most users will tell you that unless you are looking for an upper body workout, you will not end up paddling much. The drives work so well that we just end up using paddles for tight maneuvers and backing up.

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

Hi Jason and welcome to the forum.

I wonder if you might have an old Hobie Mirage (now called the Classic) without a plug or a drive. If so, the plugs aren't too expensive.

Even without the plug, you can certainly paddle -- the open hole will not fill your kayak up with water. If you want, you can put a little duct tape on the outside bottom to cover the opening so water doesn't splash in as you paddle. If you do, leave a little gap so the cockpit can drain!

If you have trouble paddling straight with the rudder down, try it with the rudder up; ithe boat will wiggle more but is more correctable with the paddle. Different people have different preferences.

If you have any more questions, you're welcome to post them here.

Regarding this same topic and the cassette well, as I believe it is called. So it sounds like the flippers can be removed and the boat still doesn't take in water? If that's correct, it it possible to remove the flippers while you are in the kayak? I'm guessing this isn't possible, or is very difficult but better to ask anyway. The reason I ask is because I've been wondering what you do when beaching the kayak or landing on rough shoreline. When beaching I'd imagine lots of sand would get in the drive unit if it wasn't removed. Maybe the drive unit can handle this but sand and sprockets/chains sounds quite abrasive. And what about gravel type or slightly rocky shoreline. Obviously you'd have to be careful or you could damage the hull but I'd like to hear opinions how you deal with this.

Thanks.

Remove a drive? Easy to do...

The MirageDrive can be pulled from the drive cassette well at any time. A simple twist of two knobs and out it comes. The only issue is water depth. You need to position the two fins straight down. The drives are light (under 6 lbs). Many people remove them to come to rocky shores. You don't have to on most beaches. Just pedal right up onto the beach, limiting the pedal stroke as the water becomes shallower. One pedal forward places the fins flat against the bottom of the hull. You can take short quick strokes and flutter the drive fins for forward thrust. Actually this is always amazing to me. They move forward quickly with even short quick strokes. You do not need full strokes.

The drive well is an open well like a large scupper. Water sits in it at all times and sloshes about.

The biggest concern to Hobie Cat about paddling with the drive removed is the remote possibility of slipping your foot into the well and getting hurt in some way. That is the biggest reason for using the cassette well plug. Even with the plug in place there is a gap around the edges that allows water in and out to drain.

As far as sand and mud... the drive is "self cleaning" the chains and sprockets are exposed and bathed in water as the drive is used. Banging against rocks when landing should be avoided, but sand and mud have little effect and clean right out unless the sand grains are just the right size to get stuck in the chain. That might wear the sprockets a bit. Replacement sprockets are pretty reasonably priced if it is an issue too.

We are not careful with our demo drives and boats and see few problems with a large variety of users (anyone at the factory can use them). If you love your boat, carry it, clean it, cover it, remove the drive when beaching... but that just keeps it new looking. It is not required practice!

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)