New Revolution

Turns out that an Outback and a ProAngler aren't enough. Just ordered a new Olive Revolution this morning.

It's a sickness. I'm trying to get over it.

Well, order one for me if it's a sickness

Awesome. I had two Pro Angler's, sold one last week. I've been looking at the Revolutions, but waiting to see what comes out here soon.

What were the"symptons" that made you order a Revolution while owning an Outback and a PA?

Seriously, I would like to know what you perceive to be the advantages and why as a fisher.

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2009 Oasis
2012 Freedom Hawk Pathfinder

I like the other two so much I thought I would try a Revolution as well. That's about it.

I was wondering the same thing....but in a different perspective. If you could have just 1, now that you have all 3 What would it be? No need to give reasons why as a simple search function can yield the benefits of each; and a search function will also yield that you fish rivers and lakes.....so if you could only have 1

From the broadest perspective of being able to do the most with the least, the Revolution would have to be the one to have.

But if your fishing entails a certain type and style water most of the time, then it's very possible that one of the others might be better at that specific type of use. I'm fortunate in that I have about 8 kayaks and each is tailored for a specific type of water. But if I had to sell them all and only keep one, and wished to continue fishing everything - lakes, rivers, streams, fast water, slow water, etc., etc., then the Revolution would be the boat to keep.

These discussions reminds me of the discussion of what is the best two handed fly rod (Spey Rods/Switch Rods).

The answer varies from fly fisher to kayaker fisher and where and what type of water they will be fishing or yak fishing in.

Both sports can be expensive. A big problem with more than one Kayak is the storage issue as well as the cost. I have two yaks now, and a 15' Jon Boat in my driveway. My understanding wife will probably tolerate one more Hobie if I store it on top of my Jon Boat. The Outback or Revolution can be stored upside down with a cover on the seats of the Jon Boat and secured by lockable chains to the Jon boat and its trailer. It will easier to pull the Hobie off the Jon boat unto my Ridgeline and load extender instead of a storage rack away from the driveway.. The Jon boat and the back of my Ridgeline/load extender are about the same height, so the lifting efforts would be minimalized in both loading and unloading the Hobie.

I started this process of trying to decide which additional Hobie a couple of months ago. I am now down to the Outback and Revolution because of three situations/conditions:

1. My 2009 Oasis is too much hassle for me and solo fishing. My Freedom Hawk 12 is good in protected areas where our constant winds have minimal impact and in smaller lakes. With my damaged shoulder and rotator cuff, I would proabably not be able to get it back to the launch site if the wind came up in an unprotected area, where most of the fishing potential is in my local river, bigger lakes and bay. So most of the time I'm not fishing or even yaking.

2. My ten year old grandson wants to fish with me in a kayak.

My 2009 Oasis is basically worthless and too much effort for solo yak fishing by myself. However, when my Grandson starts fishing in a yak in about a year or less with me, he can spin and fly cast from the front of the Oasis. He is a sturdy/strong athletic kid, and he came help load and unload the Oasis. He can lift heavier objects easier and move them more securely than my wife can. I had considered getting the Outfitter, but my Oasis will serve the purpose re my grandson yak fishing with me, by putting him up front in the Oasis. He will serve as an enjoyable ballast and Oasis mover fishing/yakking partner. The Oasis has a higher weight capacity and is probably more stable for the two of us than the Outfitter. We can design some type of standup platform to cover the Mirage so he could stand up and cast with his PFD. He is becoming a very good shot with his compound bow, and we could set him up to shoot carp from the bow of the Oasis later on.

3. The best fishing areas in near by lakes/rivers/bays/esterros require launching in non productive areas and going a mile or two to fish and then after fishing, getting back to the launch site, often against the wind in the lakes and wind and tides in the river. With the wind and other issues, this rules out the Freedom Hawk 12. The wind problem is compounded by the tides in my local river and even higher wind potential everyday. I had considered an Outback for these areas, but some good Hobie people on this forum have suggested the Revolution as a better alternative with the potential wind/wave problem due to the Revo's hull design versus the Outfitter.

I thank you for your comments copied below:

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2009 Oasis
2012 Freedom Hawk Pathfinder

My comments about the Revolution stem from the following:

1. On shallow, rocky rivers when the Mirage Drive can't be easily used, it can be paddled about as well (or better) than most of the popular sit-on-top fishing kayaks. The Outback doesn't paddle very well owing to its greater width, and the PA is out of the question on these type rivers.

2. On large lakes or the ocean, the Revolution is fast (Adventure would be even better) and can be paddled, pedaled or sailed.

3. When you have to transport your kayak to the water by hand or cart, the Revolution is lighter than either the Outback or the PA (or the Adventure).

I'll grant you it doesn't have the room or the conveniences of the Outback or the PA, but if you do a lot of different types of fishing on a lot of different type waters, this is the only one that seems, to me, to be able to do it all reasonably well.

Before I reply, my replies don't knock any of Hobie's Mirage yaks. They are excellent yaks with different designs for different waters and different sailors.

These discussions show why so many posters have more than one Hobie Mirage yak.

Your #1 below, could open up our upper river. I would not want to try an Outback or our Oasis with its shallow waters, which get shallower as the summer goes on.

Winds are my biggest concern, and good sailors on this site have noted that they feel the Revo is better than the OB due to hull design in windy situations.

Several of my launch sites are 100 to 300 yards from the parking areas, and weight becomes a big factor there as well as loading and un loading a yak from the back of my Ridgeline.

A BIL of one our best friends has both a Revo and OB, the friends just bought two OBs.. I will be able to pick the combo owner's brain next week. In a year he has used his Revo everywhere from Ocean Bays, to rivers, Lake Tahoe and our local river and lakes.

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2009 Oasis
2012 Freedom Hawk Pathfinder

Right, you have to give up one thing to get another. The Revolution costs you interior space and isn't as dry as the Outback or PA, but it's lighter, faster and can successfully negotiate a greater variety of water.

I'm just glad I don't have to limit myself to just one (or two) kayaks.