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PostPosted: Wed Apr 30, 2014 3:04 am 
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I just had another thought , has any of you guys ever tried to paddle either the Outback or a Pro Angler ? Like to see if you was in an area that the water was really skinny. Or if your Mirage Drive would break . I'm just asking .


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 30, 2014 4:58 am 
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Funny you ask...my rudder pin sheared (no, I didn't have any spares) on Saturday AM as I was coming into a local inlet and I ended up having to paddle about a 1/2 mile in a strong wind, 3' waves (only until I cleared the inlet) and an outgoing tide. I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy, haha. I'm sure in smooth water it's not bad, but with the rudder up and the fins up the Outback didn't track well or respond very well to paddling. I was loaded down with gear and in crappy conditions, but you gotta fish when you can.

Now, on the flip side, when everything works as planned and together...this boat is a dream.


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 30, 2014 9:10 am 
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Is a rudder shear pin a high wear part ? Or hardly ever break ? I guess my next question could repair this on the water ? Or do you need to be on land where you can stand ? I'm glad you got back in with a broken rudder , guess you was glad you had a paddle .


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 30, 2014 9:33 am 
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You want to carry a spare, and you can change it on the water but it is easier to do on land. From what I've read the pre 2010 boats had a different pin, so the new ones are much better; it also depends on your rudder system. My thoughts are now that I know, I'll replace it every year or two...at $4.99 its no big deal. I just ordered 3x of them, so I'll have two spares just in case, the spares actually snap in under each hatch for safe keeping, neat design.


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 30, 2014 9:57 am 
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Sorry John, still getting used to this forum. You can cut/paste the link directly into your web address bar. I have pics but don't have them hosted remotely, I can certainly email them to you though. It literally just drops into place, no brackets, no cutting. I run a few velcro straps to my bungee tie-down points just in case. The frame is metal though, so you'll want to put some kind of barrier in between to prevent rubbing (learned this the hard way, a bicycle tube works great).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zk6iVxjSLyM

For the shear pin, definitely take a spare with you, and yes they can be changed out on the water if you're comfortable moving around on your boat. Otherwise, make it to shore or have your buddy swap it out.


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 30, 2014 1:09 pm 
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Hello Again John T.,
I have found the Outback fairly manageable to paddle. The Outback is slightly more cumbersome than a typical SOT (I use to have an old style Tarpon 140) but doable. The PA is another matter. Over short distances, the paddle with T-handle maneuvers the PA just fine: However, long distance paddling in a PA, I view as a no-no.

Last fall, in late September, I took my PA from the Lower Dam of the Bog River to Lows Lake in the Adirondacks (a trip I do often but my first time in the PA). From the put-in at the Lower Dam to Hitchins Pond (have to go through Hitchins to get to Lows Lake), the river was choked to the surface with various water plants (a common occurrence that time of year), making it impossible for the fins to operate. I paddled those 2.5 miles out to Hitchins, and 7 days later paddled those same miles back. The PA is a beast to paddle (even though I used a 250cm double blade), an experience I would not likely repeat on a routine basis.
Ron Baker


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PostPosted: Thu May 01, 2014 2:24 am 
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I guess it was more of after thought when beenfishin broke the shear pin on his rudder . I know Hobie makes quality kayak but everything wears . Now we are talking about maintenance on the rudder what the Mirage Drive , I know if you run into a under water object you could bend or break a fin but what the mechanical parts of the drive ? Is there a lot high wear parts ?


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PostPosted: Thu May 01, 2014 2:37 am 
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beenfishin wrote:
Sorry John, still getting used to this forum. You can cut/paste the link directly into your web address bar. I have pics but don't have them hosted remotely, I can certainly email them to you though. It literally just drops into place, no brackets, no cutting. I run a few velcro straps to my bungee tie-down points just in case. The frame is metal though, so you'll want to put some kind of barrier in between to prevent rubbing (learned this the hard way, a bicycle tube works great).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zk6iVxjSLyM

For the shear pin, definitely take a spare with you, and yes they can be changed out on the water if you're comfortable moving around on your boat. Otherwise, make it to shore or have your buddy swap it out.


Cool video , Nice spots , I couldn't tell but did both of the Outbacks in the video have the elevated seat ? They really didn't seem like it was out place or it didn't look like they so high that it made it unstable . Looks like they was comfortable .


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PostPosted: Thu May 01, 2014 9:30 am 
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Location: South/Central Louisiana
JohnT2240 wrote:
I guess it was more of after thought when beenfishin broke the shear pin on his rudder . I know Hobie makes quality kayak but everything wears . Now we are talking about maintenance on the rudder what the Mirage Drive , I know if you run into a under water object you could bend or break a fin but what the mechanical parts of the drive ? Is there a lot high wear parts ?


We purchased five Hobie Revolutions in December of 2008. Three were driven by teenage boys. As I'm sure you know, teenage boys can destroy a block of titanium if given enough time.

Since then I've purchased a Pro Angler 14 and an Outback.

To date our repairs include:

Adding Gorilla tape to turbo fins. We regularly tear the fins on shallow oyster beds in the areas we fish. It's gotten to the point that I add Gorilla Tape to new fins before they ever see the water. This issue has never left any of us stranded but has left one or two of us "crippled" for the day.

We've suffered several bent fin masts. No big deal. We simply bend them back by hand or, when possible, with the aid of a "cheater pipe" - a 3'(?) section of "heavy" pipe with a hole big enough to accept the mast.

I sold a Revo recently. A week or two later the guy called to complain that the pedals were "slipping." Turns out, the plastic between two holes on one of the drums (between 5 & 6) broke. I suspect that he did this when he got stuck on a mud flat and tried too hard to force the pedals. To keep my "customer" happy, I switched the Mirage Drive out with one of our other drives and ordered a replacement part (V2 Drum) which only ran me about $19. Then, with no experience, I managed to replace it with no notable difficulty. (I'm now a self-certified Mirage Drive mechanic. :D )

The only other notable issue I've had was, in trying to unscrew an original fin mast on a 2009 V2 sprocket, the brass set screw that the mast screws into began to turn. Solution = had to purchase a new sprocket. Again, the cost was only about $20. As I understand things, Hobie has resolved this issue in newer models by using a set screw with a 'D' shape instead of a round set screw.

That's it for our experiences with breaking things on a Mirage Drive. Keep in mind, this includes seven boats, five users and a few thousand hours of use.

Color me "very pleased" with the Mirage drive system.

_________________
Proud owner of a fleet of Hobie Revolutions! Five in the household and five Revo's on the water chasing redfish, trout & flounder in the shallow marshes of Loozyanna.


Last edited by Yak-a-Lou on Fri May 02, 2014 5:39 am, edited 1 time in total.

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PostPosted: Thu May 01, 2014 1:33 pm 
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JohnT2240 wrote:
beenfishin wrote:
Sorry John, still getting used to this forum. You can cut/paste the link directly into your web address bar. I have pics but don't have them hosted remotely, I can certainly email them to you though. It literally just drops into place, no brackets, no cutting. I run a few velcro straps to my bungee tie-down points just in case. The frame is metal though, so you'll want to put some kind of barrier in between to prevent rubbing (learned this the hard way, a bicycle tube works great).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zk6iVxjSLyM

For the shear pin, definitely take a spare with you, and yes they can be changed out on the water if you're comfortable moving around on your boat. Otherwise, make it to shore or have your buddy swap it out.


Cool video , Nice spots , I couldn't tell but did both of the Outbacks in the video have the elevated seat ? They really didn't seem like it was out place or it didn't look like they so high that it made it unstable . Looks like they was comfortable .


Roger that, both of us run the elevated seat, the difference is tremendous. I did cut the frame of mine down by an inch and spliced it back together with conduit connectors, but my buddy runs his bone stock with no troubles, and he's 6-1". Hobie should license this from Browning and sell it as an optional part.


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PostPosted: Fri May 02, 2014 2:49 am 
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Wow ! Yak A Lou you guys keep Hobie in business :D But man you could give demo rides with that fleet of boats .
All kidding a side thank you for all information about repairs you made over the years that's great .


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PostPosted: Sun May 04, 2014 9:32 am 
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Well I finally did it , first time to ever pedal a Hobie . I must say WOW . With mirage drive it was super impressive I really can't get over how well it would propel the kayak through the water even into the wind ! I took and Pro Angler 14 and Outback out for the better part of 4 hrs . Which at the end of the day makes it even harder to choose between the two . Although I'm leaning into the Outback .


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PostPosted: Sun May 04, 2014 9:35 am 
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I have a question for all the Outback owners . Where the mirage drive goes into the kayak does the water puddle around it and lays in the bottom of the kayak ?


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PostPosted: Sun May 04, 2014 3:19 pm 
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Water comes about half way up in the hole,but not in kayak. Also you get a plug that fits the hole perfect so it it flush with the bottom of the boat. About the weight. I'm 67 years old and have a bed extender that works great. I can load and unload without much effort. I pull the kayak about two feet past the extender and pic up the rear and set it on the extender. Than I walk to the front of the kayak,pick it up and shove it into the truck. You are never lifting the whole kayak. Not a lot of trouble.. If you thinking of getting the pro angler 12 or the 14,for nearly the same price,I would sure go with the 14. The 14 is more stable and goes through the water a little better.I love my pro angler 14.


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PostPosted: Sun May 04, 2014 3:59 pm 
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Hello John T,
In reply to your question about water in the drive well, there is always water in the Outback drive well, which does not have a deck. There is also always water in the PA drive well, which does have a deck. Water will occasionally get onto the deck of the PA, but will quickly drain. I hope this helps. Glad to hear you were able to get some hours on both kayaks. I think that is the best way to learn the particulars of both kayaks. Again, I think anyone would be happy with either kayak.


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