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Kayak drifts to the right
http://www.hobie.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=75&t=50619
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Author:  jhip [ Tue Mar 11, 2014 3:52 pm ]
Post subject:  Kayak drifts to the right

Aloha,

Took my Revo 13 out last week to the bay (low winds with very little current - if any). I was forced to use the "paddles" most of the time since there was pop-up reefs in the bay and obviously didn't want to risk breaking the fin masts.

The times I did "paddle", i noticed that the yak had a tendency to veer right. Even when I would try to paddle more on the right side to steer it back on course, it wouldn't allow me to do so. I'd have to counter paddle on my left side to compensate for this issue.

The Mirage Drive was seated in the home position with fins flushed up against the hull during the time of "paddling". My rudder was up and out of the water as well.

I'm wondering if the fins flushed up against the hull has something to do with the yak drifting a certain way?

Should I try to remove the drive from the water next time and see if the same issue persists?

Author:  Tom Kirkman [ Tue Mar 11, 2014 4:16 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Kayak drifts to the right

Was your rudder up or down?

If up, you will find that once you finish a stroke, if you wait tad bit too long before making a stroke on the opposite site, the boat will tend to want to turn in a circle.

You may be better off leaving the rudder down, but try to set it straight, or slightly off enough to account for current or wind.

Author:  jhip [ Tue Mar 11, 2014 4:27 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Kayak drifts to the right

Tom Kirkman wrote:
Was your rudder up or down?

If up, you will find that once you finish a stroke, if you wait tad bit too long before making a stroke on the opposite site, the boat will tend to want to turn in a circle.

You may be better off leaving the rudder down, but try to set it straight, or slightly off enough to account for current or wind.


Tom, the rudder was up while I paddled.

I tried to paddle evenly on both sides but it still veered only to the right.

I'm going to try two things next time I'm out:

- paddle with the drive completely out of the water
- paddle with rudder down

Author:  mmiller [ Tue Mar 11, 2014 4:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Kayak drifts to the right

Yes. The drive causes drag forward which stalls the bow and then the stern starts to swing. Usually you would round into the wind, but the drive is not symmetrical, so maybe drags harder to one side. Try reversing the pedals to test that, but I would remove the drive and center the rudder (down) for better tracking while paddling. The hulls are designed for rudder use, so no keel line is used which would help tracking, but hurts maneuvering.

Author:  jhip [ Tue Mar 11, 2014 4:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Kayak drifts to the right

mmiller wrote:
Yes. The drive causes drag forward which stalls the bow and then the stern starts to swing. Usually you would round into the wind, but the drive is not symmetrical, so maybe drags harder to one side. Try reversing the pedals to test that, but I would remove the drive and center the rudder (down) for better tracking while paddling. The hulls are designed for rudder use, so no keel line is used which would help tracking, but hurts maneuvering.


Thanks Matt - I'll give that a try next time out.

Author:  Tom Kirkman [ Tue Mar 11, 2014 4:39 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Kayak drifts to the right

Because these boats are designed to be used with the Mirage Drive, they have a very short skeg at the stern so they will tend to turn when paddling.

If you note, the Hobie paddle only kayaks, even in roughly the same model, have a deeper skeg on the stern.

Author:  chrisj [ Tue Mar 11, 2014 6:24 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Kayak drifts to the right

The Adventure hull tracks poorly when paddled also, unless the rudder is down.

Author:  Tom Kirkman [ Tue Mar 11, 2014 6:43 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Kayak drifts to the right

Same thing - it's designed to be used with the Mirage Drive.

Author:  NOHUHU [ Tue Mar 11, 2014 7:05 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Kayak drifts to the right

Aloha JHIP,

The Revo paddles like a pig with the rudder up. I had similar experiences in shallow water with a light wind. The bow swung wildly. Highly sensitive to the wind. Coming from traditional paddle yaks, it was maddening.

The longer boats like the adventure track a little better. Or boats with decent keels/skegs. Hobies are great only when using the mirage system.

If you unlock the rudder but keep it in the water, neutral, it may improve your paddling.

Some folks swear our hobies go straighter when paddled/pedaled backwards. :lol: Sad - but give it a try!

Author:  tonystott [ Tue Mar 11, 2014 11:05 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Kayak drifts to the right

The corollary to all this (that the hulls are not symmetrical front to back) is that I can paddle my TI backwards for more than 50 yards with rudder up, in a die-straight line, without needing any corrections at all. It is no surprise then, that when paddling forwards with rudder up, I need to make many corrections, no matter how hard I try to paddle evenly.

Please give it a try, I find it hugely easier if manouvring in tight spots to paddle backwards.

Author:  Tom Kirkman [ Wed Mar 12, 2014 7:17 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Kayak drifts to the right

You will find this to be true of many kayaks from various makers. They are designed to intentionally track less straight so that they are easier to maneuver in close quarters. Both my WS Tarpon 120 and Jackson Coosa are great in "reverse" but require effort to keep them tracking straight when moving ahead. But, they both turn easily under paddle power when you need them to do that.

Boats designed to track like they're on rails are harder to turn sharply. Different hull designs result in different tracking and turning characteristics. Lacking or excelling at one of the other isn't necessarily indicative of a problem.

Author:  tonystott [ Wed Mar 12, 2014 7:42 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Kayak drifts to the right

Tom, it certainly isn't a problem for me! I love that I can hop in and paddle backwards away from the beach (not surfing here LOL) until the water is deep enough to lower rudder, centreboard and Miragedrive. I lower the rudder first and put it on one side so it turns the TI round without any other effort from me, until I am ready to go.

Author:  vetgam [ Wed Mar 12, 2014 11:57 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Kayak drifts to the right

OK Tom, someone has to ask. Just how many boats do you have? Where are keeping the all?

Vetgam

Author:  NOHUHU [ Wed Mar 12, 2014 1:22 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Kayak drifts to the right

I am guessing a warehouse. Tom is the Jay Leno of boat collectors. 8)

Author:  jhip [ Wed Mar 12, 2014 7:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Kayak drifts to the right

NOHUHU wrote:
Aloha JHIP,

The Revo paddles like a pig with the rudder up. I had similar experiences in shallow water with a light wind. The bow swung wildly. Highly sensitive to the wind. Coming from traditional paddle yaks, it was maddening.

The longer boats like the adventure track a little better. Or boats with decent keels/skegs. Hobies are great only when using the mirage system.

If you unlock the rudder but keep it in the water, neutral, it may improve your paddling.

Some folks swear our hobies go straighter when paddled/pedaled backwards. :lol: Sad - but give it a try!


Howzit Nohu,

Outside Kaneohe Bay has the pop-up reefs. Those reefs are only like 4-5" deep at times so there's no way I can drop my rudder that shallow lol.

That's why my only option was to paddle at that particular spot.

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