Hobie Forums :: View topic - Average Life Span

I have drug it over and through all kinds of obstacles and while the hull has many scratches, I have no doubt it would last many more years. If I do get a new PA, I definitely won't be handling it with kid gloves. What kind of life span do these boats have and how frequently do these issues with cracking that other members have reported occur? Thanks in advance.

You won't read about the thousands upon thousands of PA owners that haven't had hull cracks or problems because they have no reason to post. I don't have the numbers to say for sure, but I'd guess that for every person you've heard from that's had a PA that developed a hull crack there's 100 more that haven't had a single problem of any kind. I haven't had any problems with my PA, nor have my 2 fishing buddies that also own PAs.

In other words, problems are the exception and not the rule.

Really Memory Maker.....

If it's on the internet, it's got to be true (and I'm a French model). How can you come to any conclusion about the failure rate by using several on-line posts made by individuals. I think Hobie has much better data on their failure rate than the "Pie in the Sky" numbers you are using.

For someone who loves their Hobies, you certainly seem to want to bash them frequently. Sure glad I wasn't one of your kids. Tough Love for sure :mrgreen:

Author:	Rambler24 [ Fri Nov 08, 2013 9:27 am ]
Post subject:	Average Life Span
I have been kicking the tires on a PA 14 for awhile now. I love the boat and want one badly. My concerns with getting one, however, is the durability. I have read numerous posts on this forum about other members' boats cracking or leaking water. While it seems Hobie always replaces the hulls for these members, I have also read it can take a few weeks. With my nearest dealer being a long drive away from me, I would be horribly inconvenienced if anything should go wrong. One of the things I love about kayak fishing is the simplicity of it. My current yak, of a different brand, has been put through the ringer the last few years. I have drug it over and through all kinds of obstacles and while the hull has many scratches, I have no doubt it would last many more years. If I do get a new PA, I definitely won't be handling it with kid gloves. What kind of life span do these boats have and how frequently do these issues with cracking that other members have reported occur? Thanks in advance.

Author:	Thinwater skinner [ Fri Nov 08, 2013 9:58 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Average Life Span
Rambler24 wrote: I have drug it over and through all kinds of obstacles and while the hull has many scratches, I have no doubt it would last many more years. If I do get a new PA, I definitely won't be handling it with kid gloves. What kind of life span do these boats have and how frequently do these issues with cracking that other members have reported occur? Thanks in advance. You won't have to handle with kit gloves, but draging it will be a chore. Does not drag very well for to great a distance... need a kart with wheels for that chore... It will hold up as well as most other yak on the market. You will have to go through a dealer to get any warrent work done.. So how far is to far? Good Luck

Author:	Rambler24 [ Fri Nov 08, 2013 10:27 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Average Life Span
I would definitely invest in a cart but I have read posts about people having issues with those as well. My nearest dealer is 2.5-3 hours away depending on traffic.

Author:	SRAces [ Fri Nov 08, 2013 10:47 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Average Life Span
My nearest dealer is 2 hours away. I can't imagine that the PA is any less durable than any other Hobie kayak. It seems the few that have cracks in them are around the floor area where the seat is on the models that do not have the Vantage seat. I have one of those models and have had zero issues with cracks. It's hard to say what caused those cracks as all the ones I have seen posted are not on the main floor area where you stand. Not aware of anyone complaining about floor cracks on the Vantage seat models. They use an entirely different mounting approach. Hobie does reinforce the flooring using blocks (in addition to the built in scupper shafts) to create the support for the decking. I guess it boils down to the amount of weight put on the decking and the size of the person. Yes the PA is wider and has a flatter deck area than a traditional kayak. That's what makes it a great fishing platform. There are folks on the forum that still fish out of even the first 2009 models. I understand and can appreciate your question. There is no simple answer as that can vary by every individual here and how they use the PA. If you get one, you won't regret the purchase. Just my opinion. The Heavy Duty Cart issue is being addressed by Hobie. Matt has stated they are making changes to the cart frame to work better with the PA. Key to that is good common sense and making sure the collars do not slip and that the tires do not rub under load while pulling the PA. Have a great weekend!

Author:	islandspeed2001 [ Fri Nov 08, 2013 11:10 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Average Life Span
Two points you need to heed... Hobie has one of the best warranty programs around. If it does take a two week wait, who really cares if it is replacing a $3,000 kayak Like my Dad always told me..... Take care of your stuff and it will take care of you.

Hobie Forums http://www.hobie.com/forums/

Average Life Span http://www.hobie.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=78&t=49765	Page 1 of 2

Author:	Tom Kirkman [ Fri Nov 08, 2013 11:28 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Average Life Span
You won't read about the thousands upon thousands of PA owners that haven't had hull cracks or problems because they have no reason to post. I don't have the numbers to say for sure, but I'd guess that for every person you've heard from that's had a PA that developed a hull crack there's 100 more that haven't had a single problem of any kind. I haven't had any problems with my PA, nor have my 2 fishing buddies that also own PAs. In other words, problems are the exception and not the rule.

Author:	Alphonse [ Fri Nov 08, 2013 11:54 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Average Life Span
Tom Kirkman wrote: You won't read about the thousands upon thousands of PA owners that haven't had hull cracks or problems because they have no reason to post. I don't have the numbers to say for sure, but I'd guess that for every person you've heard from that's had a PA that developed a hull crack there's 100 more that haven't had a single problem of any kind. I haven't had any problems with my PA, nor have my 2 fishing buddies that also own PAs. In other words, problems are the exception and not the rule. Tom, Your number is correct per my dealer and they are good folks who I trust. I am told, the percentage of problems is way less than 1% and Hobie is great about their warranty. The warranty and service are built into the price and Hobie appears to push the dealers hard not to discount so the margins can be maintained with a base cost that includes the service after the sale. My dealer is always quite confident that Hobie is going to stand behind the product and they can promote it with confidence. They do sell other brands but their Hobie business appears to be much larger than the rest. By the way, senior level Hobie folks travel around and visit the dealers. I am sure it lets them keep an eye on things, protect their brand, and also gives the dealers the special support they need. It appears to me that they understand their niche and their brand quite well and it is this that must have an impact on the price and the service.

Author:	Rambler24 [ Fri Nov 08, 2013 5:36 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Average Life Span
Thank you all for the responses. You have helped alleviate my worries. My next question would be about warranty issues. I may be relocating within the next year. If I was to have a problem, would I have to take the boat back to the dealer I originally purchased it from or could I take it to any hobie dealer that may be near me when I move to the new location?

Author:	Rambler24 [ Fri Nov 08, 2013 9:17 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Average Life Span
Disregard the question in my last post. The info is on their website.

Author:	Memory Maker [ Wed Nov 13, 2013 2:28 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Average Life Span
Tom Kirkman wrote: You won't read about the thousands upon thousands of PA owners that haven't had hull cracks or problems because they have no reason to post. I don't have the numbers to say for sure, but I'd guess that for every person you've heard from that's had a PA that developed a hull crack there's 100 more that haven't had a single problem of any kind. I haven't had any problems with my PA, nor have my 2 fishing buddies that also own PAs. In other words, problems are the exception and not the rule. Really Tom ........... We have a forum with over 1000 members ......... many w/Hobies ...... and many with replaced hulls ......... I know 1 that is a well known tackle maker that is on his 3rd or 4th hull and he is a Hobie Pro with an Outback .......... also on 1 Forum in New York and another couple in VA .......... same all around ......... while it is not the majority that have the cracked hulls, there are quite a few .. I would estimate well over 10% and more with the frequent users ..... more than you hear from any other manufacturer ........... In addition, the coverage is getting worse and not better ........... 1 friend just had his crack behind the seat and they offered him a 2013 but charged him more than I would have expected ........ same with the tackle maker .......... Don't get me wrong ......... I LOVE my PA's ( I have 2 of them) and I really haven't used them much ...... especially this year but they do break and more than just an exception. That said, Hobie stands behind them but many times it's not a free replacement and more expensive than you'd think. That said, no one is buying something else to replace them ......... no one

Author:	islandspeed2001 [ Thu Nov 14, 2013 6:56 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Average Life Span
Really Memory Maker..... If it's on the internet, it's got to be true (and I'm a French model). How can you come to any conclusion about the failure rate by using several on-line posts made by individuals. I think Hobie has much better data on their failure rate than the "Pie in the Sky" numbers you are using. For someone who loves their Hobies, you certainly seem to want to bash them frequently. Sure glad I wasn't one of your kids. Tough Love for sure

Author:	wolfewiz [ Thu Nov 14, 2013 7:15 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Average Life Span
islandspeed2001 wrote: Really Memory Maker..... If it's on the internet, it's got to be true (and I'm a French model). How can you come to any conclusion about the failure rate by using several on-line posts made by individuals. I think Hobie has much better data on their failure rate than the "Pie in the Sky" numbers you are using. For someone who loves their Hobies, you certainly seem to want to bash them frequently. Sure glad I wasn't one of your kids. Tough Love for sure Love it.

Author:	atavuss [ Thu Nov 14, 2013 9:49 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Average Life Span
I have a PA that I got in the summer of 09 and it is still in great shape other than being dirty and scratched on the bottom. I added "Keeleasy" to help protect the bottom parts from being worn too much.

Author:	SRAces [ Thu Nov 14, 2013 10:30 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Average Life Span
I agree with the statement that "if you take care of your stuff, it will take care of you." I do know it's hard to make an assessment of what caused the cracks without knowing all the details regarding the usage and what might have influenced or caused the cracks during that usage. Would not hesitate to buy another PA if needed.

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Author:	Tom Kirkman [ Thu Nov 14, 2013 11:26 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Average Life Span
1000 forum members wouldn't account for even 1% of Hobie owners and it's important to remember that many come here simply to discuss their problems. Most Hobie owners, the vast majority of them that haven't had any issues whatsoever, aren't here and have no reason to be. It would be like judging a car brand based on how many people are in the service department having their cars worked on, rather than against the larger overall ownership numbers. If the defect rate was anywhere near 10%, Hobie would be in very deep financial trouble.