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PostPosted: Wed Jan 22, 2014 11:14 am 
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Hey everyone...new guy here...

I have a Hobie Revo 13 and am looking into putting a homemade "V" sail onto it...I have a couple ideas that I think will work but wanted to get a little more info before I start...

#1 - Since I have a revo with pedal drive and rudder, if I leave the pedals straight down will that act as a daggerboard or are they not long enough? What happens if I pedal will I just slip? Is the rudder alone enough to keep it from slipping?

#2 - Does the sail have to be at the front of the boat? - is it like shooting in that the farther apart the front and rear sights are the more accurate you can aim? or in this case how sensitive the steering will be? This setup would put the sail directly between the pedal drive and rudder...

#3 - In the V sail like the PA, is pulling one side down only to sail in the broad reach? can this be done by simply turning the whole sail (similar to the spirit sail)...I know its only good for 30/45 degrees or so by turning but I think that will be enough...

#4 - speed...and this is the biggie...I want to troll at a somewhat stead speed...speeding up and down in a limited range is perfectly fine and adds more action to the live bait I will be trolling...too fast will kill the bait...if I made the spirit/pa type sail with a velcro panel in the middle that could be removed would this spill enough air to maybe be able to fine tune trolling speed?

By making a velcro removable panel I think I could make multiple tear aways and be able to really fine tune...thoughts?

#5 - size...what speeds are you guys getting from the different size "V" sails...for trolling lures I want to be running fast say 4/5 knots...for trolling bait I want to be running slow maybe 2 knots...hence the tear away idea for tuning (adding/subtracting more area)

Thanks in advance !!


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PostPosted: Wed Jan 22, 2014 1:53 pm 
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Location: Sarasota,Key West FL
tiggere:
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but nearly all the aftermarket sails you can buy for kayaks out there are downwind only sails, can't sail up wind, or even a reach ( a reach is broadside to the wind). So even with a dagger board or pointing your mirage fins down, won't help a lot. Another shortcoming of the V type sails since they are kind of preset to whatever setting you are using, if a gust comes up you will tip over faster than you can possibly imagine. They are very difficult to quickly release to de-power in the event of a boat wake or a sudden gust from a new direction (believe it or not boat wakes are what get me the most, and I've gone swimming quite often).

However all is not lost, the designers at Hobie thought of all this and designed from the ground up the perfect sail system specifically designed for use on their kayak lines (all Hobie Mirage Kayaks, including your Revolution which in my opinion is the best of all kayak sailing boats), and more importantly work best when you just happen to have a mirage drive propelling your boat. And the best news is the Hobie sail kit is less expensive than the PA sail system (and most others as well), It's available either online or through your local Hobie dealer.

The Hobie Kayak sail is a proper sail, and you can sail all points including upwind (against the wind, no different than a proper sailboat). Actually if your willing to pedal while sailing you can actually point closer to the wind than a real sailboat like a laser or sunfish could ever do. The Mirage pedals work as your daggerboard, whether you have them pointed down or you are pedaling lightly (works the same either way, actually better if you continue pedaling lightly). And it is designed for their kayaks and can be quickly released (de-powered) in the event of a gust of wind or powerboat wake by just releasing the control line (this is really important on kayaks).

With the roto furling kit (also available from Hobie) you control how much sail you want to put out and you control the speed. If it gets to gusty and dangerous (which can happen quickly) just furl the sail up around the mast and pedal to safety.

If you plan to sail in rougher conditions like open ocean, Hobie also makes and sells an inflatable pontoon AMA system (called Sidekicks) that easily mount to your Revo to prevent tipping over (plus they are inexpensive compared to any other comparable options).

Bottom line you already have 99% of what you need to do exactly what you want to do (which is what the rest of us use the Hobie sail kit for), just go buy that last piece of Hobies very capable sailing kayak gear (the optional sail kit itself). You already own the best sailing kayak on the market (bar none).

Hope this helps you
Bob


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PostPosted: Wed Jan 22, 2014 3:01 pm 
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Joined: Fri Feb 05, 2010 6:46 am
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I have the Hobie kayak sail and have used it on my Revo and Outback... so now I'm seeing there's one for the PA?? The one I have works great on the other two... will it work on the PA?


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PostPosted: Wed Jan 22, 2014 5:54 pm 
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Location: Sarasota,Key West FL
redsinthehead:
All of Hobies Mirage kayaks are designed from the ground up to use both the mirage drive and the Hobie sail kit including the PA, they all use the exact same sail. Actually we have had many mirage kayaks and I can't remember the last time we took any of them out without the sail strapped to the side of the boat (I'm pretty sure never). If the wind is favorable those sails are up in a heartbeat, if it gets to windy or the wind dies we just furl them back up and stow them. The sail kit can extend your range by a huge margin (we're talking double/triple the usable range). That coupled with the already incredible mirage drive we have no problems setting off on 10-15 mile (or more) excursions to get where we want to go. Keep in mind though we are mostly in salt water in the keys and south Florida where distances can be huge, this is probably not typical for the typical small lake fisherman on small lakes. Though we have traveled all over the country and kayaked and sailed many fresh water lakes and rivers up north, we used the heck out of our sails even up there on small lakes and rivers.
Hope this helps
Bob


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PostPosted: Wed Jan 22, 2014 6:02 pm 
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Thanks Bob...it does help...PA is Pacific Adventure...its a V sail type...not the Hobie PA...my only sailing will be downwind though...might be at a 30 degree angle at most but still downwind...its for trolling in the open ocean hence not wanting a full mast at the front that I cant get a rod tip over if the fish goes that way...I also cant use the sidekicks for the very same reason...hence doing something a bit more custom and for less than $50...it would not be as big as a Pacific Adventure V sail but just enough to catch the wind...


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PostPosted: Wed Jan 22, 2014 6:11 pm 
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While I am waiting for that post to be checked let me add that I will be dropped off at one location...troll all the way up the beach and then be picked up at the finishing location...the beauty of it is if I decide I don't or want to go any farther I can be picked up just about anywhere along the route...our winds here for the most part are out of the Southeast to Southwest and our beaches line up perfect for a downwind sail...I would just have to make it small enough to control the speed...


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PostPosted: Wed Jan 22, 2014 8:37 pm 
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I pulled up a Hobie sail online and it looks a little different from mine... thought maybe they'd come up with a "specialized" sail for just the PA.... maybe just upgraded/newer version from the one I have. Mine came with the Outback I bought... guy told me it was a PITA to use.... kept flipping him and he was a sailor.... I whiffed all over Apalachicola Bay with it on both my Outback and my Revo, never had a problem. Just got a PA, can't wait to try it on that...


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PostPosted: Thu Jan 23, 2014 1:14 pm 
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Location: Sarasota,Key West FL
tiggere :
If that's all your doing, then something like a home made (PA)pacific action type sail (which I'm familiar with) will work fine. Just make sure it is easy to get down or un-power easily and quickly or it will take you for a swim. The boat wakes and waves can tip you over easily with the sail up if your not prepared.
If you can rig it to fit into the Hobie sail holder pocket (the 7/8" dia hole in front of the mirage drive) somehow, it will be easy to turn and angle to the wind, plus to pull it down you just slip it out of the hole.
Since you are sailing downwind only, mounting it further forward near the bow is also possible.

Having your mirage fins pointing down will help some, either point them down or pedal lightly they both work. You will have better rudder/direction control if you do.

The only reason I mentioned the Hobie sail is it is an actual sail and can work on all points of sail (including upwind) and is actually cheaper than most of the aftermarket downwind only kayak sails out there, I just didn't want to see you waste your money on buying a brand new PA sail (you would have been very frustrated and disappointed).

Your homemade sail will be downwind only, as long as you understand this, and that's all you need you should be fine.

What most of us do with the Hobie kayak sail is lash it to the side of the boat when not using, it inserts and comes out in a couple seconds, so most people sail/pedal to their destination (fishing spot), put the sail down, and fish (so they can cast in all directions), if they want to troll some they just pedal the pedals silently (totally hands free), then when done put the sail back up and sail/pedal home.


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