dcr wrote:
Thanks jcan. You've helped me a lot at the No Motor Zone.
I demoed a Sport today. There was also an Outback which I could have demoed for comparison, but I had trouble picking it up, so I didn't bother with it. Here are my impressions of the Sport:
It is pretty darned stable. I didn't try to stand up in it and wouldn't recommend it, but I sloshed around in it quite a bit and it didn't appear too squirrely to me. That said I was also in a freshwater harbour at a sailing club, so no wave action.
It is highly manueverable. I cut some very tight doughnuts in it at high speed. However it does not track very well without the rudder engaged. I tried paddling sans rudder and I thought I was avoiding submarines, zigzagging.
I fished in it for about 15 minutes. I had a slight breeze blowing me towards shore. I just pointed the rudder slightly away from shore and held my spot pretty well.
I am 5'8" 205#. There was water in the Mirage Drive well, but I didn't get wet. I didn't feel like I was sitting any lower in the water than on any other kayak. And for the first time in my life I got out of a kayak with dry pants, twice.
And the coolest part. I stripped it down in 5 minutes, picked it up onto my shoulder, and slid it into the back of my wife's car. EZPZ.
My new kayak is a 9' Hobie Sport in papaya.
CONGRATS!