Need info re: oasis before purchase

Hello,
I am new to hobie/this forum & sit on tops for that matter. My husband and I have 2 sit in single kayaks, but now we have 2 kids and am looking for a tandem to purchase. My son, 4 has regularly joined me at the local lake renting an OK malibu 2 since he turned 2. My daughter will be 2 next season and I'd like to introduce her to the sport.

I was initially interested in the kona, but then became interested in the mirage drive as an alternate method of movement, but now I have some questions.

How well does the oasis paddle? My next year 2 year old would be sitting in the back with me until I am comfortable with her being up front with her brother.

Also, I tried a few years old outback at a local lake and found it to be a little tippy. Would this be similar with the oasis or different considering it's new hull design and longer length. Would the sidekicks help in this manner (paddling) or are the primarily for sailing?

Considering all this which boat would best suit my needs? I plan on using it touring lakes, bays, and tidal estuaries. I also plan on trying out more hobie boats at a far away dealer but haven't ventured out there yet.

Any advice would be great. Thanks

We have a tandem Oasis and love this boat, but it's not the best tracking paddler. It's not terrible but also not great. If you're going to want to paddle it much, be sure and try it beforehand. As a peddler though, it's formidable!


The tippiness you felt with the Outback is a common sensation a lot of lighter folks have with that specific older model due to the big hump in the center section of the hull without the chines being fully immersed. The Outback hull has since been redesigned to eliminate that unfortunate feature.

The Oasis is very stable and feels solid. The '09 model has a redesigned hull bottom that improves the initial stability even more, although overall stability remains the same. I am confident you will feel entirely comfortable in either version.

Sidekicks are used mostly as a sailing aid and for standing while fishing. You can stand in the Oasis without the sidekicks -- you wouldn't need them for paddling.


The Oasis has tons of room in the front cockpit for two or three small kids where you can keep an eye on them. It's also great for guests, dogs or provisions. It has an enormous capacity and makes a great expedition boat. When properly ballasted, it serves as an excellent solo kayak, cruising easily at 4 - 4 1/2 MPH (with Turbofins). It handles chop and wind extremely well with the Mirage Drive. I don't think there is another boat in the Hobie fleet that is as capable or versatile.

We have paddled an older Oasis, and have a new one that we plan to put in the water tomorrow. I don't recommend the Oasis for doing whitewater, even Class 1, unless you are really experienced. We took a 14 ft canoe out the other day, and it felt very tippy, and did not track well the short time I paddled it by myself. There are some upgrades that happened between the older one we used, and the new one that should improve the boat. I'll let you know tomorrow evening how much better the new one is. The Mirage drive will easily go as fast as most solo paddle only boats. We had the older boat in some light chop on a lake, and it did well.

Thanks for his info. I can't wait to try one.

One more thought comes to mind. Does anyone know of any updates to the 2010 model? I was thinking I could get an end of the season 2009 model, but don't want to miss out on any new important features or redesigns.

Again, thanks for help.