Paddling to pedaling?

My wife and I are longtime kayak paddlers but have lately become interested in the Hobie kayaks, probably the Revo 16 or 13...plan on trying them out in the spring. Thought that the use of the legs might be easier, although we do like the option of using the paddle if we want. We're in our 60's, paddle on a bay off of Lake Ontario a lot and take day trips to local creeks and the occasional trip to the Adirondaks. I was curious about what others who have made the switch to pedaling have to say about the change, any pros or cons?

Given the choice, I'd never pick up a paddle again.

I enjoy paddling still, but mostly to surf my kayak. Pedaling is amazing. You can really speed around unlike a paddle kayak. Given distance to travel, heavy load or larger boat, headwind, doing anything where I'd like to have hands free or needing to help someone else... Pedals all the way!

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

I like both. This past year I spent the vast majority of my time on my Outback pedaling, and if I want to cover ground or go play in heavy waves and high wind nothing comes close to it.

However I also like heading up into shallow creeks and rivers, or hugging a pretty shoreline (which around here means frequent shallow areas) and it can get quite annoying constantly hitting the bottom with the pedal blades. I'm happier then just removing the drive (so I can get even shallower) and paddling. Often I do both in one trip - pedal over to the river mouth and up it for a while, then when it gets shallow pull the drive and paddle.

I also like to use my other kayaks on occasion, a sit-in is a different ride to the sit-on. Of course I have to paddle them.

I've heard of people doing both at the same time too! Not quite sure how they managed that, I could never get it to work well - but maybe I'm just too uncoordinated!

I echo Matt's sentiments. However, when you try them out, try paddling them w/o the aid of a rudder. I can't speak for the Revo 16 (formerly known as the Adventure), but the 11 & 13 do not track well without the rudder. In my limited experience, even a slight breeze can make you spin like a whirligig!

I am still wondering why Hobie makes the Quest with a deeper tail-fin keel that tracks straighter and the Revos with shorter, blunter keels. I'd sacrifice a tighter turning radius for better tracking during paddling sessions, or if rudder pin or cable breaks.

I like paddling too, but I have bad shoulders that limits me from long trips. I have a bum right knee too, but my compromised legs will keep going waaaay past what my shoulders can tolerate. Fishing is a pleasure now, and I realize that paddling 28-30" wide SOT hulls isn't as enjoyable as paddling narrower, sleeker SIKs anwyay.

Trade-offs on either side, but at least in a Hobie mirage model you get the option to do both wif you need to, or when you feel like it.

Good luck!

Oh my, yes! My Outback is also terrible without the rudder! When I'm paddling it into shallower water I generally leave the rudder down but uncleated and set it straight ahead. Makes a great skeg and if/when it finally bumps bottom it just pushes up out of the way.

Once the water is too shallow even for that I just have to deal with the wandering nature, but then I'm usually going quite slowly anyway. It does cut into the photography time since every time I stop paddling I instantly start turning - usually right into someone or something!

Ah well... As you say, tradeoffs both ways! My Outback is still my favorite yak - at least until my TI arrives!

I have thirty years of experience in whitewater kayaking, and many years of canoeing before that. When I started fishing and spearfishing from a kayak, I bought a 13' Ocean Kayak Trident, and used it for several years. I outfitted it with thigh straps to give me more control over the kayak in big waves. Then a friend bought an Outback, and I borrowed it for a day. I was very impressed by its speed and agility, by how easy it is to cover long distances using the large muscles in my legs rather than my arms, and by the advantages of being able to fish with both hands while paddling. A week later I bought a 13' Revolution. I've used it extensively, and am very happy with it. I no longer use my Trident for rod fishing in lakes, although I do use it for kayak fishing on rivers. If you buy a Mirage Drive kayak, I predict that you'll be very happy with it. As experienced kayakers, you may prefer the 13' or 16' Revolution over the Outback, which is pretty wide.

There are disadvantages to mirage drive kayaks. I don't use a Mirage Drive kayak in a river unless the water is reliably more than about three feet deep, because of the risk of damaging the fins or the rudder by hitting them on the bottom. And because I'm used to powering through big crashing waves in whitewater kayaks which fit me like a big ski boot, when I'm in big waves in my Revolution I feel a bit like a marble rolling around on a plate. I miss the security of being attached to the kayak by its outfitting, and of being able to brace instantly with my paddle. If I'm out on a big lake and a storm blows in and the waves get big, I prefer to pull up my Mirage Drive and paddle my Revolution. If I lived on the ocean, I would probably use a paddle rather than the Mirage Drive when going in and out through surf.

You can't Eskimo roll a sit-on-top kayak, so if you buy a Hobie kayak, I suggest that you take it out into water over your head and practice rolling it upright and climbing back in. It's pretty easy. When spearfishing, I do it many times a day with 13-16 pounds of weight on my body and about 3.5 pounds on each ankle. But it's worth practicing so you know exactly what to do if you get unexpectedly dumped out of your Hobie.

Except for the new 2015 PAs, Hobie Mirage kayaks fitted with rudders do not have keels for tracking like a paddle kayak. The keel would limit turning with the rudder, so not designed in to give the kayak better maneuverability. The rudder should be down when paddling these kayaks. Simply straighten the rudder and paddle away.

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

A Revolution or an Outback will turn very rapidly when you're pedaling it. They're real agile kayaks. If you pull the Mirage Drive out of a Revolution or an Outback and paddle it with the rudder up, it'll track a lot better than a whitewater kayak. If you're an experienced kayaker, you won't need to use the rudder when paddling, and the rudder will interfere with maneuvering the kayak. However, paddling in a straight line will be easier if you drop the rudder.

The kayaks come with a plastic plug which fits in the Mirage Drive slot. When paddling a Revolution or an Outback any distance, put this plug in the slot, to keep water from sloshing around in the slot in an irritating manner.

Have a Hobie rev13 since 2010, best toy I have ever had. I am 62 with knee problems however there are no issues when pedaling.
On the rivers and lakes boaters are amazed at the speed that can be maintained. Great for fishing and exploring without the splashing and flashing of the paddles to alert the wildlife. Close to retirement and I hope Hobie and I are "till death do us part"

What's a paddle?

On all the short mirage kayaks if it's too shallow for the rudder and mirage drives it helps to dangle a rope behind the boat (I use my sail control line), the boat tracks much better when paddling IMO.
Bob

Paddle = reverse gear