Need advice! Cant afford new need to learn about the old...

Hello all- thanks in advance for your advice. I am looking to get into kayak fishing and think the hobie mirage outback is the way to go. I will mostly be launching from the beach and ocean fishing on the east coast of florida. A new one is out of my budget so have been looking at used ones online. My problem is Im not sure of the differences between years as far as features, upgrades etc. For example a 2010 weighs 62lbs and a 2015 weighs 82lbs. Can anyone recommend what feature changes were most desirable and which years they came about? I know there were some changes in the pedal drive in 2010 (I think) how much worse is the previous year's design? Also, how often do the pedal drives need to be replaced?
Thanks again for any advice- it is greatly appreciated.

IMO the main upgrade you should look for in used is the new (well, not so new these days as it has been around for a while) click'n'go drive locking system. This involves two clips which move fore and aft to lock the drive down and release it as opposed to the old system which had a knurled knob that you twisted to lock the drive. Irrespective of which model you go for (and that involves a much more detailed question and answer since there are many different models and there have been various enhancements to each model independently of the other models) you will be a lot 'safer' with the click'n'go system than the old knurled knob system (because there were problems on the old system with the 'cam columns' cracking which were done away with via the click'n'go upgrade).

As to how often to replace the drive - how about never?! I am still using the very first drive I got way back when and it is every bit as functional as it was when new - the only parts I have HAD TO replace have been 'wearing' parts (like cables, fins and fin masts... oh, and pedals... it has had a long and hard life!) - other than that I have made some changes to the drive that were purely optional so the central spine is just about the only original thing left but that is not because anything other than the parts mentioned wore out.

Hope this helps.

I concur. This began with the 2009 model year. The Mirage Drive had completed some major improvements as well by then. Sellers don't always list the model year correctly so learn how to read if off the serial # (last two digits).
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Thanks for the advice- there a few for sale down in my area ranging from $1100 for a 2008 to $1800 for a 2013. Not sure where is the best place to land.

IMO the boat's condition is more important than the year model. The difference in weights is really negligible -- the only thing that changed was the way Hobie reports weight. They used to report bare hull plastic; now they report the finished boat with all fittings (rudder system, seat, etc.).

Hobie accessories are fairly expensive. When you look at a used boat, you might find that several extra items are included. Most owners like to have wheels, turbofins and large (sailing) rudder at minimum. Having them included in the price can be a real bargain! These items significantly improve transporting, performance and handling respectively. You may find an Outback that includes a bait tank, fish finder, etc. Something to keep in mind! Good luck!