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My friend and I were fishing the ocean at Albion, California on my 2016 Outfitter, bought new. The weather were decedent. We see other kayak anglers. Above 3.5 hours in fishing, I noticed the water is coming up through the Pedal insert hole. We open a hatch try to pump out water, but it was too late. From there, things went wrong very quickly, within 1 minute or so the boat went side way and we were in waters. We flipped the boat back up, but the water was accumulating fast in the hull. The boat went nose down and we decided to let it go. The next 30-45 minutes were the most frightening expenice in my life. Have we not had safety gears on we won't be able to make it in 50F water. A powerboat rescued us and was able to tow back my kayak with 1/4 of the stern flowing. I exams the kayak after I got back home and there is no crack or leak.
Since the incident, I have learned from a dealer in region that this boat may have some design issue. The stern is submerged in the water most time, so the water gets in from the back at a much faster speed. He told me his rental customer has sunked the Outfitter twice in the past. He stopped carrying this model since then.
I just submitted a comment through Hobie webisite. Hopefully someone will get back to me. More importantly, I hope Hobie will take action review the design of this boat. Customer safety is important. For folks owning this boat, please take extra caution. Always wear safety device!
Although it was a terrible experience, I still trust the company and the product. With that said, I just purchased a brand new 2017 Outback! Can't wait till to get back on the water.
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