Tide chaser wrote:
my first post here. I bought a used Hobie sport to use for fishing and mainly photography. I was told it would be faster than my 12' standard Kayak and I doubted that statement due to the hull design. the length and width as well as shape make me think that upgrading to the turbo fins won't give me any more speed at top end. this thing is a slug as far as I am concerned. it is nice and stable and pretty light. any suggestions for fins or should just sell it and upgrade to a compass..or? I do need light weight and speed so I can catch up with my girlfriend on her paddle board after I take a few pictures. my standard 13" wilderness will do the trick but is useless for photography due to turning so slow. thanks in advance for any help. also,is there a better place for mirage sport info?
thanks.
Tide chaser, welcome to the forum. You're right -- waterline length is the predominate determinate of boat speed. That said, Turbofins make a big difference in "cruising" speed because they allow for more thrust delivery. If you want more speed out of your Sport, Turbos will help. You'll also notice, as you go faster, the bow tends to lift, shortening the waterline length -- further limiting your speed. You can correct this by placing weights in the nose. The amount of weight depends on the cruise speed. You could start out with about 12# (couple of dumbbells) or a good size rock and adjust from there. This combination will give you the full potential for the Sport. It is a bit of a water pusher, but has great maneuverability and is easy to transport.thanks.
If you want faster, the Revolution series is what you should be looking for. The Revo 11 is quiet in the water and cruises easily at 4 to 4.25 MPH with Turbofins. I use 14 to 18# of weight in the nose to up the "one hour" cruise speed to about 4.75 - 4.9 MPH. Add a large sailing rudder for better handling and you have a little "pocket rocket" -- light, easy to transport and gets into tiny places for photography. IMO, it is one of Hobie's best designs.
If your GF is faster than that, the Revo 13 will do a "one hour" cruise about .25 MPH faster. Because the boat is longer, a little less weight in the nose will keep the bow down at the faster cruising speeds with Turbo fins.
Finally, the Revo 16 does a fast cruise at about 5.5 MPH with about 8# weight in the nose (and Turbos). It is quiet, and very smooth through wind and chop.
Your GF would have to be an elite athlete on an unlimited paddleboard to beat this boat.
A couple of notes -- 1. One hour cruise is a fast cruise that you can maintain for an hour or more non stop. All the boats can cruise faster if you have the legs, and sprint quite a bit faster for short distances. 2. There are 3 things that all my Hobies have -- Turbofins, large rudder and a basic cart (which you can slip in and out in the water and bring it along. 3. The Revo series are the best against wind and choppy conditions if you deal with that. 4. Regardless of speed, Turbos allow more torque (towing and acceleration). Every once in awhile when conditions deteriorate, you can tow other kayaks, etc. back to the launch area. I'm a huge fan!
PS. There is no "Sport" specific forum. The general kayaking forum is the best place to post.