While waiting for my Tandem partner to show up, I started to wonder...
...what would happen if one managed to snag a fish hook in one of the side chambers while a Great White shark attacked from the opposite side. Here's what I imagine it would look like:
The legs could become potential shark bait, just resting on the deflated sides.
But no worries, as the center chamber is plenty stiff and buoyant to effect a speedy get away with the Mirage Drive.
In fact, if it's a long way back, you can just lay back and rest while pedaling home.
Or, once you patch all the holes, you can simply pump up the boat at sea and resume fishing.
But then, as luck would have it, the center chamber is pierced by the bill of a Swordfish just as you are about to land it. You get a slightly sunken feeling like you're in a low rider, but the Mirage Drive still seems to work fine!
Not only has the fish gotten away, but you discover that you're out of patches, AND you missed a slow leak from one of the shark bites. Both center and starboard chambers are collapsed. You'll have to scramble unless you want to go for a swim!
All is not lost. There is still plenty of buoyancy in the one remaining chamber. You can sit on it while cranking the pedals by hand.
Now that Murphy has presented you with a hook leak, shark attack, Swordfish leak, and no more patches, you're not going to get off that easily. The Drive breaks next. But you're not fazed because this is simply a daydream, so you break out the old paddle and you're ashore in no time!
The moral of the story is always carry your patch kit and pump and your Hobie inflatable will bring you back.
Just kidding, but hey, it shows you that in a number of ways, a Hobie inflatable might be more "seaworthy" than a traditional poly yak that has sprung a serious leak ( I seem to recall hearing about this problem somewhere recently 
).
