It was a great weekend in Oxnard (Channel Islands Harbor) here in Southern California!
We went out for three days in a row, even letting our kids (and grandkids) come aboard to try them out...
There were LOTS of people out on the water and dockside with questions about these new "pedalboards". It was fun to be able to tell them all about our new toys... (Once Eclipses are more visible, and available, I predict that they will dominate many waterways.)
Some of the Highs:
- A great workout! (Usually on these vacation splurges we come home about 5 pounds heavier; this time not so! If you are drawn to and mesmerized by the beauty of the water, you won't realize how much physical activity you are actually getting.)
- Very comfortable! (There a are a variety of ways to step, position feet: toe-sprint, heel-walk, slow hip-tilt, lean-back for bow-up, lean-forward rest on handlebars... and a variety or muscle groups are worked.) We definitely recommend going barefoot... Shoes and flip-flops are not required and only bring aboard dirt and gelcoat-scratching sand. Just take off footwear, put the dirty soles together, and store them under the bungee.)
- Good speed! (We were quite faster than SUPs and about, faster than single paddle/pedal kayaks, and as fast as if not faster than an energetic tandem paddle/pedal kayak.) We even tried ride a few of the incoming swells just outside of the harbor... This will take more practice (and balance!), but could be a nice challenge.
Some of the Lows:
- Delicate Gelcoat. (These are NOT the heavier/heavy-duty rotomolded plastic, so we are already noticing chips and scratches from moving around for storage, strapping down for transporting, and docking.)
- NO Brakes! (The biggest tip for new riders is that there are NO brakes, so preparing to dock must to done very slowly and carefully.)
- Docking... Slow...ly. (Just tying up to a dock is not a good idea as any wind or wake activity will knock these delicate boards into much harder/more abrasive surfaces. We were able to just lean them over on their sides and strap/bungee them down to a dock cleat or our kayak; however, the best option, if docking for a longer rest, lunch for example, was to just drag them from the rear strap up onto the dock on a PDF, buckles down, or two.)
Thanks, Hobie, for providing eco-friendly, calorie-burning, water-accessible toys for kids of all ages!
We're already planning our next outing... and our friends are lining up!
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