Love to See a New Mirage Addition in the Mix

I love my Outback like its going out of style. Spend nearly 4 of the 7 days a week out on it chasing saltwater monsters all over the central southern gulf. (Florida panhandle to Mississippi)

I'd LOVE to see Hobie create a kayak with the same mirage line hull design but fit to 13 to 13.5 foot long and 30 to 31 inches wide. Around as long as the quest, wider than the revolution but not as wide as my outback. A solid mix of the three best yaks in my opinion from Hobie. Wouldn't even mind if it weighted around 70lbs either, hell thats what that WS tarpon 140 is and its a solid seller.

But the specific yak right there would be one serious workhorse and would definately suit my inshore and offshore wave crushing needs. Id sell off my outback in the blink of an eye and pay cash for that bad boy...CAN WE MAYBE GET THIS IDEA ON THE BOARDS OUT THERE IN CALI.?

Oh damn... I can't afford another right now. Sounds great. Dryer than the Revolution?

_________________
Yakkingaway
Portsmouth, VA

with a flat floor for standing...

with reverse too!

With a flared bow!

to make through-the-surf-returns a bit less hazardous!

Love my Quest as a fishing platform, although it is clearly a lot easier to fish from a MD driven Hobie.

But holding back until there comes a model more suited for chop,swell and surf conditions.

Don`t need wider, it will only roll& stamp more, but the Revo and Adventure share the same chop-cutting bowshape as my Quest, which makes the returns through the surf so akward.

Some planing area up front and a bit more rocker would make it more handleable and comfortable with only a slight trade-off in flatwater speed.

PF

_________________
hobie Quest

I think adding another kayak to the mix kind of crowds up the lineup. Even if they were to create a new boat, it would still have drawbacks, there is never going to be one perfect boat for all conditions. I'm fine with what they have now.



I own both the Revolution and the Adventure (island) and the bows may look similar but they behave quite differently in the water. The Revolution rides up over the waves much more then the Adventure does. The Adventure cuts into the waves.

_________________

Yes, a feature that gives it such an advantage in speed and weather is it's ability to slice and dice through the water -- much less pounding and amazingly drier (usually):




Notice here the kayaker is still dry!

I'm around 200lbs and fish the revo offshore a couple times a week, always launching and landing thru the surf.

I have owned or currently own the Outback, Outfitter, Revo and Adventure. (of those 4, the only one I've sold is the outback and adventure). Also own a x-factor, and a cobra expidition (which is WAY faster than any of the hobies).

I launch and fish in pretty rough conditions and can't imagine needing a kayak any bigger....or wider....

If your flipping in the surf it not because you need a wider yak.

HOBIE, if anything go longer, narrower and FASTER !!!!! (18' x 24" )

Agreed



Not agreed. The words of a person unfamiliar with the Adventure I reckon. Quality wise, they're all the same. Capability wise, far from it. The Adventure can do everything these other models can do, but not necessarily visa versa.

_________________
Kayak Fishing Specialist: SLH
https://slhobie.com.au

From all the people i talk to the ideal yak would be around 12 feet between 32 and 33 wide, a FLAT floor and a elevated seat.A kayak similar to a pro angler just a little smaller and not quite as wide.Everybody wants to stand these days at least thats what they tell me and i talk to countless kayakers.

That's exactly the opposite of what I'd want. I want narrower and faster. I don't have any need to stand up, and like to be able to cover a lot of distance effortlessly. I should point out that I don't fish, and come from a kayaking background. The one thing that I'd love to see is a mirage kayak made out of Thermoformed Plastic.

My old Delta Kayak was made out of very stiff, very lightweight, thermoformed plastic, and I miss the light weight and stiffness of that boat. That plastic can be hit by a hammer and retain its shape without a scratch, and it looks as good as fibreglass.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkdaqwQxiFc[/youtube]


A narrow mirage drive boat made out of that stuff would be both durable, and extremely fast! Of course, if they made that, I'd want to sail it too... I suppose I'll never be satisfied.

_________________

What I would like to see, is a SUP such as the Native Versa-Board with a cooler seat (already rigged one on mine and they now offer an accessory base to accommodate one after seeing the one I did) and the Mirage Drive. Now that would be one fantastic unit. Peddle, paddle, or poling, it would do it all and outside of very rough water, would be among the most versatile fishing machines ever built.

I will add my .02c and it is the same as my wish list from last year. Hobie PLEASE make this:

Cross between Hobie Revo and Adventure
Length: 14ft-ish
Width: 29-31" or so
Capacity: 450-500lbs
Weight: 70-80lb range
Leg Room: MORE....(A few more inches than the Adventure would do for the 6'-4" plus crowd so we can pedal on slot 5 of the Mirage Drive and not lose power, banging the back of the yak every stroke)
All other standard features of current yaks are great but if Hobie wants to come up with a few fishing specific gadgets built in (i.e. FF specific mounting area with through hull transducer scupper, replaceable skid plate at transom, etc.) that would be a bonus. And of course keep the new boat compatible with Hobie tank!

Thanks,
Steve (6'-5" hoping for a Hobie kayak to fit me) Frazier