Woohoo, finally got it!! So excited!!

After three weeks awaiting delivery, here's my brand new 2012 papaya Tandem Island, just how you get it off the truck from Hobie:


You may be saying to yourself, seems like something's missing...You would be right to think that. Hobie likes to package brand new $5000 kayaks in plastic wrap, so that by the time it travels 3500 miles via UPS to the store and then to the buyer, the wrapping is shredded and very little of it remains. So this is what your boat looks like when it arrives. Well if I had time to take pix of it while I was sweating my ass off unloading it and then reloading it back on the truck and carrying it 50 yards down my driveway twice...There was a gouge almost through the hull, as well as several other deep scrapes and gouges. I had to refuse delivery. Oh joy! Now I get to wait another three weeks for my store to get me a replacement. Thanks a lot Hobie.

that sux ... but I wouldn't blame Hobie. I'd be looking at the shipping company.

... didn't you have it shipped half way across the continent ?

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Alan W.

Papaya AI2 to replace my well worn V1
TheTwins - His/Hers 2007 Papaya Hobie Adventure Island's (v1.00.01)
.. and a Hobie Outback SUV

Yeah, that's not really fair to blame Hobie, they ship these things all over the world, clearly you're an exception. They're not in the business of having to manufacture two kayaks for every long distance purchase. I'm sure they'll be looking into this, and I'm sure your next boat will be fine.

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Oh, I thought Hobie wrapped it in plastic wrap, instead of boxing it. I didn't realize UPS wrapped it in plastic wrap, instead of boxing it. Now I understand how it's the shipper's fault.

That is a bummer.

We don't ship boats via UPS, nor do we typically ship direct to consumers. Likely this was shipped to your dealer and then shipped again via common carrier. Most loads leave here as full trucks of our product. Shipping alone (like your boat) always causes issues as trucking companies Trans-dock (move from one truck to another at distribution points). If we ship boats via (LTL - Less than a truck load) they get extra wrapping to help prevent damage. We never pack kayaks in cardboard boxes. I'm sure your dealer will take care of this for you.

Our intention is for a dealer to take delivery, un-pack, inspect and assemble the product for delivery at their store. When they sell via the internet, they need to package the product for re-shipping.

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Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

My boat was shipped alone by Hobie. My dealer ordered it from Hobie and Hobie sent it to him. It was not part of a large shipment like the one he got today. It was a single boat ordered for me. He then had it shipped to me via UPS since Hobie refuses to drop ship. Maybe he doesn't repackage it because he thinks Hobie thought it was packaged well enough.

What I do know is that I am not on the water right now.

Yes, I confirmed with our sales dept. The dealer arranged for freight from here via UPS. We did double the packaging. Even in a box this would have been damaged though. We can not protect from a fork lift poking through the packaging. UPS will be taking care of it I'm sure.

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Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

I don't think a forklift poked it. It wasn't that big a hole. It was just a bunch of scrapes and gouges that would have been avoided had it been packed better. I'm surprised the ama package had no damage as both ends of the thin box were blown out and parts were protruding. I won't even know if I got all the parts til I get the rest of the boat with the packing slip.

If I was UPS, I'd have a problem taking care of it, but I guess they can afford it.

Hey Madwand

Really sorry, as I know you've been looking forward to this. (bummer)
Bright side?
That pic looks a lot it wants to be a cat....
Just kidding, friend.
It will work out well as Matt said.

Not to slam OOPS, but almost every purchase I've ever gotten from the net via this company has had damage or parts missing.
Fedex? Never. I swear!

Bests
Fred

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Always looking for ways to make good things 'Gooder'

While I was waiting, I was going to at least instal the Pedal Pad Kit (72020034) I bought from the accessories list, but when I looked at the Mirage drives, it seems they are already on there. Is this something new for the 2012? If not, why do they sell it as if it's something different than what the boat comes with? Another $14 wasted.

Madwand
6 years ago my dear wife bought a pair of Shoes in Palm Desert for 125 US$. As they did not have here exact size they promised to ship it to her in Canada via OOPS. When the package arrived, we were charged $60 for brokerage charges.
Needless to say, my wife went ballistic!
Just be glad you live in the USA....
Fred

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Always looking for ways to make good things 'Gooder'

Canadian postal service is called OOPS? That doesn't bode well.

No Madwand, OOPs is a word play on UPS.
The Canadian Postal service is more than capable to ship a product undamaged, and on time as well as the US Postal Service.
The last time I ordered a wood rack from Costco.ca the entire unit had crucial parts missing. It was shipped by UPS, who couldn't care less when I called them on it. Costco was a lot more concerned.

...and yes it looked like a troop of racoons had demolished the box, with steel pieces poking out of the package...(sound familiar?)

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Always looking for ways to make good things 'Gooder'

Just talked to the owner, he's working on getting my new one out here. He says he's gonna add more wrapping to it. Keep the coons out!

Madwand
What I can't understand, is the service level (or lack of it, from your dealer).
Really, Man. How did it ever get sent to you, when the dealer should have done you at least the minimum to ensure that your product was complete, and undamaged, and good to go? He's made his money, but it seems like he didn't do much to earn his profits
If my own dealer would have pulled that on me, his name would have been 'burnt toast' in this community, as I would never accept a product without a dealer check and at a minimum, a nice 'presentation package' to you to earn your respect and good intentions from him (and to want you to keep doing business with him).
Dang, m8, maybe we do business here differently than down south..
However, any Dealer who feels that all he needs is to be the 'legal go between' for the client and the Manufacturer may want to study Basic Customer Service 101.....again

Best Regards, fellow Hobie customer.
Fred

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Always looking for ways to make good things 'Gooder'