Do you remove your mirage drive?

A noob question. Are you suppose to remove the mirage drive when you are sailing or do you just keep it in? Does it make a difference in performance? Does it make a difference in the water coming into the yak?

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That's about as contentious a question as front or back seat. Lol! I think it's really a personal preference. Although, some will tell you that you will see a performance increase if you remove the drive while at speed. I haven't noticed any performance increase. Yes, it will inhibit water intrusion, but not as much as the plug. Personally I just leave mine in. Less chance of losing it overboard (I do have my drive tethered).

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2015 Hobie Tandem Island Hibiscus
"Third Normal Form"

• Trampolines
• Hobie cover
• Davis Spar Fly
• Kayakbob's Sprayskirts
• Spine Board Hakas

It is far easier to tack when pedaling through than not.

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Matt Miller
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I'm in the group that doesn't see much of a difference. I removed it more as a challenge to myself and my sailing skills than anything else. Got bored with it and put the drive back in. The convenience that the drive offers ultimately won out.

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Greg

2016 AI - Spinn & Jib

“Out of sight of land the sailor feels safe. It is the beach that worries him.”
– Charles G. Davis

It does make a difference, if you do this to your plug. The bottom of the plug is now flush with the hull and fills the whole gap.

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2021 Dune Hobie Lynx

What materials did you use?

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If the wind is strong enough to sail as fast I can pedal then I remove the drives.
Also if I am hiking out. The drive then is useless, gets in the way when tacking, catches weed, adds drag and flutters annoyingly at speed if bungeed back.
I have to admit that since adding the outboard our drives are rarely used.
BTW- Nice work on streamlining that drivewell plug Hogman!

Yes, very nice work on that plug. I do remove the drive when I'm not using it, AND, replace it with my plug.

Keith

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2015 AI 2, 2014 Tandem

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex ... It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." A. Einstein

"Less is more" Anon

Hi TI_Tom. How have you tethered your drives?

Hobie calls it a "Leash Kit", part #74052101, $22.99. Frankly, you can tether them on anyway you want, just tether them.

Keith

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2015 AI 2, 2014 Tandem

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex ... It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." A. Einstein

"Less is more" Anon

Like Chekika said, I bought the hobie leash kit. I use the supplied anchor point in the front seat, but didn't want to drill a hole in my boat for the rear seat. So, I just wrap the tether around the aka crossbar. It is definitely nice to not have to worry about losing a drive overboard.

_________________
2015 Hobie Tandem Island Hibiscus
"Third Normal Form"

• Trampolines
• Hobie cover
• Davis Spar Fly
• Kayakbob's Sprayskirts
• Spine Board Hakas

I am with the "makes a diff" group.

Once wind gets into the teens, I call it a significant difference: the boat seems to come alive compared to having the drive inserted.

HogMan's streamlined plug is next on my list once I figure out what to use as the faux hull bottom.


Edit 2017 06-15:

But I always carry the Mirage Drive with me - usually stowed in the bow.

The Reason: If/when enough wind comes up, you can find yourself on a beach with a dead onshore wind so strong that it is impossible to paddle the AI far enough from shore to deploy sail/rudder/daggerboard fast enough before getting blown back on to the beach.

Deploying the Mirage Drive I had stowed in the bow allowed me to get out of one of those situations and sail home.

In somebody elses' words "Mirage Drive is a beast going into the wind" - and I find it much more effective than a paddle for that purpose.

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2017 Trailex 450 Trailer
Pre-September 2015 cradles
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