Not a good day for a new Hobie owner.

So yesterday i go out and purchase my Torqeedo 403 for the anticipated 2015 PA 14 i was purchasing today . Chu Ching.


Head over to the Houston boat show to purchase my PA today and some accessories like the new H-Bar to find that out of three different vendors none had any of the H-Rail accessories available or the H-Bar which i need badly reason being because Hobie sends everything to Florida and everything for the 15 PA's is on back order and has been on back order sense fall of last year! (Thats what i was told by two of the three Hobie dealers there). Whats up with that Hobie?

So i go ahead and make the purchase and was told my Yak was at the warehouse and they would have to pick it up and bring it to the store and i could pick it up this evening at the store at 5pm.

So i get to the store and they aren't there yet but on their way with it. Waited about 10 minutes and they show up and tell me it is outside and i walk out to see it sitting on top of a small car. lol
Get in the truck and pull around and back up to the car to see two giant basketball size dents in one side of it where apparently it had been stored or shipped on its side and i'm told....get this...just set it out in the sun and they will pop back out...REALLY ?

I tell them i'm not taking it and that its unacceptable and that i purchased a new Yak. I mean wth were they thinking? As expensive as these things are? Seriously?

So moral of the story is i was hoping to have a happy Hobie day and something good to say today but i must say that my Hobie experience has been pretty miserable and very expensive and so far I'm not impressed with the way Hobie runs their business at all with the lack of accessories for their 2015 PA's nor am i impressed with the basketball sized dents in the side of the PA this vendor tried to pass off to me. I cant even use the PA until Hobie gets off their collective behinds and gets the H-Bar shipped out to its vendors.

There also seems to be confusion about the accessories the PA 14 is supposed to come with as well. If i ran my business like this i would be out of business!

No H-Bars, No livewell XL , no Hobie PA , no H-Rail accessories NOTHING but they got their money ! Hobie is VERY happy...

Pics of basketball sized dents please?

Yak9107...I hope you cancelled your check/credit card purchase?
There are better Hobie dealers in Texas than the one you encountered at the boat show, who provide first class service and earn your business.

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Dr.SteelheadCatcher
Warrenton, OR

No pics available
I was so discouraged and angry at that point i just left.
They are supposed to have a different one for me by mid morning tomorrow. I told them they better inspect every inch of it and it better not have any defects, dents or scratches or I'm not taking it.
Best i can describe the dents is it looked like it had been sitting on two basketballs. One big dent on the side up front right about where the back of the storage door and another behind the seat . Will post some pics tomorrow just so you know i'm not bsing here. Ive spent right at $6,000 in two days.

KO Sailing, Fishing Tackle Unlimited and Austin Kayak and Canoe were the three vendors there. I wont mention the one i chose to do business with just yet. I will say that AKC was completely out of PA 14'S until Feb. which is probably no big deal sense Hobie cant seem to produce the immediate accessories that people need for them anyway unless you live in Florida. None of the three were aware of the knob issues regarding the accessories that come with the PA . The H-Crate being available before the immediate more needed accessories like the H-Bar speaks volumes...

How did you get a discount on your accessories? I thought dealers could not discount them...

Boat Show specials. All three had the same deal competing with one another. Its the best possible time to get a deal .

I feel your pain. I was disappointed with the fit and finish on my new PA17. Beautiful boat overall though.

I've dealt with ACK on many occasions, outstanding service that perfectly exemplifies Hobie. For this Hobie owner, every day with a Hobie is a Good day.

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Mark
Tandem Island- 2013
2 - Sports - 2014

Yea, thats who i wanted to deal with but unfortunately they are out of stock until Feb. (Or thats what i was told by the store in Spring) and i was trying to catch the White Bass and Crappie run here locally that started a week after Thanksgiving while its still good. Hindsight 20/20...doesnt look like that is going to happen with a PA or without...

We have been very upfront about delays on new 2015 products. Dealers are informed nearly weekly with updated information. Latest info is unchanged from months ago.

There were just to many demands on our suppliers for them to keep up. Boat production parts have had priority. Accessories are delayed ... and the new stuff is extremely popular.

There was some confusion from Hobie Cat about included accessories (also in limited availability like all other accessories thus far). That should all be clear now.

I don't like delays either. Drives us nuts... believe me.

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

Well, they made good on it. They brought in two perfect yaks from the warehouse and let me choose which one i wanted. One was quite a bit darker than the other so i went with the lightest colored one. It is flawless , no dings, no huge dents and no scratches.
Everything fit well etc but i do see one problem!
The drive pin (the one that locks in to the mirage well ) is very off center and looks like it might not make it.
Is this pin simply a pressed fit ? Can i just lay it down on two boards and tap it on in to even both sides out or what?

Yes, yes! Likely knocked off center in shipping. Easy fix. The drum though... looks to be out a bit maybe start there first. Tap the drum back inboard.

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

Drum?