Revolution+hobielivewell+sidekick placement question

Hello all, greetings from Ireland.
I am looking to set up my Revolution with the livewell (on order) as well as the sidekick ama's
I was planning too mount the crossbar for the sidekicks today, whilst waiting on my Hobie livewell, when it occured to me that I might run into trouble with mounting both the sidekicks and the livewell at the same time.
Before I start drilling holes, anyone has the same set up? and if so where did you mount the crossbar so it is not interfering with the Hobie livewell?

Many thanks
Reginald
Ireland

For a Revo (and most models actually) I would mount x-bar directly behind the seat. It won't get in the way of the livewell unless you mount it over the actual storage well itself. Mount it just forward of that behind the seat and you should be good to go

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

Hello Yakass, thank you for the quick reply and advice.
I thought about placement behind the seat as well, but my Revo is a 2007 model, which has the lever for lifting the rudder, on the right hand side next to the seat.
If I place the bar so that it does not interfere with the working of the up and down lever, it looks as if it is going to be in the way of the live well.
As said I am still waiting on my ordered live well, which takes about another 2 weeks to get to me (Ireland)
And I really want to put the sidekicks through the test.

I was thinking of mounting the bar behind the live well, anyone tried this?
It looks to me that mounting the side kicks there also would make paddling easier.
Any negative aspects to this?

Again thanks.

Reginald

Hi irishrevo,

I attached my sidekick bar just behind the seat inline with the well as pictured here.
It clears the rudder lever as you mentioned but there are drawbacks.
The location is near impossible to through bolt due to the rudder handle linkage the rudder control linkage and the built in rod holders are in the way from the hatch in front of the seat and the rear hatch not to mention you better have extra long arms just to reach the spot. I gave up on through bolts and went with 1-1/2" long wellnuts. The shorter ones just are not adequate under a load and can and have pulled out on some people.
Too far back and it would be tough to adjust the amas from your seat.

2 years and still holding



Revo

_________________
I would rather be kayaking and think about work than to be at work thinking about kayaking.
A Thrill Ride is being dragged around in your kayak for 40 minutes by an extremely large fish.

irishrevo,

A second consideration .... Amas too close to the seat can be hit by your paddle which if not careful I do strike mine from time to time. I just have to keep my stroke tight to the hull but since I pedal more than paddle not an issue. The other solution is use the paddle 'T' handle and paddle like a canoe.

Revo

_________________
I would rather be kayaking and think about work than to be at work thinking about kayaking.
A Thrill Ride is being dragged around in your kayak for 40 minutes by an extremely large fish.

Revo, thanks for the reply and the picture, that is where I considered mounting mine as well.
That spot doesn't interfere with placing the Hobie LiveWell?
If not, I start drilling holes tomorrow...
Again, great response, thanks a mil

Reginald

irishrevo,

I know you are eager to give the sidekick a maiden voyage but I personally would do one of two things before drilling holes.

1. Wait for the bait tank and put in place before marking holes for the sidekick bar. That way there is no chance of error or having the bar interfere with a costly baitwell and have to relocate. Patience will pay off.

2. If waiting is out of the question go to your local Hobie Dealer and have them place a baitwell (they should have one in stock for display) in a revolution so you can find that correct spot for the bar.

It would suck if you mount the bar and then have to move it only a fraction of an inch which once holes are made you cannot just shift the mounts slightly.
From the videos I have seen it could be a tight fit since the baitwell has to align with the scupper holes. Always better to be safe than sorry. Your bar made need to be a little closer to the seat than mine is.

Revo

_________________
I would rather be kayaking and think about work than to be at work thinking about kayaking.
A Thrill Ride is being dragged around in your kayak for 40 minutes by an extremely large fish.

Hello again,
Revo I think i will follow your advise and wait until I get the baitwell in.
I was just hoping that anybody on this forum had the same set up and could help me out.

In Ireland there are only 2 (for me far from local) Hobie retailers, and both do not stock the live well.

So I have to wait until it comes in from the main European dealer.

Anyway thanks for your great help so far, I will post some pictures when I mounted bar and well.

Cheers
Reginald

irihrevo,

I look forward to seeing your installation as would other revolution owners no doubt.

The newer models with the up/down handles eliminate this issue for sure.

This video on the bait tank is putting one in a revolution and too bad there is not a top view and it is taken from the opposite side but you can see there is not a lot of room for error and most likely the sidekick bar will be right at the tip of the up down handle with very minimal clearance perhaps directly over the well bungee padeyes. Worst case scenario the tip of the up down handle could always be shaved off a little if necessary and the sidekick bar is slightly elevated over the gunnel allowing a small amount of radial swing clearance under it. Thinking aloud on where I would put mine when I get a bait tank.

Noone has done this install on the forum???? I have seen pictures of everything else. Hopefully one will post before you get the tank.

in case you have not seen it:
http://www.hobiecat.com/kayaking/access ... video.html

Revo

_________________
I would rather be kayaking and think about work than to be at work thinking about kayaking.
A Thrill Ride is being dragged around in your kayak for 40 minutes by an extremely large fish.

Revo,
I looked closely at the video, and indeed it looks like there is very little room for mistakes, so I am going to wait until the well has arrived.

Leaves me with one burning question though.
If it was me I would never place the side kick bar so far forward, it just seems to me it gets in the way of my paddling. True???

I agree, I will most of the time be using the drive, but my venue is the ocean, and I will always have to launch and land through some kind of surf.
That is where I need my paddles, and I need them badly to stay upright.

I also agree with you that placing the bar to far to the rear might make it hard to adjust the sidekick height.
Still this would have my preference.

So how often does one feel the need to adjust the height of the sidekicks? And once they are mounted, reaching them should not be that hard, due to the added stability?

I also have the sail kit, and plan to use it regularly, would the mounting so far back interfere with the tracking of the boat whilst under sail?

Maybe I am asking this in the wrong forum, if so forgive me, but Q's keep on popping up.

Thanks and have a good one
Reginald

irishrevo,

Using the sidekick behind the bait tank may be totally feasible. You should drop a post in the sailing section and maybe someone has put the sidekick back that far. I have seen pictures of some in the middle of the well. I do not think it would affect the tracking. Reach is the only issue I see if adjustment on the water is to be done.

IMO for standing I would think the sidekick closer to the seat would offer more stability but I cannot say for certain because never tried them that far back.

See what you can find out in the kayak sailing section.

I am working on an idea to make my sidekick bar removable. The mounts would remain but the bar can be
removed to utilize the entire well as in the case of a bait tank. I don't want to make new holes in my revolution.

I need to consider the same dilemma & options as you for my other revolution when I go to add the sidekick on that one. I have not accessorized that one yet for fishing.

Revo

_________________
I would rather be kayaking and think about work than to be at work thinking about kayaking.
A Thrill Ride is being dragged around in your kayak for 40 minutes by an extremely large fish.

I saw this post on the topic: a guy with a 2008 outback with same issue
viewtopic.php?f=32&t=11526&view=next

Putting the amas forward as Matt Miller of Hobie suggested is another option I had not even thought about.

Looks like very few people have used both.

Revo

_________________
I would rather be kayaking and think about work than to be at work thinking about kayaking.
A Thrill Ride is being dragged around in your kayak for 40 minutes by an extremely large fish.

Hello again.
Revo I put the sidekicks through the test today, by means of temporary attachment using a lot of duct tape.
I first mounted them as close to the seat as tge rudder up/ down lever allowed, en did a beach launch.
This is not going to work for me I was constantly hitting the sidekick with my paddle, making it hard to launch and beach properly, even in the moderate surf we had today.
So I duct the mount down just in front of the rear hatch, and what a difference! Tomorrow I am going to shorten the bar, so it will fit, and bolt through the mounting brackets. It leaves plenty of room for the baitwell when it arrives. Since I am a fly fisherman I definately do not want anything mounted front of my seat, to prevent tangling my fly line, so mounting the sidekick there was no option for me.
I will make some pictures when ready and post them here.
Again thanks for the coop...
Forgot to mention, I was able to change the height of the sidekicks fairly easy since they were ibstalled from the start, and did not notice any difference in stability between the two mounting options.
Cheers Reginald

irishrevo,

Excellent feedback on your trials of the sidekick locations. I am glad the rear position worked as well.
Remember your adjustment holes are a set distance for the sidekick arm snap buttons. If you cut the bar shorter the snap buttons will not align with the holes unless you drill new holes for them. Just a word of caution.

Revo

_________________
I would rather be kayaking and think about work than to be at work thinking about kayaking.
A Thrill Ride is being dragged around in your kayak for 40 minutes by an extremely large fish.

Hello again, as promised some pictures of my setup with the sidekicks installed at the rear.
I have been out twice since, and am happy with them, I can easily adjust them from my seat..They are a great help with either sailing in windy conditions as well as stand up casting the fly!
(both at sea)
Hope these pictures help to get an idea how I done it, Still waiting on the baitwell, but as one can, see plenty of room for that.
Revo again thanks for your advise and thoughts, much appreciated
Reginald
Ireland

Oops seem not to be able to upload pictures yet?

Any help in this regard?