Options?

I'm close to buying my first Hobie. The ability to "hover" hands free in current while fishing seems like one great attribute and along with many others, I'm sold. Keep in mind I think the Hobie product is great before reading further.

I'm a little irritated trying to set up an Adventure purchase. Times are tight and like many of you I need to save every penny. I'm willing to pay the premium price for an Adventure and it's unique features, but I hate wasting money.

Here's an analogy for you. When I bought my truck I was able to buy the 4.0 engine and transmission I wanted without buying the less powerful 3.0 engine first, pulling it out, replacing it with the 4.0 I wanted in the first place, and then trying to figure out what to do with a brand new engine I paid for but have no use of.

Do you think you might know where this is going?

Here are my thoughts for Hobie. Why can't I buy an Adventure with the turbo fins and larger rudder to begin with instead of as "options" later? For most things we buy, the ability to specify "options" can happen at the initial purchase of the item as well as later. Why should I spend extra $$$ on items I will never use like a standard rudder and fins?

Snopro, I think you know the answer to the question. It's all about money. Hobie is in the business to make money and the upgrade parts are a real money maker for them. I bought the turbo fins and sailing rudder this weekend. Welcome to the world of Hobie.

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Mike
2015 Pro Angler 12
Yellow with Humminbird side imaging

Yes, but were you able to get those custom tires or shocks you might have wanted at the same time? Just like your truck, Hobie has limited factory options. Your dealer may give credit or agree to a combined purchase arrangement, but unfortunately you can't get a totally customized kayak from the Hobie factory.

The boats are packaged, complete with factory trim before any dealer or customer orders them. For the Company to return the boat to the factory, break the package open, customize the boat, re-price it, then ship it out individually would increase the time and expense significantly. To pre-build boats in different configurations would require a vast amount of additional storage and inventory stocking problems.

Hobie has been making strides on matching standard equipment to the best common denominator for each model. For instance, there are now three different factory standard rudders (depending on model) where there used to be one. The heavier boats now come standard with Turbofins. They are also pre-packaging popular accessory combinations and offering them at a discounted price.

Your dealer has some additional options -- if he can re-sell the parts you don't want. You also have options -- a lot of fellow owners like to have a set of back-up standard fins for instance. Ebay or Craigs list might be a good place to announce their availability. Well, at least they don't cost as much as that theoretical engine! Perhaps this would be a good time to announce that I have several sets of standard fins available at a great price!

RR,
Thanks for the thoughts. I did order the larger tires when I bought my truck and even though there were no options for shocks I felt they were adequate so I didn't replace them. My truck purchase did allow for customization of the most important features. Kind of like what I'd hope for from Hobie.

Looking at the Rudder and Turbo fins I think I could swap them out in 15 minutes. I don't think it would make a difference in production time at the factory given that they would just be installing new and not swapping them over. Most companies you buy a $2k range product from will do this for you. Even just ordering a bare hull and buying the parts to outfit it myself would help me avoid the "selling extra new equipment" situation you are in.

I'm sure this is a good business model for Hobie because it increases profit. I'm frustrated as a future purchaser because I have to buy something I don't want or need. Here's an idea. Maybe Hobie could start a new credit program where they give you credit for new unused equipment. I'll even pay for shipping it back. Hummin Bird did this for me with a transducer.

snopro one thing to think about. I put the turbo fins on my outback and took my standard fins and rods, vacuum sealed them and tied them to a string from the back hatch. Now if i hit a rock and bend a post I'll have a spare set of posts and fins in the kayak to repair and go back fishing. The rudder I'll just store.

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Mike
2015 Pro Angler 12
Yellow with Humminbird side imaging

Hi Snopro,

I hear what you're saying, but for most Hobie customers, if the boat cost us an extra $100 bucks, it would still be the right boat for us. I hear what you're saying about the extra cost, but look at it another way. Assume the that the boat cost an extra 100 bucks, and you still decided that it was the right boat for you. Now imagine that they said, we'll throw in an extra pair of fins for you. Then you'd be happy.

There's a simple reality about buying a Hobie, there's nothing else out there that compares. I went through the same thought process that you're going through, when I was buying my AI. I didn't want to buy all of the options, but at the end of the day, I bought the boat, the trampolines, and the cart, and I'm happy. I remember looking at the cart and saying to myself, I could make a cart for less then half the cost, but at the end of the day, I've never missed the extra 100 bucks. The boat is so unique, it's so much fun to use, and it really draws a crowd. It costs what it does, but it's a bargain on the smiles per dollar scale.

Is it more then we want to pay to get out on the water? Sure it is, but at the end of the day you'll find a lot more users who don't regret spending the money then users who do.

If you don't feel right about the purchase, don't make it. But at the end of the day, you sound just like me. You're a regular guy who wants to get the best deal that he can. I've found that the initial cost was more then I would have liked, but there's not a day on the water that I regret spending what I spent.

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Couldn't have said it better myself! AND, The warranty and customer service is second to none!
That is why I have 3 of them!

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Bob
Proud member Kayak Fishing Association of New York

I echo what the other replies have said. My $0.02 is that
a) After paying the much higher price for a Hobie compared to what I had previously spent on a conventional paddleyak I immediately found that I got at least twice as much use out of my Hobie than I ever managed in the paddleyaks - reason? I could go much further and faster with the Mirage Drive than with a paddle. So the comparison is not like a 3.0 engine vs a 4.0 engine (both of which will enable you to do pretty much the same thing i.e. drive on roads at speeds up to and probably exceeding the speed limit) - it is more like a comparison between the horse-drawn carriage and the car. Having spent the money I would now NEVER go back to paddling - the extra money these boats cost is worth every cent in terms of cost per hour of enjoyment.
b) I think many people think since the turbo fins are bigger and make you go faster that this is the place to start. I am not so sure. Pedalling these boats is not the same as cycling, walking/running or even using a gym stepper - it is a different action, uses different muscles and therefore puts different stresses on the body which my particular body found a bit unusual when I first started (on standard fins). Over time I upgraded to Turbo fins when they became available but I am quite happy that I started out on the standard fins so that I could build up the appropriate strength for pedalling. The Turbos definitely work your legs and backside harder and overall put more strain on limbs that are not used to the exercise which is why many people stick with the standards or upgrade to the STs rather than the Turbos.
c) as to the larger rudder. I upgraded from an Outback to an Adventure. Compared to the Adventure the Outback turned very easily and I was dissatisfied with the turning of the Adventure with the standard rudder so I upgraded to the larger one. I also do a lot of sailing (another option) and the smaller rudder definitely doesn't have enough grip to overcome the power of the sail (in the conditions in which I sail). Had my previous kayaking experiences and my requirements been different I might have been perfectly satisfied with the standard rudder as I am sure many other users are.

My personal recommendation would be - rather than focus on challenging Hobie for the package that they bring to market which is undoubtedly geared to satisfy "middle of the road" usage, why not determine what extras you really want to add to your baot and approach a number of dealers to see who will give you the best price for the bundle.

Whatever you decide to do, if you get the same amount of use and enjoyment out of your boat as I do out of mine - and others do out of theirs, I think in retrospect you will not begrudge the price premium you you pay for a Hobie kayak over a conventional boat nor the cost of options you add to further enhance your Hobie kayaking experience.

Stobbo:
Really well stated, I totally agree and personally feel that Hobie makes hands down the best product on the market, everything is really well designed and constucted, and Hobies support is unmatched anywhere. The Mirage drive system is an engineering marvel, and is well worth the price we pay for it. As one of the top inventors/design engineers in the world, I am very very impressed with it's design.
Bob
2007 Revo
2010 TI