potentially new oasis owner

thanks Roadrunner..

The standard seats with so many other yaks are terrible to even sit in for a few minutes. My wife needed the blow up seat pad for her Hobie seat, and she does great with it. I get along fine with the standard 2009 seat. The standard seat w/my Freedom Hawk 12 was so terrible, I sat on an old PFD, which was more comfortable until I got their upgrade. It is a great seat. The standard Hobie seats are probably good for most of us.

_________________
2009 Oasis
2012 Freedom Hawk Pathfinder

My wife and I get along fine in our Tandem Oasis, while most of our friends inspite of long time marriages refuse to get a tandem. So they have opted for Outbacks and Revos.

My wife has never liked small craft, as she often got seasick from the time the boat left the dock until she got back on the dock. Her water knowledge was zero, and she would not consider getting two Hobies. We got the Oasis.

Sometimes, depending on her mood, anything I can say or ask often gets turned around, ignored or the opposite/unwanted reaction happens.

So the first time we were trying to launch our Oasis, I held it steady on the port side while she got in. Then, I told, her to lean to her right as I started to get in on the port side. She was in one of those contrary moods and leaned to the port side, as I started to get in on the port side, and the yak flipped over.

She learned that her PFD worked, and she floated fine. I steadied her, and grabbed the Oasis. Then, we grabbed everything that was floating and turned the Oasis right side up. We put everything back in the Oasis, and she said "Lets try it again!"

I said, "Fine if you listen to me, if you don't this will happen over and over!"

She listened, and we haven't come close to tipping it since then.

The only consistent problem at first was her inability to realized how slow the Oasis goes versus her Lexus. We worked on that last year, and she stopped worrying about stuff in the water 200-500 yards away. She has actually got very good at distance judging. A couple we have been friends with over 3 decades had to go to single yaks, because the wife constantly overestimated the yak's speed and under estimated how far a potential hazard was.

PS: Thanks for your tales of woe re your Oasis loading it and on solo trips. I'm sure that would be repeated by me if I tried our Oasis solo. I will probably be getting an Outback or Revo for my solo trips and fishing. At this time, I'm leaning to the Revo. Yesterday, we were at a party and the host couple had just bought two Outbacks. The husband showed me his conversion of a jet ski trailer into a bi OB hauler, great job.

He let me take one of the OB's off the trailer move it around and away, return it to load it back on, and load it back on. I had no problem. His BIL was watching and tried it with similiar results. His BIL owns a Revo and commented, that his Revo was even easier to get on and off his roof rack. His wife wanted the Outback, and he told her due to his bad back she had to load it on and off their roof rack by herself or get an adult child or grandkid to help. They have a large/sturdy 12 year old grandson, and he helps her load and unload her Outback. He has no problems solo loading/unloading their Revo, but he needs some help with the Outback.

_________________
2009 Oasis
2012 Freedom Hawk Pathfinder

In my opinion the old Oasis is has been getting a bad rap in the above posts. It really isn't any more tippy than other kayaks and I think it must be a very top-heavy/unstable person who manages to fall out of one when casting.

There are plenty of people out there with old Oases (i.e. Oasises) who are quite happy with them and, judging by the lack of such news in the media, they are actually not falling out of them and drowning in their droves... but whichever kayak you choose you would be a mug not to have a plan-b in place in the event that you do manage to fall/get tipped out of it when out in the middle of the water. One thing is for sure in this regard - climbing back onto a sit-on kayak is far easier than getting back into a sit-in kayak, Either way common sense suggests that you need to be fit/competent/level-headed enough to able to get back aboard without any special lifting gear or other assistance in the event that you find yourself in the water beside your boat.

If ultimate stability is what you require fit some aftermarket outriggers or go for one of the Hobie Adventure Island trimaran kayaks.

There is no such thing as a "best" boat - different people need different features, capabilities and characteristics so what suits one person does not suit another.

My personal preference, for example, is the Adventure over the Revolution... Why ? Well because it is a better sailer - and this may be important for you: kayak sailing is great fun and yet another means of propulsion (Pedal, Paddle, Sail, Motor) which is one of the reasons these boats are so versatile and just so much fun compared with any bog-standard old paddle kayak. Of all the kayaks (definitely of the Hobies but probably of all off-the-shelf kayaks currently available on the market) the Adventure sails best.

Whether the newer Oasis model is an improvement or not is a matter of personal preference but it is the way Hobie has decided to do things. The new model certainly has more accessible storage, better steering arrangements (front and back seat) and some rod holders that the older model lacked; I don't know what the on-the-water comparison is like - others will be able to tell you - but the old model was just fine and the new one may will be better in many ways.

The soundest advice is to go out and try a Hobie Mirage Kayak to see if pedalling is for you. If it is then it would be common sense to think about how you are most likely to use your boat and to try a few models to see which you prefer. In particular you should consider whether you will mostly kayak alone or in tandem - one-up the tandems are never going to be as sprightly and nimble as the solo models, but they certainly can be and are regularly used solo (usually extra ballast is used in the front cockpit to make the boat sit correctly in the water). As long as you do your research so that you understand what model you are buying into and why, none of this should present a particular problem.

As to transporting and car-topping your boat: there is no need to injure yourself (I have a bad back too but have never hurt it loading any of my Hobies) - there are plenty of products, tricks and techniques to help; the afficionados who frequent these forums will always be willing to help, suggest and advise.

Either way, if (after trialling) you decide to buy a Hobie kayak you probably won't go far wrong with whatever model you choose - each has legions of satisfied owners round the world and, as has been said, they are well supported by Hobie and its dealer network and they hold their value pretty well.

I bought my 2011 Oasis 3 weeks ago and have put almost 7 hours (and about 20 miles) on it. My wife and I are loving it.

After pedaling for about 90 minutes, my quads and butt are feeling strained, but going ashore and walking for a couple of minutes sets things right again. I have never comfortably been able to sit bent 90 degrees at the waist with my legs out, even as a child, so this isn't a surprise to me. My wife says she feels fine.

We have one drive with std fins, and one set up with Turbo fins. We both like the Turbo fins better. The (slight) added resistance actually gives them a better feel. However, I have put the mast through the side of the fin - fixed with a solder iron - and just this morning bent a mast, both casualties being on the Turbo's. This morning was due to trying to go upstream in fast, shallow water over solid basalt rock. We got hung and turned sideways, which is where I think I bent it. I should have known there was no way we could "shallow pedal" it in that swift of current, and just got out and towed it, which is what I ended up doing anyway. I have no concerns about being able to bend the mast back straight, but I will say the extra inches on the Turbo do make a (negative) difference in shallow water. Nevertheless, we are going to put Turbos on both. I have learned that I need to pay better attention to water depth.

Loading has not proved a problem for the both of us. I can load it in my F150 bed alone, and the two of us get in on the Subaru (on the std rack) just fine. I think I can get it on the Suby myself, albeit with some scrapes on the stern.

_________________
2011 Oasis (papaya)
2012 Revo (dune)

stobbo:
I resemble that remark, I'm 5'8" 250 lbs with really short and skinny legs, used to be 5'9" but broke my back and lost an inch somewhere a few years ago. After reading my first post I also felt I was too strong in my wording about the Oasis and sent a retraction to saying it was a POS (sorry about that). We did love the boat and put over 500 miles on it over 3 years and had many good times. In my opinion the new design addresses all my minor complaints of the older Oasis.
Bob

Bob, NP. The new boat probably is an improvement but all I was getting at was that the older version was and is perfectly OK given that all boats are compromises.

gentlemen,

first - no apologies necessary regarding your opinions. i had an italian motorcycle and belonged to its owners group and there is few others more willing to 'share' their opinion in the world.......

and second.. great stories and advise..

my wife can attest to the 'language' that came from my mouth as I was trying to get into our slip. turning into a breeze, with a dodgie carberator. 'asking' her to keep us from hitting the slip pilings. one of the few stories she wont let me forget..

i have mentioned the 2 kayak thing and was met with a little resistance. we will talk about it again though.. i tried to make a reservation for a demo but the dealership is booked with nature tours this weekend.. he suggested tomorrow but i still have to work for a living..

i am still leaning towrd the Oasis - looks fast, seems to offer fishing capability, seems to offer good capacity for 2 up plus 'stuff'.

i will admit that the only issue is that it is at my price comfort level. seems i can get a similar kayak without the Drive and install a trolling motor for less. that is my only issue right now..

transportation is not a real problem. i have a Ranger PU and plan to install a homebuilt ladder rack arrangement to handle it..

anyway. will try to get a demo as soon a possible..

keep the stories coming.. and thanks again..
Steve

If you want a boat with a motor why get a kayak...? Why get a Hobie.... ?

For me the whole point behind kayaking is get a bit of exercise. This is not everybody's cup of tea or reason for buying I grant you, but if all you really want to do is to stick a motor on it then there doesn't seem to me to be much benefit in a Hobie over a bog-standard SOT.

...on the other hand...

if you want to get a bit of exercise, have the option to pedal, paddle or sail and motoring is really somewhere further down your priorities list (or even high up but you want to have all the options that a Hobie presents) then you will not get a more versatile boat than a Hobie and the extra money under these circumstances is easily justifiable.

Try calculating how many times you will go out and how far you will go over the life of a Hobie vs a normal kayak, then work out the cost per trip/mile:

For me simplicity and interest are the keys to going out frequently - if it is simple to get on the water and there is variety/interest when you get there you will probably end up going out more frequently.

I dunno but a motor may add a level of complexity to each trip which actually makes it more difficult to get on the water (e.g. I use my AI as a kayak more than as a trimaran because a trip on the trimaran is just that bit more hassle and effort than the kayak wi8thout all the trimaran paraphenalia)

If, when you have got onto the water, you can go further (pedal/motor/sail), you will probably get a lot more enjoyment from your spend due to having wider horizons. Limited battery life and lack of pedalling fitness may (and I am only saying "may" cos I really dunno how far/fast these things will take you) reduce, rather than extend your horizons.

You might also try weighing up the extra cost of the motor against the benefits of lungs like a race-horse, thighs of steel and butt cheeks between which you could crack a walnut.

Do all these and you may well find that the Hobie stacks up very well against the paddleyak & trolling motor alternative.

well looks like we will be taking the plunge this week. we went to WildRiver but they didn't have one in stock. i will be going back there today/wed to try to make a deal.

i did a cursory search regarding transporting the Oasis and come upon a few comments. all seem positive..

i would like a further confirmation though..

my Range has a 6 ft bed. i saw an inexpensive ladder rack in one on the auto parts stores. if i use it the 'between center' dimension will be closer to 5 ft.

should i fashion a support to the front bumper to spread the load or is the ~5 ft enough for a 14 ft kayak??

thanks
Steve

Some members use a truck bed extender to load, secure, transport and unload their yaks.

viewtopic.php?f=11&t=34756

I have a Ridgeline with the really short bed, and my load extender works very well with my Freedom Hawk 12+.

Soon, I will probably go to a Revo for solo yakking and fishing. It should work well with the bed extender.

Using a bed extender eliminates have to get your yak up high on bars. Also, they are quieter than topside racks and probably enable better mileage than driving with a yak on top on a rack.

A bed extender can be taken off a truck, broken down into two parts in a couple of minutes and stored in a tight area.

Bed extenders are way less expensive versus a trailer and have minimal upkeep versus a trailer and don't have to be licensed. It is a logistical nightmare to get a trailer licensed in Cali land. They have to see it, and you can't make appointments. So you try to park the trailer, get in line for a couple of hours and then get a DMVer who doesn't understand anything about a trailer.

I have a Malone Trailer for our Oasis. It is an excellent trailer, but it comes with all of the problems that are inherent with trailers. It may become the storage rack for our Oasis and the new Hobie if the bed extender works with our Oasis.

I wish that I had known about using a load extender last year. I could have saved a lot of money and our backs.

_________________
2009 Oasis
2012 Freedom Hawk Pathfinder

The span is more than adequate by itself. If you carry upside down, you can use the rack alone, but if you carry right side up, you will need saddles to keep from denting the bottom.

You might find a used welded rack for the same price or less than a new cheap disassembled one. If so, you will need to get one specifically from another Ranger (any year from 1993 on).

with a 6' bed, you could probably get away with a bed extender if you have a receiver. At 14.6 feet it does stick out though. In this case you would carry upside down -- you need the strength of the gunwales to support the unsupported stern. I've used a bed extender for the Oasis on short distances when I've needed the overhead space for the Adventure (16'). If you get one, I think Harbor Freight sells one for less than $50.

Sundancer, did you get a chance to demo the Oasis or other Hobies before you decided?

Unfortunatly no. We tried but they sold the one they had and between weather and eco tours and lessons they were booked during off business hours. My schedule currently makes it nearly impossible to take time off during the week.

I am confident it will be a (near) perfect vehicle for us.

Ordered a yellow one this afternoon. Should be here in 2-3 weeks. Looking forward to it.

We have researched the area a bit and found alot of launch areas. Friends with canoes are looking forward to taking us out.

Thanks for all your advise. I will be here lurking around picking up tips.

Steve.
Virginia Beach

I can promise that your Hobie will be the best investment and decision possible. Hopefully you and your wife can agree on paddling decisions. Happy yakking!

Cate
Rancho Murieta, CA