Question for Matt Miller and the Hobie Marketing Dept.

Matt
I've perused the entire Hobie great line of products for anything resembling a surf ski, a surf yak, or anything that can handle a 3 foot breaking wave. So far I have found nothing.
I've also tried to find any craft (including considering my own 2011 AI to use as a kite launch platform with a small water launchable kite (3.5 sq Meter)? Nothing comes even close...
Is there any interest in Hobie Central to produce a surf product simular to the Perception 5.0, The Cobra Surf Ski, Wave, Strike or the Hunt Johnsen designed 'Seawitch'?
Is there any interest on Hobie's part in producing a product simular to the Peter Lynn's designed Kite Cat?

http://www.powerkiteshop.com/peter-lynn ... at-cat.htm

Yes, I do have a right to ask on this forum as my future spending dollars are at stake here if Hobie has (or does not) have any future plans to develop these established concepts.

Thank you for reading
Regards
Trinomite

_________________
Always looking for ways to make good things 'Gooder'

I surf the Hobie Maui. Works really well, but we are discontinuing it this year. The Rev 11 takes it's place, but is not going to work in the surf.

Check this video I did some years ago:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbNiWmAjFfc[/youtube]

Surfing kayaks are a very narrow niche. Creating a surf kayak is always brought up and we have dabbled in it, but we have bigger fish to fry, so it gets sent to the back burner. We have a LOT of great product ideas still to develop and time is not unlimited for design and sales staff, so we typically have to concentrate on the low hanging fruit. Expanding on the Island concept is a big focus.

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

Cowabunga Matt! Always enjoy that one,,,

As Trinomite points out, the market is already saturated with fine surfing kayaks, so no loss there.

But crack the whip on those Island Trifoiler engineers!

_________________
The Wind Is Your Friend...

On the other subject - has anyone flown a kite yet off a Hobie tandem or the TI trihull?

I attempted to get my friend to do it this labor day weekend, but he wussed out.

_________________
The Wind Is Your Friend...

We have done it a few times here in San Diego and up in Long Beach in fairly light conditions. The way we did it was a guy had the kite attached - but I think the better way would be to build a bridle onto the rear beam so that the kite can be attached to the boat - the way we did it the kite was pulling the kiter out of the boat - hard to hold on.... but we did get some nice speed out of it... pretty sketchy and dangerous though - wouldn't do it unless you're an expert kiter.

The Lanai is my preference for the surf. It won't catch small waves as well as the old Maui, but will handle steeper drops and turn better. Still, neither are a true surf kayak but they can both easily handle more than a three foot wave.

Also, a kite on the TI is a whole lot of fun. If you have a 3.5m kite, and good wind it shouldn't be too difficult if you have kite experience. We were using a 16m kite and were in less than 10 knots of wind. Back person steers the boat and the front steers the kite. We haven't tried solo in an AI yet.

_________________
Brendan Castile

Great Footage Matt. Thanks for the info on the Surf yaks.
Yup lots out there...had Santa Wishlist item in my head when I asked the question: a surf yack with a Mirage drive

Just got my kite today: A 3.5 meter water parafoil trainer. I plan on running a spreader bar with lines attacked to my AI. That way I could steer the kite one handed. However, I may need to switch over to the new rudder. Btw: I've been playing with power kites for many years)

I'll keep you posted, how it works (or doesn't)

Thanks for the input and advice, guys.
Fred

_________________
Always looking for ways to make good things 'Gooder'

I tried the Mirage for surfing. Thus far... It didn't work well. It ventilates just as you get on the wave lip, so you loose thrust. Then you have the drive drag and forward lateral resistance... and you really need a paddle in your hands for steering and bracing. The rudder was fun till I bent the mount. I'll stick to paddling when surfing.

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

JB, BC, you are a couple of Hobie nutjobs! (I like that). Thanks for the tips.

The friend I was referring to is an expert. He goes up front.

Was the TI in mono hull mode? I've seen tandems pulled by kite and was curious how the trimaran would handle it.

Trinomite, in my experience the Mirage drive is kind of an impediment in surf, and that paddle yaks definitely have the edge.

The drive experiences extreme stress and becomes a drag when you exceed the hulls "normal" speed. Even while babying them In small to moderate surf I have popped gears, fins, sprockets, rods and chains. All in a days fun

They just aren't designed to take it.

Where a paddle can be removed from the water and used for trim, the mirage can not. A small surf yak with a skeg and paddle is better tool for the job.

BTW, the old rudder was also not up to the job, as you suspect. The new rudder is much better for surfing,

_________________
The Wind Is Your Friend...

Thanks for that input. I guess, I was looking back at the times I used to move faster than any yak on the beach with the Turbo fins as opposed to a paddle. Indeed it does make sense about loosing power in surf (sort of like a cavitating prop on a power boat). Point well taken. It feels far better to have the blades in your hands as that is what I'm used to since way back when.

I'd hate to have to replace the Drive due to 'pilot error', hehe

Cheers

_________________
Always looking for ways to make good things 'Gooder'

NOHUHU

Most experienced kiteboarders use either a waist belted harness or a seat harness. It has been recommended that a seat style harness be used along with a 'seatbelt' to keep the kitemaster from getting yanked out of her or his seat on a power surge.
A TI will be far easier to manage as the roles are broken down into two:
1) Kite Master
2) Helms person in the rear.

What is great about the TriYaks with the amas out is the ability to get a bite into the water along with the Daggerboard and rudder to allow at least a reach at considerable speed. Any 'hiking' will have to be done by how the kite rig is setup. A fixed kite to the boat will allow both crew to get out on the Tramps. A seat belted kite master won't be able to do that.

I had a long chat with a highly experienced dealer/kite boarder in Vancouver, and he suggested that a fixed 'hook' (spreader bar) be attached to the boat (that can be released under full load) is the preferred method on using a power kite on any kayak. Of course concerns are there about being over powered (and the dreaded nose dive), but all kites have a safety release system that will simply dump your kite depowered into the ocean.
The simplest ones to use are a 2 or 3 line kites. A four line (or 5 line) system has it's own depower ability (and can also fly upside down, if need be).

However, the size of the kite is always the big X factor, as conditions can change. A four line system in that case is far better preferred as you can spill power out of the kite without loosing the ability to stay aloft.

I'm really looking forward to making this work...

Regards

_________________
Always looking for ways to make good things 'Gooder'

Oops
Forgot to add that in the last post...
A kite can not only produce forward speed but also lift to the entire boat as the Kiter picks the upper part of the power window to literally lift the bow out of the water to prevent a nose dive on the Islands.
This could be the answer to submarining at high speed, and yes a highly experienced kiter can pull that off, based on the conditions and the size of the kite.

_________________
Always looking for ways to make good things 'Gooder'

Trinomite - I'm thinking back a month or two ago to an event that had both Mirage kayaks and surf skis in it. The little 2 foot breaking waves were capsizing every surf ski in the event while the Hobie Adventure was handling the waves well. I would not hesitate to take my Hobie Adventure out into 3 foot breaking waves because it is a very stable kayak that can plow through rough water while tippy yak owners are struggling to stay upright. I can vouch for the Adventure's ability to handle chop and 3 foot breaking waves, but, being that it is a Sit-On-Top, do expect to get wet. I have no problem riding waves with the Adventure but wish the nose was more upturned to prevent nose diving.

My two suggestions for further development of the Island boats:

1. A solo AI with a tall rig. The boat is just underpowered in light air, and I have to wait too long between days I consider windy enough.

2. A tandem AI hull built for one person in an expedition mode. No more deciding where to sit for the Everglades Challenge. You sit in the seat.

Worth what you paid for them!

My suggestion for an AI upgrade would be a higher deck like the TI, with more volume and carrying capacity and no more sitting in a puddle or feet in a puddle. It would also be harder for people to unlock one side of the Mirage Drive with their foot with the release set deeper like on the TI.

_________________

Hobie Island Sailing since 2006