Buying an older Kayak

I am considering purchasing an Adventure (basic model) for a little over 1K. What advice would you give me? Can I turn it into an AI if I want to?

Thanks

_________________
!Delighted owner of a Revolution 11!
Hobie Sport (spouse)
1978 Mark Twain
1991 Side by Side Kawasaki Jet Ski
1998 Pro Angler
1995 Pro Line Cuddy
Pontoon, age unknown, but it's great for cruising.

What year is it?

_________________
Southwest Hobie Island Club
http://www.facebook.com/southwesthic

It's a 2007

_________________
!Delighted owner of a Revolution 11!
Hobie Sport (spouse)
1978 Mark Twain
1991 Side by Side Kawasaki Jet Ski
1998 Pro Angler
1995 Pro Line Cuddy
Pontoon, age unknown, but it's great for cruising.

Above all else you need to assure yourself that the boat is watertight. The best way to do this is on the water - it would be very difficult to be certain just by looking at the boat because tiny cracks or holes in the hull can cause a lot of water to get in if underwater. Cracks are most likely in the area of the drivewell, the scupper holes and the seat pegs; the rest of the boat is pretty resilient but still check, double check & make sure there is no obvious piercing or deep cuts. If you uncover that the owner has "mended" a crack you should walk away.

I am assuming that it will have the cam-lock system for locking the drive in place in whch case you need to look carefully inside the boat at the cam columns one either side of the drive well - these are the plastic columns into which the cam bolts (which hold the drive in place) are screwed. If there is any sign that the cam columns are cracked or have been tampered with (e.g. evidence of "fixing up") I recommend that you walk away.

Owners were offered a retro-fit kit to reinforce the drivewell on some Adventures around this time - you can search on this site to find info about which serial numbers were included - then you can check your boat prior to purchase to find out whether or not it qualified for the kit (the serial number is scratched into a panel on the outside of the stern of the boat - rub some talc or similar over the panel to be able to read the characters more easily ). The kit included a fibreglass "nose" and longer cambolts. The "Nose" was stuck inside the boat to reinforce the forward end of the drivewell (if installed it should be obvious when you look inside the front hatch at the inside front end of the drivewell). You would need to ask about the longer cambolts to find out if the owner replaced them. If the boat was eligible and the kit wasn't installed I am pretty sure that you would be able to get the kit from Hobie. Hobie offered an extended warranty if the kit was installed but I guess this boat would still be out of even that warranty period by now.

Have a look at the rudder - you may find the standard issue but maybe the owner has upgraded to the larger rudder which is much better suited to the boat.

Check the boat for non-standard upgrades which have involved drilling holes in the hull - owners frequently pimp their rides - any such mods may have been done well or badly, you will need to check, but either way they are likely to negatively affect resale value.

If you are getting a 2-piece paddle with the boat check it still comes apart (they sieze up if sand gets into the joint - I bought a 2nd-hand Adventure some years ago without checking the paddle and to this day the 2-piece is a 1-piece).

The drive is important - they are pretty robust (one of mine is still going like the day I first got it after several hard years of use) and repairable, though. A good look at the drive may give an indication of how well used and maintained the boat (and drive) have been - sloppy is one thing, but full of sand and badly corroded by not being washed down after saltwater use is another (though as I say, you should be able to repair, replace, readjust easily enough). Does it have the original pointed fins or the (more desirable) square tops (ST) or longer ST Turbo fins? Are the pedals in good order (they do wear out - though spares can be bought).

This is about as much as I can think of just now - others may be able to add more.

stobbo about covered it. The only things I would add is to check for fading of the plastic. This occurs to all poly boats eventually, but can happen quickly when a kayak is stored outside w/o proper covering. Look under the front hatch bungees for changes in color. Flip over the front hatch to check the top and bottom for any obvious differences in color or shade.

Check for smooth operation of the rudder system; raise and lower it and look for equal side-to-side steering movement. Any problems can usually be dealt with by adjustment, but can be used to negotiate a lower price.

Good luck. You'll love your Adventure.

_________________
Southwest Hobie Island Club
http://www.facebook.com/southwesthic

Thanks, you guys.

I decided since this'll probably be my last boat, to go with the Revolution 11 with a sailing package. Had to give up a 16 foot cat years ago due to shoulder and neck problems, so I still want to do a little "sailing".

New, will take delivery next week.

Have talked my husband into buying a used Sport so he can tag along sometimes - will check the hints you left.

Thanks again!

Marsha

_________________
!Delighted owner of a Revolution 11!
Hobie Sport (spouse)
1978 Mark Twain
1991 Side by Side Kawasaki Jet Ski
1998 Pro Angler
1995 Pro Line Cuddy
Pontoon, age unknown, but it's great for cruising.

Marsha, if you're gonna sail the Adventure make sure you get a daggerboard and the larger rudder too - these vastly improve the sailing experience of this boat.

You may find the short hull a challenge to sail well. I hope you were able to demo the configuration before you became locked into it.

Did you get a set of sidekicks to go with it? Stability while running the sail could be an issue with them as well.

I'm no expert, so I hope your dealer and some of the more experienced people here can help you get to where you want to be.

-bob

A demo is always a great idea. If you feel comfortable with the boat, the sailing with the Sidekick is a no-brainer. a friend was out locally today with his Revo 11 and sail w/ Sidekick. Looked like he was having a pretty good time!






In fact, if you'll look closely, the Adventure sailing in the background (without Sidekicks) has his sail partially furled in this wind while the Revo 11 carries full sail and no concern about capsizing with his Sidekicks.

Yes, I DID get advice from some experienced folks at the outfitters. I demoed the yak itself, but without sail.

The experienced sailor of Hobie Yaks advised me to consider the longer rudder and Turbo Fins to help with stability, as well as the outriggers, all of which I have done. (He told me he had been over quite a few times on the smaller Hobies without the outrigger).

Thanks for the pics, I have been considering different ways to rig the sail and this is one I have not seen yet. Will keep you posted on how this all works out.

_________________
!Delighted owner of a Revolution 11!
Hobie Sport (spouse)
1978 Mark Twain
1991 Side by Side Kawasaki Jet Ski
1998 Pro Angler
1995 Pro Line Cuddy
Pontoon, age unknown, but it's great for cruising.