Solo fishing for 2011 Oasis best ballast solution

I have a 2011 Oasis that wife and I got and used last year. I'm a big guy, 270 lbs and wife about 125 and absolutly no problem with stability, speed just great with the upgraded Turbo fins front and back.

Question, I plan to solo fish in the Spring but realize that I need to find a viable and sensible ballast solution up front for tracking and rudder control considering my weight. Does anyone have a common sense suggestion on what to use? I may get a Revolution, hull only tand use a current drive and buy the new seat o make it more practical, but that may be down the road.

My Thule Hullavator makes hauling this thing possible.

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Tom

2011 Oasis Ivory Dune

Congrats on the Oasis! I sold my '08 in order to get the '11 Oasis, I can't see how Hobie can improve upon the '11, top notch kayak!

For ballast when using solo, I fill a large, heavy duty bag with water (at the launch) and place it where the front drive would go (keep mirage plug in). When I'm done, I just empty bag and store it in hatch. I'm about 195# & it works well, I'm guessing full bag of water is about 65#. You can always add more bags if needed. The further forward they get placed, the less weight you'll need. The water bags are simple, will lay flat & conform to hull and are easy to adjust by adding, removing water.

I started using the sail last summer on the Oasis, adds a fun element to kayaking! Enjoyed it so much, I wound up getting an AI!

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Bob
Proud member Kayak Fishing Association of New York

Thanks for the prompt response Bob. This may be a silly question, but is there a brand of water bag, and where could they be purchased? I like the idea that they conform to the hull, and if I used two if needed it would replicate her weight. Perhaps by moving one further forward, two may not be necessary.

By your signature and comments, you fish and solo. Curious as to the type of fishing you do, and how you find the Oasis as a solo fishing platform, or did you sell the Oasis and get the A1, or just add to your fleet?

Plan to do some fluke fishing and some bottom fishing for blackfish/Tog here on the Jersey shore. I suppose that a fishfinder/depthfinder and anchor trolley will be upcoming purchase's soon. Just got another Hobie Kayak cart today with the grey baloon type wheels to lauch from the beach so I don't struggle with the sand like I did with the Heavy Duty cart wheels. I may consider the sail but I haven't saild before and might not want to complicate things, but it sounds fun.

I never realized what a blast this kind of kayaking would be. I'd also like a Revolution hull only. This kind of fun isn't cheap but it's really worth it.

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Tom

2011 Oasis Ivory Dune

The bag I've used was a Rubbermaid vinyl bag, doubles as a fish bag. I think any heavy duty garbage bag will work as long as it supports the water weight your putting into it. I don't use the Oasis solo that much anymore, as I have a Revo and the AI. All 3 are rigged for fishing, I mounted transducers in each so I can move the ff/gps between them. I'm using a 'Cuda 350/S ff/gps. I never found the anchor trolley necessary.

I primarily fish north & south shores of LI, NY for striped bass, blues, fluke. The Hobies are unmatched for fishing, especially with the currents, tides and conditions we have.

I originally planned on getting just the Revo hull also, but found a good deal on a complete used one. The AI is my primary fishing yak, less the sail & amas, the Revo when I need to cartop and want something more manageable and the Oasis when the wife wants to join in! Taking into account your size, you may want to consider/demo the Outback in addition to the Revo.

Here's a few pics to give you an idea of how I rigged the Oasis, good luck, you're going to have a lot of fun! BTW, I've never heard of a silly question! lol

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Bob
Proud member Kayak Fishing Association of New York

I used to use a plastic 5 gallon gas can filled with water. It fits pretty well up in the cockpit above the Mirage drive plug. That gives you about 40 pounds.

I now use a several items, starting with a small 6 pack size cooler slid as far forward as possible - it can be filled with sand or gravel or water since it has a lid. This gives maybe 20 pounds. I fit my milk crate with my fishing gear behind that, above the drive plug and then a larger Playmate cooler for food / drinks / ice for fish - it sits on top of the front hatch. All that adds up to about 40 pounds and gets about everything out from behind me and up front. I plan to make a removable deck that would mount above the seat. I will be able to put a small dry bag under that deck (in the seat area) and mount a downrigger on the deck, or use it for crab pots or whatever.

A good idea I read about but haven't tried is to fill the Mirage drive plug with sand or lead shot. That may require some reinforcement to the plug though.

Others will tell you that the balance is better if you solo from the front. I don't doubt that, but I found I like having the extra space in front of me rather than behind me. If you have to haul the extra space around, it is easier to access it in front of you than it is behind you. The Revo solution is the best, though. That is what I want to do, too.

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2011 Oasis (papaya)
2012 Revo (dune)

Lots of great suggestions here. You might consider the advantages of fishing from the front seat -- only about 1/3 the ballast requirement (placed in the stern of course), better speed and handling, longer front cockpit (although narrower), easier to swing your rod across the bow. You can set the rear cockpit up as your cargo well and have good access to the bow hatch as well.

If you use water for ballast, you probably want to use it in the front cockpit, but not inside the hull (in case it leaks). If not the greatest for efficiency (requires more weight), it has the advantage of not having to carry it around! For those interested, the lead shot filled drivewell plug comes from Stringy, who uses it in combination with water bags. Here's one with a simple handle and a thinset slurry inside to stabilize the lead and plug. No reinforcing is necessary as long as the plug is in good shape:

This weighs about 24 lb and when locked in the front drivewell, has a very stabilizing effect.
If sitting in the bow, you can place this in the extreme stern through the aft hatch. For rear seat solo work, the accompanying 3" tube holds 31# of lead wheel weights melted in cans and sealed with more slurry -- stows in the extreme bow where it gains the best leverage, with the plug in the front drivewell.

Lots of possibilities. IMO, the Oasis (solo) can do everything the Revo 13 can and a lot more!

Here is a photo of my setup:


kayak loading 2

I use a bungee across the milkcrate, and strap the wheels to the front of the crate. The legs are secured under the front hatch bungees. (I use a carabiner to pull the bungees closer to center.) The front cooler has dirt / gravel / sand ballast. It is captured under the wheels. The Playmate cooler isn't secured so I can move it easily. I plan to put nut inserts in the cockpit rails beside the seat so I can put a removable deck in over the seat well. I can then store that dry bag under the deck, and the deck will keep the Playmate cooler from sliding around as much.

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2011 Oasis (papaya)
2012 Revo (dune)