Hobie H-Crate is here!!

The only thing "amazing" about that thing is the price, more like astounding. OK, I own two Pro Angler 14's and I think Hobie makes a great kayak. I enjoy making "home made" extras where I can, I enjoy "engineering" rod holders and gear boxes anyway and it is far cheaper and tailored to my specific needs. I actually use a 28 qt cooler to hold tackle bags and such on the rear deck and leave everything in it when I unload my kayak. It works just fine and it didn't cost me more than $30.00. Oh, did I mention it has a lid so my gear doesn't get as wet fishing in the rain, seems the engineers at Hobie forgot about that.

_________________
2012 PA-14 Dune; 2013 PA-14 Yellow.

Yep... Working on a soft cover.

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

Matt, just wondering if Hobie is considering something like a throw down Bimini top sense you now have the h-rail ? Something that would break down in small light weight pieces and be able to store inside the yak would be awesome ! What do we do if it rains ? I carry a coca cola table umbrella in my boat for that very reason. Would be cool if you guys came up with something quick that would attach to the h-rail for the unexpected rain...

even better: to eliminate size and additional pieces to throw together you could design one that uses the top of the h-bar for forward mounting then all you would need is the rear assemble and the cover. Less to put together and saves space...I'd be the first in line to buy one...

Here you go Matt. Simple, Compact and Awesome!

Looks like that makes a floating pup tent!

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

Well, you have to have something on the sides to block the sideways rain. Ideal would be to have that option ( rolled up sides) held in place by some stitched in Velcro straps. Unleash the Velcro and down comes the sides to keep you totally dry. Your typical Bimini top doesn't have sides BUT in a wide boat you can move to the center and stay dry. Not the case with a Yak so my theory would be to have that option if needed. It could work for both blocking sun ( just keep the sides rolled up) or it could work to keep you dry in a rain shower ( drop the sides) and have some additional velcro straps at the bottom of the sides to wrap around the h-rail to hold them in place.
You could even make the rear bar similar to the H-Bar where it just folds down out of the way on the back .
You could always come up with some type of system that would be wider than the yak but that would be more parts and more weight , hard to store and not so simple to throw it together on the water and something that big might not be safe if the wind kicks up.
You would also want to keep it as low profile as possible.

Something like this isn't going to do anything to keep you dry . Not only that, it is so up in the air any wind at all might dump you.
Many freshwater fisherman like myself fish the fall , winter and spring months for pre-spawn and spawning fish in the rivers and creeks when its cold. I fish plenty of days when the hi is in the 50's where getting wet is not an option. Would be nice to have something like that!

That is what Goretex rain gear is for. Any style fabric top on a kayak will catch wind, not keep you dry, obstruct vision and inhibit casting. Good rain gear has none of those faults, suit up and keep on fishing.

_________________
2012 PA-14 Dune; 2013 PA-14 Yellow.

No thanks. I don't fish in the rain. What i'm talking about is that unexpected 30 minute scattered shower that comes in with a 20 or 30% chance of rain in the forecast. I would much rather have a canopy to put up in a couple minutes than to drop $600 on a rain coat and sit in the rain while all my gear gets drenched. Not to mention having to slide that thing over my clothes would be incredibly uncomfortable in a little kayak.
What Hobie needs is a Dodger that does more than half the job.
With the new h-rail in place, it would be a shame not to.
I'm thinking with a couple of bucks in pvc, a few h-rail pinned clamps, 4 bungee's , a pup tent, a few measurements and a couple hundred bucks at the upholstery shop I would have a much better option than a $600 rain coat...
I cant imagine running 4 or 5 miles back to my launch in a rain coat in the poring down rain should the rain stick at all.

Goretex rain suits (jacket AND pants) do not run $600, a very good light weight suit can be had for $350 or less (a couple weeks ago I bought a new Goretex parka at Cabela's on sale 50% off, cost me $100). I recently returned from Florida and fished two days in the rain - I didn't drive 1000 miles to sit in a room and watch TV. Temps were moderate at 70 with a steady rain, I didn't get wet, caught fish and was not soaked from perspiration either. To each his own but I would not want to set up a cover in a yak any more than you would like to slip on a rain suit. I have a lot of Goretex from lightweight to heavy insulated jackets, parkas, bibs and pants - nothing beats it. I rarely buy any outer wear unless it's Goretex, it is always ready for anything from hunting to fishing to shoveling snow.


Been there, done that, it ain't no big deal. I could not imagine attempting that with a tent set up on my kayak, especially if the wind kicks up with the rain.

_________________
2012 PA-14 Dune; 2013 PA-14 Yellow.

Lmk how you like it when you fish two days in the rain in moderate 50* weather..lol. Some mornings when i get to the water before the sun is even up its in the upper 30's with a hi in the 50's for the day. Went a couple times last year and my minnow buckets rope was freezing and breaking. Now how are you going to get a rain coat over two pairs of thermals and pair of clothes and a coat and be comfortable in a yak?
You're comparing apples to oranges here.
I wont fish in the rain but would like something for that unexpected rain shower to keep myself and my gear dry whether hot or cold. Especially when it is cold out which is the time of year i fish most.
Correct, to each his own. For $350 i could make something that actually works, goes up and comes down in a couple minutes and stows away inside the yak.
Hell, i might even have a sleepover in it...lol
Btw...that would be a very short sided tent and could be made with vents so as to not have the parachute effect.
I am going to make one for next season and prove it isnt a problem...

OH CRAP, WTF is a minnow bucket? A live bait fisherman... now I understand.

OK, I fished a couple bass tournaments on the Potomac River during the month of April over the last several years. One I fished two days in steady rain and the temps never made it to 52 either day. I had insulated parka and pants, with a chamois shirt and khaki pants underneath - no problem. Another, several years ago we had rain 1st day, temps made 50 in the afternoon, second day it snowed - had an inch on the ground - and we didn't sit in the motel. I was in a bass boat, not a kayak, so we were also running around the river at 65 MPH. Dry, warm (added a fleece vest for that one) and we caught fish, again in an insulated parka and bibs. Bibs are the best as they offer more protection to your back when you bend over to lip a fish and provide more warmth to the kidneys. I have ice fished in the same insulated parka & bibs with temps in the low 20's and wind blowing, needed sweatpants and fleece vest for that one though. For the kayak though I prefer the light to moderate Goretex parka, rain pants are an option depending on temp and severity of rain. Summer - I wear swim trunks with the nylon mesh liner (forget cotton under shorts if chance of getting wet) & the lightweight parka and I don't care how hard it rains.

P.S, My apologies to all live bait anglers, I was kidding, I really don't care if you prefer live bait.

_________________
2012 PA-14 Dune; 2013 PA-14 Yellow.

Like you said, to each his own. The warmer and dryer i am in the cold the happier i am. Sorry but fishing in the rain and cold in a suit just sounds miserable to me. We in the south aren't used to that environment. I'm going with the throw down cover. Hell i could even buy me a stubby pole and drag those crappie up through the mirage well while its raining.

Hey, watch it buddy I fish both. Last weekend on my first kayak trip i caught 40 or so crappie on blue and white jigs. Only got to keep less than half what i caught. Just depends on what they want. I usually have minnows on hand, almost always .