Paddling quality of a Mirage hull.

We are looking at purchasing a Oasis Tandem but one thing that is holding me back a little is I am wondering what if anything we are giving up when we don't feel like pedaling and we want to remove the Mirage drives and just paddle old school. How well do the Mirage specific hulls perform? We have a few shallower rivers here where I think the drive depth could be a real detriment.

Not much noticeable difference in paddling a Mirage Drive kayak with the rudder up and the cassette plug inserted into the Mirage well. The Oasis is kind of a bear to paddle with a single person, but with two passengers, pedals removed with cassette plug inserted, and the rudder up it will paddle as normal.

_________________
Howie Strech
Parts & Accessories Product Manager
Hobie Cat USA

Thank You Howie. We picked up our Oasis this evening and can't wait to get her out on the water.

For paddling 2 up our Oasis is quite efficient, tracks straight, and glides well between strokes. Much better than our Outfitter on all accounts.

Peter

Keep in mind that you will have to maneuver and steer, including any corrections due to wind or tide effect, by paddle only as rudder is hand operated.

The revo 16 tracks like its on rail under paddle, on the other hand being long and wanting to track straight when affected by tide or wind causing it to veer and is hard to bring back on course with paddle only, and so rudder needs to be deployed in some circumstances, which hinders paddle stroke. Maybe not such a big issue on a tandem.

Mainly just a heads up that paddling long yaks (any brand) with rudder up is not always easy.

Now if some smarty pants could devise a system to switch from hand to foot steering as required, that would be a true hybrid

The Mirage Drive kayaks don't have skegs so they don't really track well, especially with the rudder up compared with comparable skeg kayaks. But that's also one of the reasons they turn so well. With the rudder down, it acts as a skeg and greatly improves tracking on all the models. Cut the tip off the large rudder and you have an excellent shallow water rudder. Learn how to "flutter" kick and you can use the Drives in about one foot in depth.

Correction. Smarty shorts.

We have a Tandem Island that we use tandem in kayak mode. In shallow and really weedy rivers like the Sante Fe we end up paddling a lot with the mirage drives removed and the rudder up. We are longtime canoe people.
We find the TI to track really well and it glides nicely. We used to have an Oasis, and it didn't steer quite as well, still not bad though. I suspect because the passenger seats are closer together on the oasis, makes it just a little harder to make course corrections with the paddles (keep in mind we are canoe people). I suspect the key to happiness on a tandem is the boat length (longer is better), and the further the passengers are from each other the better. With our TI I am outside of my wifes swinging distance (just kidding).
FE

Velcro strap..haha.. There was I trying to devise levers to grip between the thighs, but that was just to awkward

Yes, but your Oasis had an entirely different hull (and cockpit) with different performance characteristics. The only thing they have in common besides the name is the LOA and beam.

The nice thing about Velcro is that if you go overboard or capsize,it detaches!

Roadrunner:
Yes that is correct, our old Oasis was a 2008 model (an older design). I have not ridden in a new Oasis yet, but everything I have seen and heard the new model is not just a good kayak,,, It's a great kayak by all measurements, if your looking at tandem yaks.

FE

Old Oasis was good - new Oasis is better (2 steering positions really increases the versatility because you can now solo it from the front cockpit which is a much better soloing option).

I think that the Oasis is one of the best all round boats in the Hobie MD fleet - it is dry, fast, floaty, stable, sociable, easy enough to store (compared with either the Adventure or Tandem Adventure) annd sails exceptionally well as a schooner (a DIY modification).

...you will have to pry my Oasis from my cold dead hands

Just my $0.02.

Plus $0.02

I find that paddling my Outback without rudder or fins (when beach launching or landing, not surf) is similar to trying to drive a supermarket trolley in a straight line. A bit like a 2-3 year old kid, has a mind of its own.