Hobie flipping during surf landing

Has any one experience their Hobie Kayak just flipping over during a surf landing? It has happened to me on my old Quest and it has happened on my 2015 Outback. I have heard from other owners that the boat has a tendency for the bow to bury in the surf. Has anyone else experienced this and is there a way to prevent the dunking?

ya mean like this?



don't think it's a hobie only issue according to vids...
although most hobies on the vids did take quite a tumble... the dude in the duen revo did it quite gracefully...

but i could be wrong...

Yeah... that is a kayak handling trait... not specifically related to Hobie.

You can not paddle or pedal straight if through surf. As a wave catches you... the back end goes up... the nose is going to go down. You have to side slip if you can not out run the wave. Rudder up, fins up... paddle in hand and lean back and then onto the paddle into the wave face.

This guy (on a Hobie) does it correctly:
https://vimeo.com/111422068#t=505

These guys (not Hobies) do it all wrong:
https://vimeo.com/111422068#t=480

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

Ok I learned I need at three guys to help me go through the surf.i don't go in straight I go in side ways. Won't the wave hit the side of the boat and turn me over? I used to surf my Hobie 16 in the surf it was like a flying missile going straight and leaving me 10 foot in dry sand sand in a surf landing.

Lean back and into the wave. As you slide sideways, the paddle blade will give you some support to lean on. What ever you do... lean towards the wave, so the boat does not roll towards the beach. Even if you flip (towards the wave) the recovery is far easier than getting fully rolled towards the beach.

Practice in surf without all the fishing gear.

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

Another way to come in, in the surf is backwards. I have talked to a few guys in the Norcal Kayak Anglers club and they have talked about coming in in surf bigger than the surf in the video's above and having more control backwards. It sounds awkward, although it seems to work well. Keeping your bow to the wave. If your bow is too the wave your less likely to roll. Coming in forward the wave will always try to kicks your boat sideways and roll you if your not leaned just right like Matt is talking about.

_________________
2013 Revo 13
2014 Outback
2016 Outback
2012 Oasis
2015 Oasis
2015 Pro Angler
2014 TI

Sure, if the surf isn't so powerful to roll you over going out, launching. But then what's the problem? Show me a surf where you can come in backwards and I'll do a cake walk landing forward.
Plus, if there are swimmers or others in the water, won't work.

My moto is, time it and come in strong as possible with pedals and paddle in hand. Jump out about waist high and immediately turn your kayak facing the surf held at the front toggle. Just like as if you we're going to launch. When your in the clear, turn and pull up the beach.

_________________
Mark
Tandem Island- 2013
2 - Sports - 2014

Practice broaching as there is a fair chance what ever way you do it you are going to need that skill.

Most important get out there bare boat and experience the power of even moderate surf.

trying to balance pedalling, hand rudder and paddle in hand is going to confuse you. Rudder up and paddle only is a far quicker way to manoeuvre and brace kayak in surf zone. Bungie mirage before starting otherwise trying to attach bungee just before it dumps you on shallow sand is going to distract you will the next shore break dumps you.

Unleash paddle before you hit the shore as its something that is going to tangle/trip you as you are trying to make a quick exit. Spear it onto beach just as you are about to decamp.

Definately put the bungy on the mirage drive before going out or coming in. You can still pedal the mirage drive even with the bungy on. This is where your double ended paddle comes in very handy. Using it to help with balance and help steer. We have a TI and the rudder is very deep in the water, we break our rudder pins most often when coming in thru surf, so I put the rudder up early, the rudder does very little when the water is pushing you anyway. When in kayak mode I typically lean my seat back just before coming in to try to keep my cg low and weight toward the back more, paddle in hand, the more speed you can develop going in definately helps, and timing means everything. Watch the surf for a while before coming in, coming in 100 feet to the left or right can make a big difference, try to avoid the cross waves and riptide areas if you can.
Practice in an empty boat (not all geared up).
Hope this helps
FE

My first time BTB in Pensacola, Fl., was in waves as big or bigger than those videos (3ish foot?) First in my Pescador (nothing to damage while learning surf) and the next day in the Revolution 13.

Backing in worked for me. Spin around BTB, stow everything, and just start back paddling. The kayaks move pretty fast backwards. The waves will help move you backwards so you might take some forward strokes to strongly keep the kayak facing the wave. You keep your bow into the wave and can see your alignment with the wave front. Plus it is easy to correct your kayak so you are always punching straight into and over the wave.

I just occasionally looked over my shoulder to see how close I was to the beach. The first time, I made the mistake of jumping out in shallows, grabbing the side handle, and having the next wave turn the kayak 90 degrees so the following wave could yank the kayak right out of my hand. It was almost a perfect recovery first time BTB by following advice from kayak fishermen.
Always hold the bow handle and stay up wave of the kayak so it keeps aligned. A wave pushing a kayak at you will pound you, with that kayak, like nobody's business. That wave is a irresistible force.

The down side is the first time I missed landing by the wife because I was 90 degrees to the waves but the waves were coming at an angle to the beach. You have to use windage on the landing since head on to the waves is more important.

I have pics from a cell phone on the beach, and video, but not sure how to post on this forum. Just website links?

I think its depend on your skills and the boat you're using, I personally used Vibe Ghost 110: https://pickakayak.com/vibe-sea-ghost-110-review/ and sometimes luke 10 https://pickakayak.com/feelfree-lure-10-review/, I did face any trouble yet... did you try concerning someone nearby!

I use a modified drift chute/ sock on reentry. Keeps the stern pointed out to sea and lets the waves roll under the yak without inducing a pearl/ pitchpole. It functions like an autopilot.

This is the Answer I was looking for, deploy a aft chute on the trolley hydrodynamically makes perfect sense in maintaining proper orientation

That is how I bring my Oasis through surf. That way when a wave raises the stern and I lose steerage, the kayak continues coming mostly straight in. With a tandem the roll-into-the-wave thing doesn’t always work so well.