Torqeedo Motor Won't Work With Hobie Inflatable!! WTF!!

A thousand curses upon the Hobie company! I just discovered, four days after my i12S was delivered, that my $3000 Torqeedo Evolve electric motor won't fit in the drive well!! The nose cone of the motor is just a little too wide to fit through the well of the i12S. I already owned this motor (I used it with my Tandem Island) and I was counting on using it with the i12S. If I had known I wouldn't be able to use the Torqeedo with the i12S I probably wouldn't have bought it! Thanks, Hobie, for not mentioning this issue in your specifications. Now what?!? I don't want to put the Torqeedo on the rudder. Can the Torqeedo underwater housing be filed down to fit? Can anybody help me?

I just looked it up, and they have a different version of the motor fo inflatables. In my mind that's pretty stupid and shortsited from Hobies perspective.
Instead of forcing Torqeedo to change their molds to fit the injection molded mirage drive holder, Hobie should have welded up their own mold years ago so it fits the standard Evolve (probably would have cost $3 to 4k to modify their mold). Very short sighted and dumb IMO.
FE

Thanks, fusioneng, for your response. After seven or eight years, and owning three of their kayaks, for the first time I feel like I have been screwed and ripped off by Hobie. I bet Hobie himself is looking down from Valhalla in shock.

I'm in manufacturing and fully understand how this stuff just happens, not really anyones fault, just happens.
Only you can determine just how much interference there is between the mirage pocket and the Evolve unit.
Just FYI typical wall thickness on most injection molded plastics is around 1/8". If the interference between the pocket and the evolve is more than 1/16" or so, I'm not sure I would risk scarfing material from the drive pocket (first choice) or the evolve unit (second choice). I also completely understand your reluctance to begin hacking about a brand new boat.
Good luck
FE

Knowing Hobie the way I do, I would ay they would replace it for the right model for you. They have always been very good with looking after customers.

_________________
Sth East Qld Hobie Island Club Captain.
https://www.seqic.com.au

Huh? Our literature clearly defines a specific motor kit for the i-Series. Hobie is not responsible for the "error" here. Look at the catalog page for the product. It has been that way since day one. The i series well requires a longer foil section so your can get the motor into the well. The drive is not compatible with the i-series rudder, so that option is not included in the i-series evole kit.

Many references to the different configurations, but the part number and description says it all.

72022030 HOBIE evolve v2 MOTOR KIT - Kayak
72022040 HOBIE evolve v2 MOTOR KIT - i Series

RUDDER MOUNT
A lightweight assembly to easily
integrate the evolve motor with a
Twist and Stow rudder. Pedal and
motor; motor, or simply pedal. When
off, the engine becomes your rudder
or it can be brought on deck via the
Twist and Stow controls.
(The rudder mount option is not
compatible with inflatable series, Island
series or Pro Anglers)

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

So now we know the real story, as usual Hobie did the right thing, sorry I led you astray (didn't know it had to be longer as well. Nevermind...I was just tryin to help oops
FE

Okay, Hobie, I see it's a case of buyer beware. I still blame Austen Canoe & Kayak for not mentioning the issue in their advertising. I still want to keep on kayaking, so now I will sell the Torqeedo. Other readers, if you want to buy a nearly-new Torqeedo system with two batteries and extra cables, I will be advertising it on this forum soon. Thanks to Hobie for the clarification, thanks to everybody who tried to help, and thanks to the folks who run this forum.

If you are in Australia they sell fast on Gumtree for very good money, Hobie products hold their value well on the second hand market.

_________________
Sth East Qld Hobie Island Club Captain.
https://www.seqic.com.au