Hi all. I purchased two new I12S kayaks in 2021. Had some trouble locating them since they had been discontinued but I was able to find them at a Hobie dealer. I paid $7339 for the two including shipping. I use them on my local lake and some others in Wa state where I live. They are ideal for the Fly Fishing I like to do.
I keep them partially inflated in a basement when not in use.
After a few months, it began to get more difficult to take the drives in and out. I hadn't heard about the basketball idea so I built a couple of "stretchers" to keep the drive well to the proper size. So far, they have been working well. I'm not sure if this is a short term or a medium term fix but I don't really see a way to permanently fix this.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/ezyGSMTARUcTtz7Y9Best Regards,
Brian