It all started when I took my 2009 Adventure Island out for a paddle and being new to the AI, found it harder and harder to get up to speed as time went on. I stopped for a walk around on the shore before jumping back on to paddle back and noticed my bag in the back was wet. I thought it was sitting a bit low in the water and this was confirmed when trying to pull the craft from the water back at my start point. It was half full of water!!
Getting home I set about finding where it was ingesting water and found, soon enough, a crack forward of the mirage drive starting on the seam weld on the vertical surface and extending to the hull set nut about an inch forward of the mirage drive hole. Having read on forums and spoken to workmates/friends about Hobies, I contacted a dealer based in SE Queensland. Although I am based in Perth I figured being a dedicated Hobie dealer he could tell me how to repair it, but after reading a few similar topics on this and other forums, it wasn't looking good for a repair. The Hobie Warranty manager then contacted my local Getaway Outdoors store who confirmed that being such a structurally critical area, there was not a lot they could do as far as welding goes. After contacting Hobie to thank them for the help so far and that I would just try my luck with local plastic welders, out of the blue the next day I received a phone call saying that Hobie would replace my hull. It would be a 2012 model 2nd hand model but it would float!!
A few weeks later I was told the hull was in and I could come and swap them over whenever I was ready. Well, if it was 2nd hand it was maybe used in a showroom but it didn't look like it had even been in the water. It looked absolutely freaking incredible! Hobie has been the most pro active, up front company I have ever dealt with, from dealers to waranty support to product satisfaction. It is good to see that customer feedback, product R & D and advancing material technology actually go in to releasing better and more innovative products every year instead of just releasing a new colour range or graphics scheme every year to keep making sales and making the company money.
I would like to thank Mal from Sunstate Hobie, Jim from Hobie warranty and Shane from Getaway Outdoors for all of your help and giving me an early Christmas present like I've never had before. Just thought I would say thanks and let people know what they are paying for when buying a Hobie - not just a great product, but also incredible service.