Return to Hobie.com
Hobie Forums
It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 4:54 am

All times are UTC - 8 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 26 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2
Author Message
PostPosted: Thu Aug 08, 2013 9:21 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Fri Jun 14, 2013 9:58 pm
Posts: 22
The Sidekicks worked great so far.

I have only had it out once since installing them and that was on a flat inland lake. But, I could definitely feel the difference, especially with the seat in the higher position. With my body weight, I felt a big difference with the seat in the high position. Especially with a quick rudder turn. While I never went over or even came really close, there were a few times where it really got my attention. I wanted the added insurance that these give me for not having to worry about a turtle. I am now in the process of adding a set to my 2nd PA14. That boat is mostly used by my 75 year old father & 26 year old nephew. The nephew I'm not worried about, but I like the extra security for my father.

I live on the south east coast of Lake Michigan and plan on taking the boats out on the big lake as well. Haven't done it yet and wouldn't even consider it without the Sidekicks in place.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Tue Aug 13, 2013 11:03 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Captain

Joined: Sat Aug 03, 2013 5:43 pm
Posts: 109
Marty
Any news on the sidekicks on the big lake yet? Do they get in the way while fishing?


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Thu Aug 15, 2013 4:40 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Fri Jun 14, 2013 9:58 pm
Posts: 22
I haven't had a chance to get out on Lake Michigan yet.

So far the Sidekicks haven't been any problem while fishing, but I have only been Bluegill fishing with them so far. They are a little bit behind me, so I haven't had any issues yet. Trolling might be more of a problem, but I doubt it would be much. Most rods will reach out well past them.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Thu Aug 15, 2013 2:52 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Sun Jul 18, 2010 12:55 pm
Posts: 420
Tom Kirkman wrote:
The same Mirage Drive is used on a wide variety of different boats. Thus making it more economical to produce and far more likely to sell in large numbers, as it has done.

You keep saying that there is a market for all these various add-ons for the Pro Anger but still haven't given any numbers as to just how many would actually buy them (I wouldn't be interested in any of the items you mention). Now Hobie would certainly have some idea of what that market really is and yet they don't offer these things (yet anyway). Do you suppose they are just adverse to making money? Or could it be that they have some information that you don't?

Hobie does a pretty darn good job of filling market needs, provided the sales are there to justify it.



........ Oh ...... I just got it ......... took me awhile but now I think I understand

.......... There is a market for the most expensive Kayak on the market ........ but there isn't a market for accessories that fit the product ......... we have to make do with the hand me downs .........

Bwhahahaha ......... REALLY?


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Thu Aug 15, 2013 6:14 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2005 6:29 pm
Posts: 2763
Location: High Point, NC
There doesn't seem to be a market for fringe accessories such as those you mention.

You may have to face the fact that you do not represent the middle of the road market - that largest segment that buys the PA. The vast majority of them can use the boat just fine as is. If not, Hobie would be making and marketing the accessories you suggest.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Tue Aug 20, 2013 1:06 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Sun Jul 18, 2010 12:55 pm
Posts: 420
Tom Kirkman wrote:
There doesn't seem to be a market for fringe accessories such as those you mention.

You may have to face the fact that you do not represent the middle of the road market - that largest segment that buys the PA. The vast majority of them can use the boat just fine as is. If not, Hobie would be making and marketing the accessories you suggest.



Really Tom ............ so that's why they sell them ........ because there is no market ........ they advertise the cover for the PA and the straps don't fit .......... does it say the outriggers won't fit the PA ..... no ....... They list the limitations for everything else .......
.......... ya mean there is no market for a rear mounted Evolve on the PA? ......... don't tell Torqeedo that ....... they'll laugh in your face ....... I know of a bunch of them that have been sold ....... and a few evolve's that were sold so so they could buy the rear mounted Torqeedo .......... Hook1 has been doing pretty well .......

I don't have to face anything ......... with 2 PA's fully equipped, I represent the High end of the market and I'm tired of buying things for the top end of the market product that doesn't fit when it is supposed to be made for it ..........


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Tue Aug 20, 2013 1:22 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2005 6:29 pm
Posts: 2763
Location: High Point, NC
Perhaps Hobie management, who I'm sure either read or are made aware of most of the posts made here, will succumb to your market savvy and begin offering these items in the near future.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Tue Aug 20, 2013 5:44 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Captain

Joined: Tue Jun 04, 2013 5:08 pm
Posts: 74
I didn't understand, or missed the info on whether the sidekicks are at the proper height for use on a PA. Adding a foot or so of width seems doable but if you need to alter the angle to make the pontoons effective is not so easy. No disrespect intended Marty but you may not be a 3 sigma person for this purpose.

Incidentally I owned a tribalance kayak where the outriggers were in the stern and it was stable and fast (very narrow beam). . The only problem with the outriggers so far back was the occasional snagging of fish gear which required beaching or an acrobatic crawl back to free it.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 5:26 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Tue Feb 12, 2013 2:05 pm
Posts: 22
Location: Charlotte Harbor, Fl
I just put the Hobie sidekickers on my PA and they work great. I put them just behind the seat and used the Yakattack gear track and mighty mounts to mount it. It fit just right. I did this mainly to be able to take my 10 yr old daughter out with me.

She even out fished me every time we have been out together. I have her just sit on a square throw PFD in the rear cargo area. She loves to be able to go out on the boat with Dad!

_________________
PA 14 Dune


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 9:45 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Captain

Joined: Mon Feb 13, 2012 2:34 pm
Posts: 118
Having taken my PA14 out on the open ocean many times, I'm here to warn anyone considering any sort of outrigger. If you get caught up in a surge, a boil or sleeper and flip, it will be almost impossible to self-rescue and flip back over with those things mounted.
I highly recommend practicing self-rescue and more so when adding things to your Hobie PA. And to that end, be very cautious of what and how you use leashes. While a leash might save your expensive rod and reel, too many will get you tangled up in the mess in a hurry. Not a good thing to have happen in rough water. Instead of leashes, use floatation devices. I use pipe insulation on all my rods to get them to float instead of leashes. The only thing I leash is my Mirage drive and my fish stringer. Everything else either floats or I put a float on it so it wouldn't sink.
Stay safe!!

Photo of a boil and the kelp. Imagine trying to flip a kayak with floats attached after getting tumbled and then tangled in the kelp.

Image

More kelp. Water looks calm, but there's a 5' swell NW at 7 seconds and a 4'swell W at 13 seconds. When the two swells combine, maybe every 10 or 15 minutes, they turn into 8-9' swells and will break over, easily flipping any kayak if sideways.

Image

And just for fun, some fish porn!

Image

Image


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 2:22 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Tue Feb 12, 2013 2:05 pm
Posts: 22
Location: Charlotte Harbor, Fl
The Hobie sidekicks are spring locked like the paddle handles, so if somehow something crazy happens and you flip, just a quick click and pull them out to right yourself.

As for 4-5 foot swells, there is no way I would go out in that. And here in SWFL there is no kelp.

_________________
PA 14 Dune


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 26 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2

All times are UTC - 8 hours [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Jump to:  
© Hobie Cat Company. All rights reserved.
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group