GunTotnHippie wrote:
Hi All, I am in the market for a new yak. I decided that my Feel Free Lure 13.5 is just too heavy for me to lug it around. I have decided on 3 pedal kayaks and the compass is on the list. I recently rented the compass, revo 11 and a tandem. We had a lot of fun but there were some noticeable differences between the Revo 11 and the Compass. Ahh!!! that SEAT!! - I am brand new to hobie and in a matter of seconds was in love with the Vantage CT seat in the Revo 11. I have a bad back and the vantage ct seat had great lumbar support. The seat on the compass, after enjoying the Revo 11, felt like a cheap seat you buy at walmart. The seat would rise up while peddling fast and my back was constantly hurting. The bungies were a joke to say the least. Did I mention how I loved that Vantage seat? The next issue I experienced was that the Compass had no side handles. Side handles are really helpful in tieing down the kayak and carrying or lifting into a truck without anyone else help. The last issue I had with the compass was standing. I am coming from a 36" wide kayak with lots of stand-ability. The Compass, while more stable than the Revo 11, didn't seem to have a great standing platform. I believe most of these issues can be remedied but I wanted to get Compass owner's ideas and help to see if the search for the holy grail should come to an end.
My Research on the Vantage seat:
I swapped the seat out of the Revo 11 and put it on the Compass. Lots of room but no chair post to sit the seat on. I measured the distance of the chair post and found that it was exactly the same width between the compass seat risers as the Revo 11 (I think it was 23" but can't remember). The one thing i did notice though is when the back of the Vantage seat was raised the legs were sitting on the curve of the hull and the legs would keep buckling back under. I think this can be fixed by moving the seat post to the front slightly but this may cause issues with finding a seat bar wide enough to work on the compass.
1. Has anyone attempted to install the post and swap the seats? If so where did you purchase the seat post and how did you pull it off?
2. With the lighter weight of the Compass it really needs side carry handles. Has anyone put side handles on and is it safe to do so?
3. Has anyone installed the H bar and was it worth it or are there other options to help with balance?
Hopefully I am clear enough with what I am trying to do. I really like to go Hobie because I like the idea of putting the peddles up without pulling the drive. BUT if I can't do these mods then I am going to be forced to go to Old Town's Topwater PDL Angler or Radar 115. I even thought about trying to mod the Topwater PDL to accept the hobie drive but something tells me that this may be a long road.
Welcome to the Compass forum! Every Hobie is different, so comparing the positives and negatives of each and try to make a combined kayak is not the best way to look at it. The Compass was made to be an introductory Mirage Drive kayak at a lower price point. That is not a bad thing. The Compass hull is one of the best hulls that Hobie has built. It's like having a cross between a Revo and a Pro Angler. You basically have a clean slate to modify and customize to fit your fishing needs.
There are built in hand holds beside the seat on the inside walls of the Compass. You can add handle straps as Hobie has several varieties. Or you can add H-Rails like I did. The seat is rising up on you because it's not installed correctly. The bungee strap attached to the eye on each side of the seat base to provides a little pressure to hold the seat down, but the key is hooking the straps from the back of the seat to the padeyes on the sides. You will get a solid secure seat that way. Most if not all of the complaints regarding seat movement is because the seat was not installed correctly.
It's not the same seat that comes on the Revo, Outback, etc. There is room for improvement, but if you want a more high-tech seat, then buy a Revo or Outback. They cost more money.
Look at my Compass setup post and that will give you some ideas. I do use a small pad to sit on and that makes the seat very comfortable for me even after putting 8-10 miles in a day on the Compass. Love my Compass and have close to 150 nautical miles on it since purchasing it last fall. My dealer tells me that the Compass is outselling the Outback for his dealership. Hobie missed the ball in 2 areas related to the Compass. One was the paddle bungee for securing the paddle. The other was the seat related to the bottom seat frame and comfort depending on the individual. I am confident that both those areas are being addressed for the 2019 models.
It's a great fishing and kayaking platform regardless as most of us have made slight adjustments for those 2 areas to make the Compass our favorite ride. I have owned 3 Pro Anglers and a Revo 11. The Compass is my choice for my weekly inshore fishing. Tight lines!