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PostPosted: Sat Oct 08, 2005 7:22 pm 
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Joined: Fri Nov 19, 2004 6:56 am
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Location: Tallahassee, FL
My local Hobie dealer, Wilderness Way in Tallahassee, sponsored an awesome kayak demo day today at Lake Hall in Maclay Gardens State Park. Hobie turned out in full force by way of their SE rep Rob Abbott who did a great job in keeping his Hobies on the water for a full 5 hours. In attendance were the new Adventure, the Quest Fisherman, the new Outback, a Lanai, a Kona paddle-only tandem, a Sport and the brand new Outfitter Mirage tandem. I was excited not only to see up close and personal the new Adventure, but also to field-test it. Let me tell ya right up front that all your suspicions about the Adventure being fast were right on the money. Unfortunately, I did not have a GPS or pitot speedometer, so I could not verify just how fast it was, but it would have put my Outback to shame. Rob indicated that it was around 7 mph on water without surfing-type swells that can boost the speed significantly.

Rob's demo model that I tested turned out to be the first one made from the new mold, and he indicated that Hobie has continued to fine tune some of its features, including the rudder. So at the risk if boring the heck out of everyone, and with the old maxim that a pic is worth a 1000 words, here is a run-down of some of the Adventure's features.

1. First pic shows my (wife's) rigged Sport next to the Adventure (i.e., BigA) that is nearly 6 1/2 feet longer.

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2. Second pic shows the full length of the BigA. Note the size and shape of the rudder. This is an early version of the new rudder that is expected to be somewhat different when the boat is finally released to dealers in a few weeks.

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3. Amidships, each side of the boat has a handy mesh-covered storage pocket. Note also the hull opening just in front of the mesh pocket where the dagger board is inserted when sailing.

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4. This dagger board opening is plugged with a foam rubber insert when not sailing.

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5. And here is the dagger board itself, complete with its own scabbard or sheath, lying on the after deck of the new Outback for scale. Note the rounded upper end. Although there is no hull recess for the dagger board to rotate up into, it can rotate up against the underside of the hull if you unexpectedly hit an underwater obstacle of some sort. This leaves about three inches of width below the hull as opposed to about 30 inches, when fully extended.

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6. Here is the view of the open front hatch and cockpit of the BigA. Note the mast step opening just aft of the hatch. Note that the front hatch can be easily removed when touring/camping to serve as a supper plate, writing board, or computer stand.

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7. Finally, just to prove I actually got to pedal/paddle this baby, here is a view from the cockpit forward. I made certain that I kept my legs out of the pic for fear of offending the reader's sensibilities. It is kind of interesting to note that the amount of water in the well around the Mirage drive seems to be considerably less than in my Outback. This is an indication to me of the excellent stability of the BigA. In fact, its stability seemed to me to be considerably better than in my OB: i.e., less tippy and less prone to leaning sharply to one side when digging in for a strong reverse paddle stroke, for example.


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Last edited by Apalach on Sun Oct 09, 2005 8:14 am, edited 1 time in total.

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PostPosted: Sat Oct 08, 2005 10:17 pm 
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Joined: Mon Mar 14, 2005 3:15 pm
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Location: Sandy Eggo
This is the best we've seen yet. Looks like Hobie is movin' to the top!!


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PostPosted: Sun Oct 09, 2005 3:08 am 
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Location: Farmington, CT
Apalach:

It's so hard to type when your fingers keep slipping because of the drool on the keyboard. Why, oh why, did Hobie not do this for 2005? Great report on that fantastic new boat. While reading the above, an instantaneous image of that baby on Long Island Sound (with me in it) appeared. When are you getting yours?


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PostPosted: Sun Oct 09, 2005 3:34 pm 
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Joined: Sun Oct 09, 2005 3:08 pm
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Location: San Antonio, TX
A few days ago, my semi local (65 miles away) Kayak dealer got in a new red Adventure. Today he let me take it for a couple of hours. Apalach say it all so all I can is add to his report. I love it. It is stable, fast and as easy to handle as my Quest. I was afraid it's 16 feet of length would make it hard to manuver. nope! Did just fine with and without the rudder.
wWith judt my paddle alone without grerat effort I registered 5 mph on my GPS. Under pedal power, I went 6.5mph. Just cruzin under pedal power was 3.2 to 3.5. I was happy. Another thing, those two areas on the hull just to the left and right of the drive unit will hold Scotty rod mounts. When I reluctantly took the boat back to the dealer, he asked me how I liked it. I said, "order me a yellow one!"


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PostPosted: Sun Oct 09, 2005 5:42 pm 
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Joined: Wed Jun 01, 2005 7:32 pm
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Location: Out There
The Adventure looks sweet. I wonder when there will be a demo near where I live? I know they are not going to let me peddle/paddle away into the Pacific Ocean with it...............


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PostPosted: Mon Oct 10, 2005 1:38 pm 
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Joined: Sat Sep 17, 2005 1:22 pm
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Location: L.I. NY
Apalach and kytflyr

Great reports.

I am waiting on my own big A and was wondering how much H2O do you think will be in the yak with my 225# and 20# of gear? I have a P15 now and will get a wet butt when not paddling and 1.5" of H2O in the foot wells. I don't mind it in the summer and fall but that water is cold in the early spring and when duck hunting in January brrrr :D

Paul


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PostPosted: Mon Oct 10, 2005 7:07 pm 
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Location: Sandy Eggo
Treetop... I suggest you get a pair of waders to wear when you want to stay dry and warm. As always, when wearing waders be sure to wear the external belt that came with them. As an alternative you could just pedal fast enough to get that baby up on a plane!


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PostPosted: Mon Oct 10, 2005 7:23 pm 
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Location: Tallahassee, FL
kytflyr & Tree,
First off, a hearty welcome to the Hobie Forum--we'll be looking forward to your future reports when you get your very own BigA. BTW kyt, your speed reports seemed to be right in line with what Rob, the Hobie rep told me. He got the same boat I was testing up to 7 mph when he did a speed run, but thought he could do better.

Doc,
Hope it might be soon, but my C-in-C may have other ideas. But let us know, if and when you get yours.

ronbo,
Start calling around to some of the Hobie dealers in SoCal. Bound to be one of them that will be organizing a demo day somewhere.

Tree,
I weigh 175 and you can see in my last pic how little water I had in the Mirage drive well (less than in my OB). Add another 75 lbs for you and your gear, and that might add another 1-2 inches in the well, but I don't expect that you will be getting much more than that. Just my $.02 based on the experiences in my Outback compared with others who added an additional 100 lbs and about 2 inches of water in the well to theirs.

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PostPosted: Mon Oct 10, 2005 7:48 pm 
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Location: San Antonio, TX
Treetop, I weight in at 210#. There was maybe a quarter of an inch more water in the well holding the drive for me than in Apalach's picture. That made it the dryest boat I have paddled and during my research
which ending in the purchase of my Quest, I tried all the usual suspects.(both Prowlers, the 120and 140 tarpons, the Malibues, the Emotions etc.).

Apalach, thanks.


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PostPosted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 6:54 pm 
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Joined: Sat Sep 17, 2005 1:22 pm
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Location: L.I. NY
Thanks for all the replies.

Noalias, tried the wader thing it was ok but I went with the Gul dry suit. It really is a nice one for the late fall and early spring.

Apalach and kytflyr, glad to hear it. My concern was with a narrower beam than the P15 it would have more water in the cockpit than I get now. Like I said it's a water sport but when you push it to 40 degree water temp's the feet and butt get cold quick if they are sitting in water.

Thank's again

Paul


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PostPosted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 7:22 pm 
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Location: Tallahassee, FL
Yep Tree, while you are experiencing FB (frosty butt) in the great Northeast, we will probably be out fishing (sometimes). We have had the air temp get down to 11 degrees F occasionally in the winter (I mean, we are in NORTH Florida!) but usuallly no ice on the mudflats (or on the water) down this way in the dead of winter. Good luck to ya this year--hope we have a mild one all around, otherwise it could get real 'spensive real quick.

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PostPosted: Fri Oct 14, 2005 5:31 pm 
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Apalach

"We have had the air temp get down to 11 degrees F occasionally in the winter (I mean, we are in NORTH Florida!)" Yeah till the sun comes up and it hits 60 :D

It can get cold as long as it snows(White Gold). When you work at an airport snow means new toys. :twisted: HeHeHe Or heat in the house with the cost of fuel. :evil:

FB doesn't come along till late Nov duckin. Thats the time when I can't decide what to do fish or hunt.

But when it's 10 outside and you guys are fishing, oh well we all make choices in life. Just post plenty of pic's for us yankees to get us thru the long cold winter. :lol:

Paul


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