I noticed some people remarking that the Hobie Mirage hull "looked" slow or "looked" like a pig. I paddle an SOT, and I also think that Hobie designs in general are among the ugliest in the SOT world. However, that does not change the fact that the Mirage is the fastest 12-foot kayak I've ever seen. I've never paddled(?) one, but my 14'9" Scupper Pro has been blown away by them a couple of times, and the other guy wasn't even working hard. Regarding the lack of a paddle for bracing: hey, your hands are largely free. You can paddle TOO, if you like. The penguin-flipper mechanism seems to be very effiicent. Hobie's web site has a small movie of the drive in action underwater. I had an opportunity to examine a boat in a shop. I was worried about beachings with the mechanism in place, but it folds fairly compactly and can be removed while underway through what amounts to an overly large rectangular scupper hole at the front of the cockpit. Then you can use a paddle and land it like any other kayak. In heavy weather or other situations requiring bracing, go ahead and use a paddle, with or without the drive in place. I use my SOT mostly for fishing, so deck layout and storage accessibility are really important to me. On those points, the Mirage is kind of poor. But if Hobie ever gets their act together and makes a good boat with that drive in it, I would give serious thought to buying it. I also have those thoughts, "This is not a REAL kayak", which is kind of funny coming from a guy who paddles an SOT, the outcasts of the "real" kayak world. But I think I could overcome that attitude. What would happen if you used your legs to drive the boat and had your hands free? 1. Fishing would be easier. So would photography, eating, drinking, map reading, GPS manipulation... 2. With the extra power and endurance, you would have the choice of (a) going faster and farther or (b) doing the same run you used to do, with an important reserve of energy should it be needed. Both nice options. So, I might go that route in the future. Mark Hunter yakfishing.com *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Thu Nov 25 1999 - 11:17:22 PST
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