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Looking to upgrade to pedal drive.


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First off hello one and all....been a while, (too long) since I have been a regular contributor, and I have done some searching on the topic but just want to make sure I am looking at the most reliable and up to date info.

 

Currently I have a Cobra Fish n' Dive (purchased from Big County on this site) and it has served me well for over ten years and all my time spent on LBI...even had it as far out as the Barnegat Reef a couple of times under the right conditions.  Doesn't track well but very stable and able to store all necessary gear should an anticipated "dump" be necessary coming in from out front.

 

Changes in conditions and location do not have me out front at all with the upgrade I am seeking, but a trailer will have me at Round Valley, Spruce Run and Merrill Creek quite a bit as well as other areas in NW NJ.

 

While the budget is not unlimited, I would like to keep it under $2,500 and really under 2K if possible.  But if I need to go north of $2,500 for what I really want or what would be a great fit than so be it.  I am fine with sacrificing tracking for stability and would even like one that I can stand up in for some easier LMB fishing in some of the more weedier areas I haunt.

 

I stand currently at 5' 11" around 250 but we have a "re-tightening" of the lap band in the near future as we prepare for another walk down the aisle....why I am still not sure but she puts up with me so it's not all that bad.

 

I await all the recommendations.

 

 

 

 

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Edited by Cool Hand Fluke
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Living on the right side of the bell curve for over half a century...

Life to the feeling man is a tragedy while life to the thinking man is a comedy.

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I fished out of a paddle Perception for years and years and recently found a 2009 Outback with Thule Hullavator listed on FB Marketplace for $1300. Kayak was in the water under a dozen times and came with some extras. I would go used with that budget as the new ones are pretty pricey. I am sure others will chime in but just my two cents. 

Edited by RebelMusicNP
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demo a Hobie Revo or an Outback.

you can find some 2018 deals in your price range or better.

 

i would have gone for the outback but the size of it made it cumbersome for me to car top even with a hullavator.

love the 2018 revo 13 i recently purchased.  

 

love the seat too! i've been on waters for 6-8hrs straight without any discomfort.

 

Yellow Eyed Devils
There's no Sense in Nonsense!

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I second the Revo 13 recommendation, but you're a big guy and may find the Outback more comfortable. I'd demo both in the water before purchase. You can easily get a recent model used Revo or Outback at that price range. Maybe even a demo model from a dealer.

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3 hours ago, Cool Hand Fluke said:

I am fine with sacrificing tracking for stability and would even like one that I can stand up in for some easier LMB fishing in some of the more weedier areas I haunt.

 

When I'm crossing the lake I appreciate the efficiency of Hobie's mirage drive, but while fishing...let's just say there hasn't been a day in freshwater that I didn't wish I had the instant reverse of a prop drive. If you're primarily chasing green/brown bass, I would definitely demo one of those. People seem to like the new Topwater 120 PDL from Oldtown. 

 

Then again, if you're fishing in thick weeds, maybe the mirage drive is a better fit? Demo them all!  

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I didn’t  know the mirage drive is great in the weeds  that is a huge plus, not so sure about standing to fish in a revo, might have to go wider like you said......Jack

Just wanna fish!
DMS#1157    NCBBA#11293     NJBBA#4597

Yellow Eyed Devil from the beginning!

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Well let's talk about this.  I've wondered about this for years.

In saltwater you have seven or eight kinds of seaweed that can foul you.

In freshwater, it's mainly the milfoil which is a real PITA.  and also the very tough stems of the water lilies.

So you are moving through an area with a lot of milfoil at the surface.

What's the approach?  Lift the drive and paddle?

Is a prop or fins going to get fouled less?

What happens when each IS fouled with weed?  Is one easier to clean off than the other?

The Great Big Jig in the Sky...Shine on you crazy diamond jig.

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34 mins ago, blackdogfish said:

Well let's talk about this.  I've wondered about this for years.

In saltwater you have seven or eight kinds of seaweed that can foul you.

In freshwater, it's mainly the milfoil which is a real PITA.  and also the very tough stems of the water lilies.

So you are moving through an area with a lot of milfoil at the surface.

What's the approach?  Lift the drive and paddle?

Is a prop or fins going to get fouled less?

What happens when each IS fouled with weed?  Is one easier to clean off than the other?

when in JBay on my 2014 Revo (the old seat) i can feel when the mirage drive is dragging something... usually some plastic bag and weed that gets caught, i just pull up my drive, remove debris and go back to pedaling.

can't compare to other systems as i've never owned a different system.

Yellow Eyed Devils
There's no Sense in Nonsense!

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4 hours ago, blackdogfish said:

So you are moving through an area with a lot of milfoil at the surface.

What's the approach?  Lift the drive and paddle?

 

With mirage drive you can pull the fins against the hull and use short flutters to propel yourself over inches of water. A lot of productive grass in north jersey stays a few inches from the surface...very easy to glide over high patches on the hobie. 

 

Prop drives are sticking out at a fixed distance, and I would imagine a rotating prop will fare worse than the mirage fins in any case. 

 

In one of @The Riddler's reviews he mentioned a cutting blade fitted to the prop unit to mow through grass...not sure how that played out for him in thick vegetation. 

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46 mins ago, buddha162 said:

In one of @The Riddler's reviews he mentioned a cutting blade fitted to the prop unit to mow through grass...not sure how that played out for him in thick vegetation. 

In my experiences with props cutting thru weeds  (not pedal drive kayaks) the faster the prop is  spinning, the easier it will cut thru the weeds.....

 

Once the rpm's slow down or if its at a lower rpm to begin with, the amount of weed that wraps around the prop is contingent on how thick the patch you're motoring thru is at the moment....some times its thin enough & it'll chop easily enough at a lower speed, other times, as with thicker spots it will get wrapped quickly.. 

 

Think in the lines of a blender.... put it on a low speed & things don't chop nearly as easily or effectively as when on high speed..

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You will be hard pressed to find any pedal kayak that tracks well.  The Revo16 will be the best out of the bunch followed by the Revo 13.  In following seas the Hobie and Prop Pedal kayaks fall short in tracking. side by side with another in a hobie or other and you will see how the pedal Hobie, pedal Old Town, pedal Perception  track horrible. I would rather have a Pedal kayak that turns easy rather on rails for obvious reasons but it’s a double edge sword. The way it is. It’s why I prefer to stay low in the water and sell that Vantage Seat and go with a standard kayak seat in the newer Hobies.  Sitting lower helps or if you stay with a vantage seat keep it as low as possible. If you don’t like the vantage seat you can always sell it. Seems like some are losing em when flipping over or leaving at the launch site.  Pricey to replace. 

 

As of today I am 212 lbs and fish out of a Revo13...and Last year I was 277 and still fishing out of a Revo 13 with no problem.  Your 250 and gear will be easy in the Revo 13. Can’t help you with the price. Better off buying new and get that warranty. Even if it’s a left over from the dealer new, you still get the 2year warranty. 

Edited by The Riddler

 

 

 

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On 6/13/2019 at 11:07 PM, Deepshax said:

Shop up in Washington,NJ has a 2016 left over Hobie Revo 13 (yellow) for $1799. 

I was there today but didn't look for that specifically...may have to go back.

 

Good or bad I seem to be drawn to the ones from Old Town    PDL 120 or the Predator PDL

Living on the right side of the bell curve for over half a century...

Life to the feeling man is a tragedy while life to the thinking man is a comedy.

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I hate recommending anything, and know  you are yakking on   lakes I’m not far from. I  fish  salt but am  hours away but absolutely  love my Liquid  Logic Manta Ray 12. Hull weight is around  70lbs. Which is a lot lighter then a lot of options out there, standable and paddles  easily for a wide  yak. It is basically a stripped down Native Manta Ray, but I wanted to customize to my needs, and car topping is easy. Also no one recommended the Hobie Compass, which is a light wide yak, that I would have my list of options. I have not fished any of lakes you mentioned but drive by Merrill on my way to some of our plants. I would consider letting you try my yak if you need to. 

I usually use one  of my paddle yaks at lakes with heavy weed lines, but the seat on the LL yak is spoiling me......Jack

 

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Just wanna fish!
DMS#1157    NCBBA#11293     NJBBA#4597

Yellow Eyed Devil from the beginning!

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