Anybody prefer a kayak other than a hobie

[fishguts430]

I have a hobie outback and I really do like the kayak. Something is telling me to sell it and try a old down predator or another brand. Anybody prefer other brands than a hobie and why you like those other brands? Im talking strictly pedal drives

[The Riddler]

You don't need allegiances to one brand just because its popular or your afraid of hurting other owners feelings by buying something else. 
 

I like my Old Town TW PDL 106.  That little kayak kicks ass in the right places. Just like my Hobie Revo 13. 

Edited January 17, 2020 by The Riddler

[buddha162]

35 mins ago, fishguts430 said:

Something is telling me to sell it and try a old down predator or another brand. 

 

What do you find lacking in the Hobie? No instant reverse? That's prob the biggest difference, maybe pedaling efficiency (general consensus seems to give the nod to Mirage Drive there). 

[The Riddler]

34 mins ago, buddha162 said:

 

(general consensus seems to give the nod to Mirage Drive there). 

Hobie is far from the answer.  Not for me. There is plus and minus. Now that Hobies are 3k with tax instead of 1850, cracking a hull is a big deal. Thankfully Hobie bumped up their warranty to protect the consumer. I bought my Old Town PDL 120 TW for 1500 bucks on sale. You get a lot of kayak for that price point. Speaking of Sales, Old Town has advertised sales throughout the season. 25-30 percent common. Hobie does not have regular advertised sales for the consumers. 
 

I challenge anyone here to go find me a cracked hull with a PDL drive from Old Town. 
If its floating around I want to see it. PDL has been around long enough to show stress on the Hull and there is nothing I can find. 
 

Old Town Topwater has an actual dry hull inside.  Can't say that about any Hobie I have ever used. Hobie  Hatches leak  and you always have to be concerned with a crack on the bottom and taking on water. 
Old Town has done a great job engineering the drive and hull for the PDL. 

 

Where the mirage drive has the upper hand on Old Town is the drive does not need to be sealed. Throw it into the salt water submerged for a week hose it off and go. PDL drives are not sealed above the water line. Because of this and the lack of a light Skinner beam PDL platform, I go with my Revo 13 in the salt. 

Edited January 17, 2020 by The Riddler

[fishguts430]

My biggest concern is a crack in the hull once the warranty is up

[buddha162]

11 hours ago, The Riddler said:

Now that Hobies are 3k with tax instead of 1850, cracking a hull is a big deal.

 

10 hours ago, fishguts430 said:

My biggest concern is a crack in the hull once the warranty is up

 

Makes sense, I thought you were looking to try a prop drive system vs fins. 

[Jimichanga]

[The Riddler]

13 hours ago, fishguts430 said:

My biggest concern is a crack in the hull once the warranty is up

Dump it after the warranty expires. 

[The Riddler]

Speaking of Warranty as of 2020.   Hobie has a 3 year warranty On drive and hull, Old Town has 5 year on the PDL drive and lifetime on the hull of the Topwater and Predator. 

Edited January 17, 2020 by The Riddler

[Flip n Dip]

9 hours ago, The Riddler said:

Speaking of Warranty as of 2020.   Hobie has a 3 year warranty On drive and hull, Old Town has 5 year on the PDL drive and lifetime on the hull of the Topwater and Predator. 

A 3 year warranty on a kayak that costs $3k is kind of lame. It would be nice if Hobie offered the same warranty as Old Town. I think it would definitely increase their sales since a lot of people are reluctant to drop $3k on a product that has a reputation for developing cracks. At least give the hull a 10 year warranty.

[FishingmaniYaks]

How about the new Lightening Kayak platform. Seems pretty decent and from what I see the hobie 180 drive can be easily modded to work. I havent seen turbo style fins for the drives yet either from the company.

[gellfex]

14 hours ago, Flip n Dip said:

A 3 year warranty on a kayak that costs $3k is kind of lame. It would be nice if Hobie offered the same warranty as Old Town. I think it would definitely increase their sales since a lot of people are reluctant to drop $3k on a product that has a reputation for developing cracks. At least give the hull a 10 year warranty.

Some companies take warrantying their products seriously, others don't.  The pan gasket on my 2.75 year old Cuisinart breadmaker failed last week, causing the retaining ring on the shaft to corrode and the shaft fell out. I threw the shaft on the lathe, cut a slot and put on a new PE washer and ring so we could make our Friday Challah. Then I contacted them for a warranty replacement of the pan. They said they'd be sending a whole new machine, and I should cut the cord off the old one and send it to them as proof of it's "decommissioning". I can  buy that pan on the net for $40, why didn't they just send a new pan? Crazy, right?  But not screwing around with the customer.

[massmike]

I have never used a Hobie, but after a year of looking/talking/gathering info, I decided on a 2019 Predator PDL 13'. I honestly dont see how you can buy a better machine. It is very truthfully awesome. for one reason: reverse. 

[Bulldog]

I prefer a brand other then Hobie, but  I get a discount so I don't count, but Liquid Logic Manta Ray Propel 12 weighs under 70 lbs., has a drive that is not as waterproof as a hobie but can run into rocks bridges and aground without damage. Also the LL Manta Ray comes in bright color and stripped of fishing items at about $1800 list, ( Hobie Compass is about same price) versus the Native version which is usually a camo theme with rod holders in postions I don't like for $200 more. Your happy with your Hobie run it until your warranty is almost up and see how it is holding up. Hobie drive is the best drive in most ways and no so much in others, I think the design is great ,is more efficent to pedal, waterproof but seeing posts about cables, chains, bearings, fins ,masts breaking and people talk of getting spare drives and taking them along...I don't know. What I do know is the hulls crack, not as bad as before but people are posting cracked hulls, getting replacement hulls, some people several under warranty, so what does Hobie do, they design the new Outback, and someone should have said 'I don't care how much it costs, how much it weighs, this boat can not crack ever, ever, ever, we need to turn this around" ....so there are posts of the new outback cracking at the seat base terribbly a lot worse looking then the scupper and well cracks, picture was scary, and there was no need to have an arrow pointing to it, it could be a tough thing to get back to shore with. All that said you can go to anywhere, like Jamacia bay get together, Hobie is at least 80% of boats on water ,Native might be second followed by everyone else's peddle drives, then some paddlers and then that one lonely guy on the Liquid Logic Fishing Team, Liquid Logic doesn't even know they have a team!

Bulldog the one and only member of Liquid Logic Fishing team, a team of one!

I represent and stand alone!

IMG_8184.MOV

Edited January 19, 2020 by Bulldog
movie too big sorry!

[Flip n Dip]

7 hours ago, gellfex said:

Some companies take warrantying their products seriously, others don't.  The pan gasket on my 2.75 year old Cuisinart breadmaker failed last week, causing the retaining ring on the shaft to corrode and the shaft fell out. I threw the shaft on the lathe, cut a slot and put on a new PE washer and ring so we could make our Friday Challah. Then I contacted them for a warranty replacement of the pan. They said they'd be sending a whole new machine, and I should cut the cord off the old one and send it to them as proof of it's "decommissioning". I can  buy that pan on the net for $40, why didn't they just send a new pan? Crazy, right?  But not screwing around with the customer.

It's good to hear that there are companies out there that still stand behind what they manufacture. I will never hesitate to buy anything made by Cuisinart after reading this.