Ive been looking at a Hobie Mirage Pro Angler for awhile now . Anybody have one and are they worth the money.
My friend, a Regional Hobie Team
member has one and mostly loves it.
The wieght is the only thing he doesn’t like. Makes loading it onto and off of a vehicle physically demanding.
Now, the pro’s… Handles great, can stand up and sight cast and fly cast, holds 6 rods horizontally to keep them out of the way, fairly fast, large storage areas.
So, if you have a longbed pickup or a trailer to haul it around in/on, then you will probably love it. If you have to pick the damn things up, and put on a rooff rack, probably not.
FY
eh,… not worth it
We’ve got one at the shop I work at and it’s collecting dust while Tarpons and Tridents are flying out the door. It’s got nothing that a $1000 kayak can’t do. Plus you get to spend that $1400 +/- balance on accessories and a good paddle (or a second kayak).
“Worth The Money…”
– Last Updated: Jan-20-10 7:42 PM EST –
depends on the size of your disposable income and the priority you place in recreational pursuits.
With respect to the advantage of Hobie, I can attest that I am envious when someone can use "pedal power" to stay over structure (and fish) in a tidal race or rips longer while working a deep water bait/lure. Some of the hobie folks pull in stripers 3 to 1 or higher than someone in paddle powered kayak because of the advantage of working the pedal and rod and the same time.
In contrast, in my run-of-the-mill SOT, I tend to have a much smaller "window" to work my lure over the structure in the rips before being flushed through. Then I have to put the rod down, pick up the paddle and work my way back up to the beginning of the rips, pick up the rod and start the again for a quick pass.
Having said the above, the Hobie is not "worth the money" for me personally (unless I can find a used one for about $400 that it cost for me for my OK scupper pro) for a very specialized application. But I do recognize the advantage of a Hobie in certain salt water situations.
sing
If you had the money
It would be very tempting for me. As for the weight, I always have a loyal fishing buddy so the weight thing wouldn’t be that big a deal unless it was an astronomical difference. Then my buddy would probably complain he already picks on me about my lead sled. I’ll tell you one thing though they are fast and that’s with minimal effort. As I said in another post I watched an older man and woman in a tandem hobbie smoke us on the water and the effort they were using amounted to a Sunday stroll in the park. If they were trying they would have run off and left us worse then they did. The money thing though brings dreams to a halt and that dog goned ol practicality sets in. Happy fishing.
they may be fast
at least until you get the typical hull splitting issue that has plagued Hobie kayaks for years.
hull splitting
What about that hull splitting Ive never heard it. Do they really split or is that a figure of speech. Tell us more.
A Good Discussion Here…
http://www.newenglandkayakfishing.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=11303
folks in a local kayaking fishing forum (as opposed to a Hobie forum). Fairly balanced discussion with no one having a personal reason to sell or take down Hobie.
sing
huge issue
It’s a huge issue with Hobies. I’ve sold them for years through an outdoor shop I work at and the Mirage drives are notorious for splitting the plastic in the hull. If you want a fast kayak then save the money you would spend on a Hobie and get a Trident 15 or Tarpon 160 and a Werner Cyprus or Ikelos paddle. In my Trident 130 with my Ikelos I could keep my pace ahead of a Hobie Adventure.
They’ll warranty the kayak but I know of people who are on their 3rd and 4th replacements.
Hobie Truth
There are so many rumors floating around about hobie. They are always passed around by people who do not own or use the model they are talking about. In my mind that meens they dont know what they are talking about. I have been fishing out of kayaks for over 20 years and dd the paddle thing for over a decade until I discovered the first Hobie mirage drives were coming on the market. I never looked back. Ive used every model. Ive watched Hobie upgrade and improve every model through the years always improving the number one selling kayak in the world. I now use the pro angler. I got one of the first ones made and if you can deal with negatives of transport (as it is big and heavy) You will never fish out of any other kayak again. A have a pickup truck so I transport it in the bed and its no different then any other kayak.
It is fast as hell when you consider its size. You can carry as much gear as you like and kkep it all dry and organized. I carry a $800 Sony SLR camera in the salt. I wear street clothes and never get a drop of water on me. I sit at least 12 inches higher then any other kayakers so my vision and ability to cast acuratly is better then on any other kayak.
As far as defects I will confess I am one of the first Hobie dealers in the country and have sold about 1500 mirage drives and only had about 25 cracked hulls. They were all replaced by Hobie with brand new kayaks. That problem has been permantly solved with the 09 model year as all Hobie Mirage drives now use the new “click and go” system to hold the drive.
The guy who says he works in a kayak shop and says he can outrun a Hobie Adventure is naive and Ill bet him $500 I would beat him in a 5 mile race on calm water. Against a strong tide or wind he would still be a mile or more back when I finished. If I had someone so ignorant about the products we sell I would fire him on the spot.
Click and Go
– Last Updated: Feb-08-10 8:52 AM EST –
Already warrantied the first one out of our shop for a split hull a few months ago. It had under 2 months use with standard fins. It split in the same place as all prior models.
Am I saying Hobie doesn't make a good kayak, not at all. Am I saying you can do a heck of a lot more with your money, yes.
I carry a $900 video camera fully exposed and mounted off the tankwell of every kayak I've ever owned. You paddle in street clothes with no worries. That's fine. I'll still wear long sleeve and long pant poly material out of my best interest for safety.
Your race prediction looks OK in flat water. But do five miles in an hour with a Hobie in a typical saltwater fishery. Oyster beds, sandbars, grass, 10" of water, etc... In those conditions (plus 20mph winds and a consistent 9" to 10" chop) I beat several Outbacks and Revolutions last year in a one mile hole shot. I tied an Adventure who was paddling and pedaling at the same time. Up until he began using both methods I had him beat by 50 yards.
Thanks
Thanks to everyone for all the great info.Ive really wanted to get into kayak fishing for a long time.
Where ?
Where di the hull split?
Where ?
Where di the hull split?
inside the drivewell
The split occurred at the front of the drivewell.
hobie
ok i got a friend that do have an hobi pro angler…and wow this is the best kayak i ever saw.,very stabile tons offf place to bring stuff…can stand up long time witout worry etcetc.
BUT,
heavy like hell…and expensive.
dont think to put that yak on a car rack…hahah
traler or back off a truck.
and dont think doing portage to.
yes it as some nice feature .
its simple legs are stronger then arms…so right there peole dont a lotless tired…plus you can use your 2 hand witsh is great.
if i would get an hobi it would be the pro angler nothing hesle.
the other are to small or narron for my 220pound a$$.and riggin is complicated etc in the smaller version…there good just not for my need the smaller ones.
joco
Hobie hull split
I have a Hobie Outback with the Mirage Drive that I bought used, it has recently developed a crack in the same area you are talking about. It’s an older model, you think Hobie will stand behind it and give me a new hull if I took it to a local dealer? What kind of customer service do they have and how long are there hulls warranted for?
dealer
Hobie asks that you take the boat back to the dealer it was purchased from. If you can’t locate this dealer then you should call Hobie directly and they will discuss your situation. I wouldn’t think they would warranty a second hand boat however.
If they do replace it I would sell it and get something else before it happens again.
maybe
Hobies warranty is for two years and your serial number in on the back of the kayak. Last two digits are the year made. They may not give you a free one but they may give you a new hull at a bargain price.
In 09 the click and go drive locks replaced the old knob system. Drive well crack problem is now solved and a thing of the past. All Pro Anglers have the new system.