Anyone use a pedal kayak for touring? Report your experience please.
If you are talking about the Hobies - About five years go there were two of them in the Suwannee River Challenge ( a 50 mile race). We all finished and were waiting for the two Hobies to come in so they could have the award ceremony. which was supposed to be at 6:00 Pm. They finally had it without them at 9;OO Pm. We heard the next day that one dropped out and the other finished in the middle of the night.
This past winter I got to demo one in Key Largo. They are great for exercise, but they are no good in shallow water. The fins have to be pulled up and you have to use a conventional paddle.
Fishermen love them since they allow both hands free
They are expensive and weigh a lot.
Some people love them. I prefer to do my touring in a conventional kayak
They require 18" of clear water for the flippers. It would be really bad in the Suwannee in the low 50ft range. It would be impossible in the Okefenokee and many trails in the Everglades due to vegetation and shallow water. Hobie drive is a back and forth motion not at all like peddling a bike , round and round.
JackL………every year by the camp fire at the annual meeting Wayne tells us about waiting on the shuttle and for final finishers to finish in that race low on provisions. Sure they need to wait for the stragglers but need to carry on the business and logistics of the other paddlers.
I think people that have the longer versions, say 14 ft, do better. People are camping on SUPs. So you could if you really wanted to.
Before totally dismissing pedal propulsion, read the report of a guy who pedaled the 1200-mile Ultimate Florida Challenge. That’s 1200 miles in 24 days, and includes the Everglades and the Suwannee. http://watertribe.com/Magazine/Y2016/M05/UltimateFloridaChallenge2016.aspx
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Sure a hobie or hobie drive powered boat would work for touring. My thought was that you have to pick your water and time.
Suwannee at Stephen Foster State park water elevation at White Springs about 50 or less…
Okefenokee……red trail……………. In April before the lilies get really thick and water shallow.
Everglades………. plains………(forgot trail name)
