Hobie drive durability?
 

So I've finally gave in to the pedal and am in the market for a used hobie. Paddling long distances is a bitch, especially against the wind.

How is the durability of the drives? I don't want to end up buying $1000 plus kayak and have to paddle in it.

Thanks fellas. :reel:

I've been using my Outback at least 3-4 times a month since I bought it back in May 2011 and haven't had any major issues, neither have the guys that I fish with that are in Hobies. Much like the rest of your gear if you take care of it it will take care of you: wash it down with fresh water after every use, check the nuts, bolts, chains, gears every so often to make sure nothing is coming loose and you should be ok. You will not be disappointed in your decision to buy a Hobie.

That's weird cause a guy on here just found one washed up on the beach. Probably been in the water for a while and still works fine

How do the outbacks paddle OTW and for surf launches? Can anybody chime in about the revolutions?

Revo paddles fine. I have paddled mine about as much as I have peddled it, as I fish deep into the kelp. I take the mirage drive out and stow it in the front hatch. No matter what if you dont have a good stroke (shut it :the_finger:) you are not going anywhere.

what Jorge said, if you take care of your gear and it will take care of you.

If you fish a lot you will bust the drive cables, easy fix just draining, might be a good idea to throw a spare and a wrench in your dry bag, there's a stress point on the end of the cable that is the breaking point.

That being said the hobies are great kayaks...Another good idea if you use the livewell is to throw an extra intake tube in a drybag sometimes during beach launches they disappear. Any of the small crucial stuff keep a spare in a dry bag...
This doesn't apply to hobies only any kayak has issues that can usually be fixed otw....

My '08 is in the water at least 4 times a month, I have had no trouble with the drive, just clean and maintain...I would suggest however to check hardware and steering every so often, steering knob came off about 4 miles out one time
it is like trying to paddle a tupperware bowl with no steering...it's funny now but not at the time...you will not be disappointed, as far as launching and landing surf style, there are much better yaks out there, but once you get accustomed to the Outback, you will be able to have yard sales with the best of us...lol:reel:

There's a big difference in wear when your talking 3-4 times a month or 3-4 times a week...

I wish I had that problem...lol...:D

More often than not, my stroke gets me there faster than I'd like.:embarassed:

I logged a fairly decent amount of hours on mine and only one problem so far. The plastic which holds the the pedals at your selected setting broke. Mine were old and had a lot of hours on them. Wash em when your done lube em occasionally and all will be fine. @ Cheap Pelican my revo paddles decently. The provided hobie paddle is very soft plastic so I upgraded and have not been disappointed. It surfs like a 13 foot piece of plastic with no rocker; it doesn't. Since ive surfed most of my life I have learned to read the ocean. Your skills in the surf zone are based on your knowledge of waves and sets. If your not an avid surfer or waterman tie your gear down without hesitation regardless of the size of the surf. It's not a matter of if but when your kayak decides to flip.

My adventure paddles better than any of the prowlers and my X13. I've only surf launched it from Lajolla shores In what the locals there "high surf", it launches better than my x13 too. Im still looking for something in a more manageable size though.

I had one of my rudder lines break while OTW. Totally defeats the purpose of having a hobie if you gotta steer with your paddle. Giving the haters you fish with "paddlers" ammunition to make fun of you with sucks too.

i think where you fish and what your targeting is gonna have a big impact also....surf launches r sometimes tough on the drives with the sand and occasional ugly landing.

If your targeting YT that swim 30mph and love ripping current, I'm guessing your going to be pushing pretty hard on the peddles at times...like when there r foamers just outta range or just trying to get home with an extra 30lb on deck in the ripping current and afternoon wind on it. Generally a 8-10hr day of chasing YT is a 20-30mi ordeal.

I havn't fished butts in the bay in a while but if remember right it wasnt that demanding.

Bottom Line - The newest versions of the mirage drives are about as close to "bullet-proof" as you could hope for. Most users will have YEARS of trouble free service from their mirage drives, plus parts are cheap and service/support is awsome....cant go wrong with a brand new hobie!!

Mirage Mistique
 

If you fish a lot, the drive will break, sometimes at inopportune times. I do washdown, lube, and maintenance after every outing. Within two years, here's how mine faired:

- warped spline (the backbone of the whole unit)
- cracked drum
- broken sprocket
- coroded and broken pedal crank arm

The warped spline may have some doing in the other failures, but the failures were well spaced apart. The other pedal crank arm is in perfect condition, no corosion or signs of fatigue. About the only part(s) that haven't failed are the drive and idler chains, no doubt due to constant maintenance and proper adjustment.

Ask around (in person) and see what percentage of owners have had problems. Check the Hobie site and see what others have experienced.

BTW, I don't punish the drive and don't often do surf launches. I do fish often, average about 2X a week which comes out roughly to 90 times a year. None of the above failures were covered under waranty.

There are some advantages and disadvantages to mirage drive kayaks. Do your own research and don't buy into some slick advertising.

The 2009 and newer Mirage Drives are quite reliable. They have improved drums, cables and sprockets. There have been further improvements since then, but these are important to have for reliability IMO. Older Drives can be upgraded but it can be expensive. You can recognize these Drives by the "Micky Mouse style drums (big ears) AND visible brass inserts on the sprockets where the fin masts (rods) thread in.

I run about 800 to 1000 miles annually and pedal pretty hard through about 2/3 of that (would probably be considered a hard user). The Drive experiences a parts failure about every 600 to 800 miles on current equipment, with regular inspections, lube and adjusting.

You can see most parts failures coming if you know what to look for. So in a way, Drives become more reliable with an experienced eye!

One final thing -- you can break almost any part on the Drive and still keep going. That includes drum, cable, chain, fin, or mast. Most people don't realize that and break out the paddle if they have any problem with the Drive. I don't carry spare parts for daily use, not only because of that, but trying to do the simplest operation in the water, on the lap with wet hands just doesn't work at all for me. For those who do carry spare parts, be sure you know how to install them (actual practice) and have the tools to do so.