hobie outback owners

[roadx]

thanks for the opinions, it is appreciated. is the outback that bad launching/landing through the surf?

with all the revo lovers, it's not making this easier LOL

It really becomes a speed/tracking vs. stability/storage debate

dont no if this helps but good luck

yes it does and thanks!

[Hobie-Pedaller]

no real problem LAUNCHING. it is slow & bulky, but just point the nose straight into the waves and forge ahead. Not much problem with flipping over here for me.

but for me, LANDING is always an adventure, in anything bigger than 2.5 - 3 ft waves.

to land in surf (dry & safe & upright), you need to time the waves, and follow one in right behind it, and then paddle hard & fast, to stay ahead of next wave coming up your rear.

this is near impossible for me in my Outback. i pedal 99% of the time I'm on the water, and thus I am a terrible paddler anyways. but my deficiency really shows up in the surf zone.

When surf landing, I seldom outrun the trailing wave, and I almost always get "caught" by the trailing wave, when I'm about half way in. If the waves are over 2-3 ft, I usually end up riding the wave in sideways, leaning HARD into wave to prevent flipping, all the way to the beach.

I haven't flipped since 2004, the first year I started yakking. But I frequently come close, on many landings. Definitely gets the adrenaline going for me everytime the waves are 3 ft plus.

I love everything about my Outback, except using it in surf landings.

If you are physically strong in upper body & a good paddler (which I am not), you will likely be fine in the surf landings. Otherwise, if you fish A LOT in ocean (surf launch/land) the Revo is possibly the better option.

[Billy V]

Revolution all the way.

- Larger front hatch with easy access.
- Faster than the outback, tracks better, paddles much better, Not affected by wind like the outback.
- Easier to deal with a big fish hook-up. You can hang your legs over the sides for extra stability, comfort, additional drag, and directional control.
- Much easier surf launch and landings.
- Easier to lift and load overhead on truck racks. It has perfect balance from the grab handles - just snatch it up from the ground and it will balance directly overhead with ease. (the Adventure is the same way, but not the outback.)
- A Revo with the $22 Sailing Rudder will turn on a dime.
- Turbo Finns are a must have on either kayak - it makes all of them more efficient.

Don't be fooled into thinking the outback has a large margin of stability, or buoyancy over the Revolution, or that it is a dryer boat.
-When the wind is up the outback gets affected much more. It feels like a top, and is more difficult to hold a course.
The Revo slices through.

The fact is that ALL Hobies are very stable.
Remember.... when those finns are in the downward position you effectively have a deep keel in the water like a sailboat, the rudder also adds stability....and if you add the huge sailing rudder its overkill.
Its difficult to flip over a Revo, I have tried a few times.

Take a close look before you buy -

I fished Mission Bay Yesterday, and Today on the Revo. I must have covered 15 miles of coastline effortlessly.
--I also want to know why OEX was not BBQing Burgers Saturday.

[dsafety]

As usual, Billy V kind of sums things up about as well as anyone can. I have a Revo and am a very happy camper. Have I dumped on landings... Yep. But I think my friends with Outbacks have dumped more often.

From my prospective, it all comes down to where you plan to use the kayak. If you plan to fish in the ocean and will have surf launches and landings, my recommendation is Revo, without hesitation.

If you plan to fish the bay, harbor, lakes or rivers, the Outback may be a better choice. It is as simple as that.

Bob

[dorf]

I have an ‘07 Outback. I got it because it was ready to fish. I was pleasantly surprised on how fast it moved. The stability is great; I am 6’3” 215 lbs and have had my 6 and 7 y/o boys on it at the same time. Although speed is not a concern of mine I have raced my friend (5’8” 250lbs) on my other Outback and with his 7 y/o son on the bow where we were each able to create sizable wakes. I plow through the surf with relative ease at La Jolla and landing is okay. Having my boys on, I do not go to La Jolla as that extra weight can get tiring and landing problematic. The 3 of us have not had any problems fishing in the bays. Just to test it out I have had my 2 boys, my wif and myself on at the same time. It is cramped but we were able to tool around Tidelands for a little while before it got too uncomfortable.

I have not been on the Revo, so I cannot comment there but I am very happy with my Outback.

I don’t know if Hobie has updated their instructional/promotional video though. If they have not I recommend disregarding the part where they say to remove the drive while landing and secure it with the bungee cord. It will not hold if you get rolled and that is a $300.00 plus mistake.

Good luck in your choice.

[roadx]

i picked up a used outback from fastlane (demo used on the Islander Charters) and just wanted to thank everyone for their input and brag a little .

i felt the outback just fits me better,

so when you revo guys go speeding past me at LJ, just laugh and say i told ya so, and when you see my head bounce off the beach.... call 911 then... laugh and tell me i told you so

if anyone needs a used hobie outback or livebait well there was some available yesterday.

[Billy V]

You're going to love the boat either way....
Its a Hobie - fishing off a peddle kayak is just easier.

Now go land that Monster Halibut and lay him/her flat on top of the concave bow hatch.
-See there is a strong point us Revo guys don't have.