pro's and con's hobie revolution or pro angler help please.

[divebuss]

hey sully, i've got an outback here in winthrop, you can check it out if you like...............................rick

[bobsdream]

i really liked the revo.but the room,the comfort to be able to move around stretch your legs out it just fit for me.when i go fishing i'm out for 4 or 5 hours at a time.my legs and back start bothering me from just not moving around enough.the pro angler you can peddle to a good area take your feet down from the peddles stretch out relax fish.start peddling again slowly hold the rod i your hand and troll.you feel every thing this way.i agree the weight is a concern.i came to realize that i realy don't want to pick that up on the car.but i love it enough to figure somthing out so i'm going to get a utility trailor and i saw a post on this site about what looks like a railing system bolted to it.i'm going to pull up to the fishing hole pop the hobie wheels under it and roll it into the water.theres enough room in this thing to keep all my gear stowed in it.i'm ready i'm going to start looking for idea's figure it out get a hitch put on the car and in 2010 i'm jumping both feet into the dark side.

[Sully60]

Thanks Mark & Rick,You Know I start reading about this ,I want one also.I have too take one thing at a time,sell my house,do a Demo,buy a boat.I'm like a little kid,I want what you guys have. I had to shoot a Wedding Sun,do Pics for a friend Daughter(for Modeling School)some time this week& get my house Sold.Rick I'll maybe get in and give it a test & I'm doing some pics this wk ,I'll get those MSA Pics done and sent to your Work Address,Thanks. Mark thanks for your suggestions.Chris (Frogman)been very helpful also.I'm trying to do to much but I'll get it all done,should of started this stuff 20yrs ago. I give myself a headache,can't imagine how you guys Feel .Thanks Again Sully

[swellrider]

mark, roger, et. al.,

great pics, nice story.

thanks

mark,

i wish you hadn't posted that last picture, i want it to be summer all year, damm it!!!

how do you cast with that sail in your way???

what are those other things sticking up?

they look like inflatable pillows.

... I want to test out a PA myself.

chris,

i have a birthday coming up next week if you don't know what to do with your current hobie after you get the new one...

also, i'd love a retirement gift if anyone is so inclined...

bob
not ashamed to beg for what i want

[brig42]

Gentlemen, Saturday I demoed the PA and the Outback. NE Smallcraft was nice enough to bring them to a large pond to try out. Granted I did not get to fish, but I did bring some rods to see how it would work out.

Both had pros and cons. Both were stable enough to sit sideways. I even stood up in the PA. I brought my son(19) and daughter (7) along with me to test. My son asked me why I was standing up. I replied, "Because I can". The room you have in the PA is great. My biggest problem with it is me. I am too short and found myself slouching my rear forward to peddle. Even after adjusting the peddles. Maybe there was another notch to go. I don't remember if it was on 1 or 2. Can the seat move up?

I had my daughter sitting on the front hatch and had her walk to the back while we were out in the pond. It is that stable.

The only other things I didn't like was the way the flippers whacked the hull. Is it normal for the flippers to slam into the hull?

The rod holder is a nice idea, but with striper size reels, they are not practical. The steering was not as smooth as the outback either. It seemed the handle was bending a little bit and the turning was not as precise as the outback's. This could be due to the size though. Once it started to turn it did fine.

The only thing I didn't like about the outback is the seat kept on coming lose on the bottom. The two plugs kept on coming out of the holes. The salesman told me to bang them in with a mallet if I bought one. Has anyone needed to do that or is it my big rear that is causing it. Tracking on this one was great. I liked the way the steering worked on this one better than the PA. It seemed to track better. And I can certainly deal with the lighter weight than the PA.

I don't know what to do. Don't know if I should peddle or go with a redfish. I will have to try one of them out next.

[NH Explorer]

brig 42,
First of all, welcome to NEKF and the well thought review of your demo. Let me see if I can answer or comment on a few of your concerns.

I am too short and found myself slouching my rear forward to peddle. Even after adjusting the peddles. Maybe there was another notch to go. I don't remember if it was on 1 or 2. Can the seat move up?

The seat itself does not move up but the back of the seat is adjustable to a more upright position. My wife is 5'4" and this is how she found works best for her. She also used position 1 on the pedals. I have seen people use a thin seat cushion behind them which helps for a shorter person.

The only other things I didn't like was the way the flippers whacked the hull. Is it normal for the flippers to slam into the hull?

There are two things you can do to remedy the hull slap with the fins. You can either adjust the pedals one notch forward so that at full extension you can not smack the hull with the fins or you can merely shorten your stroke. Shortening your stroke does not really affect your power and what very little it does can be compensated for by a slightly faster cadence. The last motion of the fins just before and after striking the hull is almost vertical and can, in some cases cause a slight bobbing up and down of the hull.

The rod holder is a nice idea, but with striper size reels, they are not practical. The steering was not as smooth as the outback either. It seemed the handle was bending a little bit and the turning was not as precise as the outback's. This could be due to the size though. Once it started to turn it did fine.

I use the rod holders with my Salt Water gear and after a few tries found how to stagger how deep forward to set them into the tubes to get the reels to fit in place. With the fresh water gear there is no problem whatsoever including carrying a 9 foot fly rod. The steering is definitely a totally different animal than any of the other Hobie kayaks. It takes a moment to respond but once it does it is much more maneuverable than any other Hobie I have driven, so much so that it can take a while before the drive learns not to over steer. For working in close quarters I would much rather have the PA than the Revo or Outback....just my opinion. That said, it took a few trips out to get the rudder control adjusted (tension and centering) to where I like it. Possibly that demo boat had never had the extra TLC that a full time owner and user can give to those controls.
The PA being as different as it is in so many ways is the reason that if someone wants to demo, I would really like to see them in the boat at least 2 hours....3 to 4 if at all possible. If they are familiar with other Hobie models it takes a while to get used to the difference. If they have never driven a Hobie, there is a whole lot of stuff to feel for the first time. I would like to throw out there for any others interested that I think the first hour or two is getting the feel for the craft and its nuances. After that you begin to realize all great things this fishing craft has to offer.

As far as the seat on the Outback....I use a piece of that rubberized drawer liner under the seat on my Revolution and it does no sliding around at all. The pegs may need to have been inserted more forcefully also, but the rubberized stuff under the seat has been a really good idea on any kayak.

Hope some of this helps

[frogman]

Bob, if I get a PA before your birthday, I will see what we can do.

[frogman]

Brig42 ,
The hobies are a different animal and there definetly is an adjustment curve if you are used to an other type of kayak. They are a lot like a good woman, the more time you spend with it the more you love it.

Roger, Thanks for the tip about the ruberrized drawer liner, good idea.

[brig42]

Thanks for the answers Roger and frog. Next part is trying to convince the finance director on the next capitol purchase. And after I showed her the PA, she asked where I was going to store it. I have to admit, she has me there.

I wonder how much a slip would be for a PA?

Brian

[Mark]

mark,

how do you cast with that sail in your way???

what are those other things sticking up?

they look like inflatable pillows.

I just cast. Could be side arm, overhead, or a simple flip.

The pillows are Hobie Sidekicks....inflatable pontoons basically. They're great for sailing or standing....of course they don't help with foot room
http://www.hobiecat.com/kayaking/access ... ekick.html

[Sully60]

Hey Chris, Do Ma.,Guys Get First Bids on your Rev? Sully