# Something for Hobie owners



## homemade (Jan 24, 2008)

Don't know if theres any Hobie owners out there but this may interest them.

http://www.hobiecat.com.au/pdf/kayak/2009/evolve.pdf


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## blaggon (Jan 14, 2008)

certainly is a nice looking bit of gear.. can see myself ending up with one of these for sure


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## cummins (Jul 7, 2008)

it looks good if only it worked on a hobie quest


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## cruiser (Dec 19, 2007)

Very nice  but whats the damage to the wallet 

cheers cruiser


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## Rebel 1 (Mar 27, 2007)

that would be good if you have no legs :lol:


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## mcbigg (Jul 14, 2007)

Looks like an awesome piece of kit.

8hrs of use (at 2mph cruising) from a smallish, floating (!) 8AH battery (28V) is pretty darned efficient too.

I'm impressed. Just wish I was a millionaire to warrant affording one.


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## Beanhead (Nov 13, 2008)

A great step forward. 
Now, how about 4 wheels, wings and a minibar.


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## Barrabundy (Sep 29, 2008)

Beanhead said:


> A great step forward.
> Now, how about 4 wheels, wings and a minibar.


......and a built in neck massager that speaks soothing words in French.


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## outbreakmonkey (Aug 31, 2009)

I won't be buying one but it has given me a great idea for the outfitter.

Fit an electric motor to the front mirage drive slot for when I'm out solo.


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## Guest (Oct 12, 2009)

Certainly an interesting adaption of the Torqueedo motor.

Although if you have already dropped all the extra cash for a mirage drive, I'm not quite sure why you would need to spend an additional $2.5k just so you no longer needed to peddle :shock:

Certainly would be great for those with limited movement, disability or injury in their lower body though.


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## yankatthebay (Dec 14, 2007)

cummins said:


> it looks good if only it worked on a hobie quest


it can mount on the twist and stow rudder, so if you have a rudder on the quest it would fit I would think - or do you not have a rudder on the quest?


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## malhal (Jul 8, 2008)

Knowing Hobie they will charge well above the odds. They are the Nike of the kayak world charging whatever they see fit, reasonable or not. Don't get me wrong they have some good ideas but don't believe the hype. It only drives prices up.
Can't see that being good on the surf landing at Broughton Patrick. 
Cheers Mal


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## yankatthebay (Dec 14, 2007)

I am not even considering it as an option. I think it would be handy for some people who install it on the rudder and keep the peddles - give a bit extra push through the water.
Wont mount on the rudder of the PA - and I dont have $2500 to "waste" on that.


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## avayak (May 23, 2007)

_Silent, effortless speed
That's the future of kayaking_.
All I need now is a battery operated oven & I can kick back and eat pies.


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## salmonsnature (Apr 24, 2008)

Thats freakin awsome, maybe I will have one in a few years 8) 
I can see it now, Port phillip bay packed with kayaks everywhere ;-)


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## mojofunk (Nov 1, 2006)

Ocean kayak is bringing out a similar product (not peekaboo angler). If I wanted an electric kayak I would go for that cause you can steer with your feet and its probably cheaper. I buying a hobie but will only be using pedal power.


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## koich (Jul 25, 2007)

So you buy a regular hobie for 2500 dollars then you buy this for $2000 and have to fit it out yourself?

Why don't you just buy a regular hobie, then buy a viking profish/tempo or a native watercraft with propel or peekoaboo angler and these all come factory fitted? Then you have 2 kayaks for the same price as one, one of which will more than likely paddle better than a hobie.

It just strikes as me as a silly pricing decision and a slightly redundant product.


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## scleburne (Aug 10, 2008)

You know what, I like it. I had thought it was just mounted through the mirage hole. That is definitely silly...what's the point indeed! tiny market of people would want these. A motor mounted to the rudder though? nice...
A lithium battery that floats? sweet.
All included adapters/wiring that digital display unit including GPS speed with a nice big throttle control- how good is that!

Sure it costs a lot of money, but is it over priced? I don't think so. I suppose that I find most hobie products to be a good price for their quality though. Try having an oldholden project as a hobby... now that's a money pit.

I'm sure the retailer you bought it from could be talked into fitting it free of charge. especially if you bought your yak from them?

I envisage getting lines and weed tangled in the prop however. That would suck.

In saying all this, these accessories are all toys. You'll have a less stressful time taking out the bare minimum.


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## rossbyers88 (May 4, 2009)

thats the first thing ill get for the yak when i win lotto


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## PeterJ (Aug 29, 2005)

Its a great idea, and i agree well over the top for price but hey, them the breaks.
maybe a brushless motor (is what it is) in an old minn kota can will do the same job, I could guarantee cheaper than 2600 ripoffs. brushless would use up to 1/3 the power for about 3 times the output and last squilions longer with the same battery a normal minn kota uses now. meaning very much smaller battery.

The lithium manganese battery in the evovle system is a safe type of lithium battery, its got a different chemical make up that is not the same as lithium ion or lithium polymer. The last 2 are prone to thermal runaway and hence fire and possibly explosion. From what i know about manganese, they are not prone to this and are again from what i understand "safe"


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## wetroots (Oct 31, 2007)

as a devoted kayaker, I gave up paddling because of shoulder problems, took up peddling and have had 3 Hobies ...... and now my knees are failing me ........ electric could be the way to go. I tried the AI, and the sale certainly lightened the load on my knees, but .......wind is such a wild beast to tame. Electric motors certainly strike a chord with me. I am keen to take a look.


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## wetroots (Oct 31, 2007)

as a devoted kayaker, I gave up paddling because of shoulder problems, took up peddling and have had 3 Hobies ...... and now my knees are failing me ........ electric could be the way to go. I tried the AI, and the sail certainly lightened the load on my knees, but .......wind is such a wild beast to tame. Electric motors certainly strike a chord with me. I am keen to take a look.


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## psykadet (Nov 20, 2009)

Mnmnmnn i myself have pondered electrifying my hobie for years now,i don't know how many hours ive stayed awake thinking of the pro,s and cons but my area of need is assisted power to break thro the surf zone to access headland and inshore reefs and such,which would require a very robust electric system capable of withstanding the occasional capsize and punching thro the face of lip at full speed. . for my purposes,i need a system that is fully water proof slots in seamlessly into the front half of the mirage drive plug and has a simple on off full speed mode capable of matching the mirage drive speed of 4 knots or more. . .also i do not wish to modify the hull or drill any extra holes the water can breach in from. . .. . So when torqeedo first opened up an Australian office i started thinking of possibilities of adapting one of there motors for my needs but came to these questions and have come to some conclusions with so but would like input if anyone has the same ideas . . .starting with as you have all been pointing out. . cost. .. Can there motors outlast a minn kota for the price or can we use the best parts of torqeedo,such as the prop and battery and modify them into a cheaper motor /control system?
Can the torqeedo throttle system really take full sun beating down on the lcd display,heated air inside the throttle control condensing /expanding in the heat?
Theft . . . this is a factor as any expensive system that you cant fully remove from a kayak can in a way ruin the kayak experience if you are unable to turn ur back on the for 5mins or have to chain it to ur roof racks every time. . . "love that hobie's mirage drive is easily unattached and avoids this". .. . 
how many "years and years"of use every wkend or fortnight will you get out of the evolve system before water leaks in thro the rubber grommets behind the prop if ur doin the long distances and long submersion time that is capable with Evolves torqeedo lithium manganese battery"admittedly i don't know how water stays out of any brand trolling motors housing". . 
Can the evolve handle a strong knock or constant sideways twist that ur likley to encounter with rolling swell on "extended coastal tours"
Do we need another gps,whats wrong with bubble float speedo ,couldn't the evolve b more affordable with a simple hi lo speed control that is heavily protected and robust? or has the same handle and mount as the Hobie steering mechanism? For example hobie has swapped it,s twist and stow lever to a simple choke button style system, which means on my old Hobie i can replace it with the new system ,leaving the original clean flush lever mechanism to be used for anything. . . such as motor speed control. . . 
I am currently exploring solutions to many of these problems at the moment attempting to make a concrete mold of foot rest and mirage drive area so as to make a fiberglass housing for that area to take a modified whippella setup or a direct drive electric system.As i belive a picture tells a thousand words i will tryn post photos and am looking forward to everyones ideas/photo,s and feedback they are all invaluabe to the common goal. . .thankyou


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## tryto2fish (Nov 14, 2008)

wow......for a new buyer/comer to the scene it means that would be more than $5000 that is the outback + the kit.maybe its worth while to invest the money on a tinnie instead??.


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## eth93 (Dec 17, 2007)

tryto2fish said:


> wow......for a new buyer/comer to the scene it means that would be more than $5000 that is the outback + the kit.maybe its worth while to invest the money on a tinnie instead??.


I agree. I don't understand why people buy kayaks and then put motors on them. 
What does a kayak become when it has a motor on it? :?


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## psykadet (Nov 20, 2009)

Myself i used to watch weather religiously and time my trips to be the best fishing combined with the safest /easy est paddling weather,now i have 3 kids and a mortgage so ive gotta punch thro any weather to get time on the water ,a motor as a backup and to take on the roughest parts of the trip is the only way. . . oh to be young and free again,i used to fish in the surf on a surf board and sometime just swim out with a hand line,but getn too old for that now. . cant fish harder just smarter. . .


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## RangiRocks (Mar 19, 2009)

avayak said:


> _Silent, effortless speed
> That's the future of kayaking_.
> All I need now is a battery operated oven & I can kick back and eat pies.


You must have seen the 12v pie warmers at Dick Smiths for $40 with a cig lighter fitting. Just plug it into your battery, put the electric motor into high and have a 4'20 out on the high seas.
Every yak should have one

http://www.dse.com.au/cgi-bin/dse.storefront/4b0a5ab403511b302740c0a87e01061b/Product/View/M4515


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## johnH (Jun 2, 2009)

So have the eVolve drives arrived in Oz yet and has anyone tried one?


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## onemorecast (Apr 17, 2006)

avayak said:


> _Silent, effortless speed
> That's the future of kayaking_.
> All I need now is a battery operated oven & I can kick back and eat pies.


I agree Gary, Fishing is looking a lot better.

Arrive at boat ramp Collaroy . Drop the yak in, start the motor, punch in a couple of SBD's marks into the GPS, pop pie in. Wake up when pie heated. Slow motor down, pop in another pie - c'mon 1's not really enough. Finish pie - Fish 

Really though, it pricey, but it looks cool. I am however still thinking about Simon losing his Shark Shield. I think I'd cry if that $2500 motor dropped off.


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## Silky (Apr 24, 2010)

Hi Eric,

I am thinking of getting out of my Adventure Island and into a Pro Angler. If so I want to get a Torqueedo (or something like it) - I can wait if these new power source cells are available -- do you know of anything more re their development?

Also your thoughts on rear or mirage drive mounts?

Cheers

Silky


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## Southerly (Apr 20, 2007)

Cool, mopre fishing options. I say good on hobie and all the others developing and adapting new products, go for it.
David


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## geocacher (Dec 30, 2008)

Looking at it I initially thought it was sort of odd, but having seen a paraplegic fish the ABT I can see it's place and certainly I know of a few older paddlers who in time would see things like this keep them on the water rather than retiring to land life.

The battery is just sex on a stick. Someone earlier hinted that the GPS is a bit of a joke.

A battery meter in a kayak is a joke.

A battery meter that can calculate average speed taking into account current flow and head winds becomes a very useful device. The GPS calculates your speed and works out how far you can go based on what is left in your battery. This is far more useful than a battery that tells you you have 50% charge left but leaves you guessing regarding the 3 knot tide and 15 knot headwind you are heading into for the trip back to the ramp. It converts a device as usefull as tits on a bull into something that is approaching genius.

As for impact on price, you can buy a bluetooth GPS for less than $40 on ebay. The chips are a few cents each in bulk. How much do you really think it adds to the price?

I think there's a place for it.

But I wouldn't want to be the first person with a disability who wants to fish the ABT using it. Shades of KFT in Qld and the ban on peddle kayaks springs to mind....

DJ


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## johnH (Jun 2, 2009)

Well, I've had a couple of trips out in my Outback with the eVolve now and I love it.

Last weekend I was trolling along at 2kmh and the meter was telling me I could go for another 12 hours at that speed.

Top speed at 8.9kmh with the motor alone or 9.3kmh if I peddled as well.


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## craig51063 (May 30, 2008)

Mod edit: off topic (discussed previously)

craig


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## butterfingers (Aug 21, 2009)

eth93 said:


> tryto2fish said:
> 
> 
> > wow......for a new buyer/comer to the scene it means that would be more than $5000 that is the outback + the kit.maybe its worth while to invest the money on a tinnie instead??.
> ...


But there is no rego for a trailer, boat license ect is 1 reason but I've just bought a leccy motor for my tempo just because 90% of the time out on the yak I have my 4 yr old that regulary outfishes me  My main concern is if I'm out on a big lake and the wind picks up or he hooks me in the eye (came 2inches off before) I can drop down the motor and get outta dodge real quick.
But a leccy on a hobie :? again I would buy a peekaboo for 2.5 grand and a outback and have the best of both worlds.


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## johnH (Jun 2, 2009)

Each to their own I guess.

I sold my Makocraft with 30HP outboard and bow mount electric specifically to buy two Hobie Outbacks (one with the eVolve motor). It suits exactly what I want to use it for.


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## johnH (Jun 2, 2009)

It's not too cold yet  I've talked the wife into going for a paddle on Lake Tuggeranong today.


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## forbs (May 20, 2008)

Really interested in one of these but waiting for more reviews. Also do you think it's old technology considering the new "boat" electric motors ? Having an electric motor (such as the new ones on boats say minn kota ipilot for $1,700.00) that could hold you on a spot would be great. So John i take it you have the rudder twist and stow unit ? Can you go as shallow as you usually would without the leccy ? Is weed a problem getting tangles around the prop shaft ? Any regrets or anything you wish was done a little different. What would you recommend rudder mounted or mirage drive mounted ? I would of thought rudder mounted would of been the way to go as you wouldn't have to change drives to fish shallow i.e you could turn of the leccy and shortstroke the normal fins when you were fishing shallow ? Guess thats why i haven't bought one yet as i have too many questions. Oh and the price.


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## johnH (Jun 2, 2009)

forbs said:


> Really interested in one of these but waiting for more reviews. Also do you think it's old technology considering the new "boat" electric motors ? Having an electric motor (such as the new ones on boats say minn kota ipilot for $1,700.00) that could hold you on a spot would be great.


The thing that really swayed my mind was the battery only weights about 3kgs. Compared to my old Tinny where I ran two 80AH 30kg Gel batteries to get a full days fishing (trolling). Yesterday I was on the lake and used the motor for a full 5 hours of trolling (around 2-3kmh). I used 30% of the battery charge in that five hours and the meter was saying I could keep up that pace for another 7 hours. So I reckon the technology is pretty darn good.



forbs said:


> So John i take it you have the rudder twist and stow unit ?


Yep, I have mine installed on the twist and stow rudder.



forbs said:


> Can you go as shallow as you usually would without the leccy ?


The motor is about 5cm longer than the standard rudder, but I haven't found any problems in shallow water.



forbs said:


> Is weed a problem getting tangles around the prop shaft ?


I did a test last weekend and motored through some really thick weed. It did end up getting tangled up in the prop and I had to remove it by hand. I popped the motor up and leaned over the back of the seat while on the water and it took about 30 seconds. Going through some not-so-thick weed didn't see any tangles and it performed well.



forbs said:


> Any regrets or anything you wish was done a little different.


None as yet, I'm very happy with it.



forbs said:


> What would you recommend rudder mounted or mirage drive mounted ? I would of thought rudder mounted would of been the way to go as you wouldn't have to change drives to fish shallow i.e you could turn of the leccy and shortstroke the normal fins when you were fishing shallow ?


I reckon Rudder mounted is the way to go. It would a pain having to store either the mirage drive or the motor depending which one was in use. Having it on the rudder, you can just switch between the two - no fuss. I've found it's great to have a reverse function after untangling a lure from the weeds on the bank or repositioning to keep casting at a good snag.



forbs said:


> Guess thats why i haven't bought one yet as i have too many questions. Oh and the price.


Yep, the price is a bit of killer but when I sold my tinny, I was able to get two outbacks plus the eVolve (plus a few extras) under the sale price. So it was sort of cost neutral for me to switch from the tinny to the kayaks. Plus now my wife enjoys getting on the water where she had no interest in getting in the tinny.


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## forbs (May 20, 2008)

Thanks John, you've sold me on it ! Now i just have to sell it to the wife !


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