# Kayak Failures/Warranties



## redman (Jun 5, 2008)

Thanks for the replies fellas, i realise the hobies have a bit more stress but the convenience for fishing is why I bought one so I figured that would take precedence. I've deleted the topic as it has been pointed out it could turn into one big S$#@fight and Id rather avoid that.


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## Peril (Sep 5, 2005)

Polyethylene is tough. I haven't heard of any yaks with persistent manufacturing problems though you do hear of the odd problem. These can be detected in a trial outing. Normal use of a kayak simply doesn't involve any significant mechanical stresses so it is almost impossible to break them in use on the water.

The caveat on this is if you put a mechanical device on your kayak you can put significant stresses on the hull. Stick to paddling and you can be sure of not having any problems


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## rob316 (Oct 2, 2007)

As you have read and already noticed , alot of these failures are happily written up by the people themselves - and usually after they have already dealt with the place of purchase/manufacturer....this is because they have recieved great after sales service , and also to let others know that things can go wrong - yet its not the end of the world.....it isn't always the case - but like the hobie range - if it has more moving parts , then it is more prone to having problems - the great thing about all of this is allowing others to know what could/might go wrong - and that we here in oz are lucky to have great dealers and manufacturers that look after their customers - alot of the time - after warrenty has already expired.....I wouldn't let anything you have read steer you away from a certain brand - because if its what you desire - you will more happy with your gut decision than a paper one - if you know what i mean..


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## Peril (Sep 5, 2005)

kraley said:


> Peril said:
> 
> 
> > The caveat on this is if you put a mechanical device on your kayak you can put significant stresses on the hull. Stick to paddling and you can be sure of not having any problems
> ...


The hull integrity was not compromised in any way. It wasn't a manufacturing defect but an engineering design defect that I'd accepted upon purchase of the kayak. That is, I got what I paid for. I fixed it by replacing the substandard fasteners with something more suitable


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## bazzoo (Oct 17, 2006)

Kraley takes Perils serve on the backhand , Peril to the net , drives deeply onto Kraleys forehand , Kraley drives a stinging forehand down the line , ohhhhhhh , ball was out , DEUCE :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## JT (May 25, 2006)

tryhard said:


> Popcorn time :twisted:


Yah!!! :twisted:

JT


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## spooled1 (Sep 16, 2005)

No yak related issues should be taboo if they are legitimate.

For the purposes of new members, its kinda handy knowing when, where and how things go wrong. As far as I'm concerned, the two yaks I own had manufacturing concerns straight off the bat.

No yak is perfect and just because people own a certain brand shouldn't mean they can't talk about it without forum fear.

I'll start on my Stealth BFS:

* The gelcoat is super thin and rubbed off dragging it in sand - To fix the problem I lined the bow area with a carbon fiber strip and gelcoated over the top with a thick membrane.
* The glass job in the hull was a bit thin for my liking and created a compression split from the tightly fitting roofracks. This was fixed at my own expense and reinforced.
* The hatch box allowed water to penetrate the hull when it flipped in the surf. I fixed this by properly sealing the seams with fiberglass where the centre hatch box meets the upper deck.

These were all easy jobs and the battle scars look good.

Scupper Pro: The front hatch has always leaked and is impossible to fix.


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## rawprawn (Aug 31, 2005)

spooled1 said:


> No yak related issues should be taboo if they are legitimate.
> 
> For the purposes of new members, its kinda handy knowing when, where and how things go wrong. As far as I'm concerned, the two yaks I own had manufacturing concerns straight off the bat.
> 
> ...


Agree no kayak defect or discussions should be taboo. I know I keep banging on about this but, that's what makes the forum special. If we stop talking honestly about what goes wrong with our yaks we run the risk of becoming yet another publication sponsored by a manufacture.

I suspect there are plenty of problems and issues with kayaks that do not get talked about on this site. I understand that the risk of getting flamed by a few is preventing open discussion on this by many. If we don't discuss problems with our Kayaks we could all end up buying the same lemons.

End of rant. God I'm in a shitty mood today. Must need to go fishing.


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## Shorty (May 11, 2008)

What was the problem and has it been fixed to your complete satisfaction ?


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## Peril (Sep 5, 2005)

redman said:


> Thanks for the replies fellas, i realise the hobies have a bit more stress but the convenience for fishing is why I bought one so I figured that would take precedence. I've deleted the topic as it has been pointed out it could turn into one big S$#@fight and Id rather avoid that.


Did you get a call from BOCOG?


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## Davey G (Jan 15, 2006)

I agree - no need to hide away in 'fear' of getting blasted by others, however in all fairness, this topic HAS been done to death over the last few years. As far as I know theres been ongoing problems with the following popular kayak models

*Hobie Outback, Revolution and Adventure* (Mirage Drive models) - older (pre 2006 model hulls) are notorious for cracking/splitting around the mirage drive anchor points, leading to water ingress into the hulls. Several AKFF members have had split hulls (some members who use their kayaks a lot have had multiple hulls crack), many of these problems seem to be tied to teh Turbo Fins which put extra stress on the hull. To my knowledge all issues have been happily fixed/replaced under warranty by the dealers or Hobie head office. The newer (2007 onwards) hulls seem to have less issues.

*Hobie Mirage Drive unit *- the unit itself is a complicated bit of equipment which will break/ fail if the owner doesnt look after it properly. If maintained as per manufacturers recommendations it should perform fine, however there have been cases of broken masts, split fins, broken bolts, lost nuts etc (all easily fixed or replacement parts available).

*Ocean Kayak Prowler 15 *- had a centre hatch that sat below waterlevel with paddlers who weighed more than 90kg, leading to water intake via centre hatch into main hull. The P13 and Prowler Elite have a sealed centre hatch bucket (and ride higher) which has stopped the problem.

*Ocean Kayak Scupper pro, Prowler 13 and 15 *- Front hatch seal was ordinary and often let water in (especially in surf entries/exits)

*Prowler Elite 4.5* - Early models had some 'thin spots' in the hull, however there has never been a case of this causing any problems. Many rotomolded kayaks have suspect finish quality, but this is more a cosmetic issue than a safety issue.

*Justcruisin's Prowler 13 *- Due to a case of 'crappus workmanshippus" Daves P13 nearly sank after he performed some surgery on it and installed (badly) a rear hatch which wasn't quite watertight. :lol: :twisted:

Theres various other kayaks out there that have had minor/isolated issues with rudders etc but all in all, as Peril says, most 'paddle' kayaks are pretty simple and maintenance free (a lot like their owners :shock: :? :lol: )


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## redman (Jun 5, 2008)

Thanks fellas for all the advice. I own an adventure myself and just dont want to have the hull split in half whilst I am 10km away from land........I would probably make olympic speed paddling back to land if that happened :lol: :lol:


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## ScottLovig (Aug 7, 2006)

Davey G said:


> *Hobie Outback, Revolution and Adventure* (Mirage Drive models) - older (pre 2006 model hulls) are notorious for cracking/splitting around the mirage drive anchor points,
> 
> All due respect Davey, but your list of affected Hobie hulls is not quite right. One of them is not affected.
> 
> ...


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## Peril (Sep 5, 2005)

Hobie Vic said:


> Davey G said:
> 
> 
> > *Hobie Outback, Revolution and Adventure* (Mirage Drive models) - older (pre 2006 model hulls) are notorious for cracking/splitting around the mirage drive anchor points,
> ...


What are the facts Scott?


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## ScottLovig (Aug 7, 2006)

Revolutions were never affected or part of the retro fit/warranty action carried out by Hobie.

I point it out only to try and demonstate that these debates are always clouded and often unintentionaly by well meaning people just as much as the raving maddies.  Although its getting tired, I think we will be trolling this particular stretch of reef for years to come. ;-) Personaly, I'm too busy selling yaks to get razzed by it anymore. 

By the way, and just for the record. The whole Hobie notorious failure thing. Is only notorious on the odd forum where everyone likes to stoush a bit. If it was such a big deal outside of these forums then my new swimming pool would only be half the size it is. And No Evarn! you cannot have one of my farmed crayfish :lol:

Cheers 8)

Scott


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## Baldy (Oct 1, 2007)

There is not a single guy on this forum who dosent have a bias.

Cheers

Scott[/quote]

Oh really? Thats a big call and im not sure how you work that one out. Some of us dont go for the brand fanboy thing. It depends on your point of view I guess, I fail to see how you consider anyone who chooses a paddle kayak as having a bias. Or someone who picks a peddal kayak.

I'd own both if I could and plenty of people do.

I'd suggest the size of your pool [however relevant that is] has more to do with profit margins than the fail proof nature of the product.

A kayak retailer telling us we are bias, funny stuff ;-)

Cheers
Baldy


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## Cuda (Sep 18, 2006)

I can see the popcorn lovers scrambling for a packet (please note my post in off topic on the subject of popcorn) :twisted: :twisted: ;-)


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## bazzoo (Oct 17, 2006)

i can see a few posts coming up here , but i'm a paddler so really dosnt matter , i'm more concerned about The Fatwah i am declaring on Kraley before he starts his massive Jihad , Bah Salem Ahmed el Kraley :lol: :lol:


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## Baldy (Oct 1, 2007)

Say what you like about me but Im a good sport!....The bloke goes to all the trouble to prepare and present a nice fresh bait like that, it would be un-orstralian of me to not bite!!!

I often ponder the wonders of "hand free fishing" [Its hands plural only if you never want to steer] Usually its when Ive been drift fishing a shoreline using my feet to operate the rudder and having BOTH hands free to fish, it gives me the time to ponder these things...

Then theres the time to ponder when im opening the royalty checks from every paddle kayak sold, Ive got mouths to feed[the dogs hungry]

I dont like popcorn......there I said it...

Cheers
Al haq wa baldhammad


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## Peril (Sep 5, 2005)

Hobie Vic said:


> Revolutions were never affected or part of the retro fit/warranty action carried out by Hobie.
> 
> I point it out only to try and demonstate that these debates are always clouded and often unintentionaly by well meaning people just as much as the raving maddies.  Although its getting tired, I think we will be trolling this particular stretch of reef for years to come. ;-) Personaly, I'm too busy selling yaks to get razzed by it anymore.
> 
> ...


A minor correction, but surely not a decisive clarification. How many warranty replacements have you made in the past three years Scott? Shouldn't be hard to figure out.

Some Columbians have big swimming pools too, but what does it prove about the product?


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## bazzoo (Oct 17, 2006)

kraley said:


> bazzoo said:
> 
> 
> > i can see a few posts coming up here , but i'm a paddler so really dosnt matter , i'm more concerned about The Fatwah i am declaring on Kraley before he starts his massive Jihad , Bah Salem Ahmed el Kraley :lol: :lol:
> ...


An infidel am i , hah :x :x , just be listening for any large rattling trucks belching smoke with many men in garb hanging off the sides all screaming "A Fatwah ' A Fatwah we have been promised the barren soul of The Kraley ", :shock: :shock: :shock: and my reward shall be large my friend , but i dont think i really want 72 woman , ;-) ;-) so i'l settle for the kingfish . 8) 8) 8)


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## ScottLovig (Aug 7, 2006)

Hi Guys

Personaly, I think everyone has a bias. Thats why we choose diffrent kayaks and diffrent cars. No one is right or wrong about their biases. Its just a fact of life. And thats not meant as a slight on any one's character. So I'm going to change the post slightly to to reflect this and make sure Davey G knows I mean him no disrespect.

Peril/Baldy I live, die or prosper by my reputation in businees. As a dealer, if I or the company I put my personal reputation behind are flawed then no one wants to do business with me and I'm on baked beans and water. :lol: The swimming pool represents that our best efforts are going well. Its not margin, its hard work, ask any Victorian who has met me personaly and not as some forum avatar. I dont know any Columbian drug dealers but I'm tipping those guys lack integrity and as such are short term prospects. :lol:

Cheers

Scott


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## ScottLovig (Aug 7, 2006)

[/quote]
A minor correction, but surely not a decisive clarification. How many warranty replacements have you made in the past three years Scott? Shouldn't be hard to figure out.
[/quote]

Sorry missed this bit.

Yep pretty easy to figure. Maybe 1% and not a single customer left stranded.

Cheers

Scott


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## Baldy (Oct 1, 2007)

No worrys Scott, potatos....potartos!....bias/preference/no chioce :lol: you know how it is ;-) A lot of shit stirring gets lost in text and feeds the flames in this debate, the people who actually think their particular type/brand of kayak is the answer for everyone are the ones who bring the debate down, read some of the ravings of that Lunasea fella on the yankie forum and you will know what I mean :lol:

Oh and theres one area where you and the Columbian "pizza" industry have in common...both your products are highly addictive and lead to bouts of euphoria otherwise know as the "couta1's" followed by the low low's know as "the DaveyG's" :shock: :shock: :lol:

If I was to be serious for one second, I'd say my only pet peeve is the term "Hands free fishing" or more the claim that the mirage hobies are the only kayaks that offer it. If it were "Hands free trolling" then i'd say yeah thats very true. But fishing in general means alot of things and I spend a fair amount of my time fishing with the aid of the rudder, if I can cast to a fish, fight it and land it all while dodging around a moored boat or bit of shoreline without touching my paddle. I see that as hands free fishing just the same as the fella on the hobie trolling into the wind, holding one rod and steering and pointing at me going backwards while re rigging and laughing :twisted: :lol: Of course I dont blame you for that term, thats another one of my pet peeves....marketing terms, I bet that pratt from the Gruen transfer wrote that one :twisted: :lol:

By the way I do understand the reason they would shy away from the word trolling, the fact that joe average doesnt know the difference between trolling and trawling :? they might think your selling purse seiners :lol:

Cheers
Baldy


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## Peril (Sep 5, 2005)

Hobie Vic said:


> Peril said:
> 
> 
> > A minor correction, but surely not a decisive clarification. How many warranty replacements have you made in the past three years Scott? Shouldn't be hard to figure out.
> ...


Thanks for that Scott. I don't know you and didn't mean to question your integrity, but simply to point out the irrelevance of the swimming pool comment.

However, I still can't get past the fact that I know a number of Hobie owners that have had hulls replaced in the past three years. I don't know 100 Hobie owners so there is some difference here. Of course this is in a different region to you so I don't expect you can account for that difference.

The other thing that I don't understand is that I can't recall anything but oblique references to hull replacements from the affected owners. And I know some that simply will not talk openly about the replacement. Some owners have had more than one replacement. That this happens but is not discussed fosters uncertainty and speculation. Is it any wonder that the discussion continues?


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## ScottLovig (Aug 7, 2006)

Peril said:


> The other thing that I don't understand is that I can't recall anything but oblique references to hull replacements from the affected owners. And I know some that simply will not talk openly about the replacement.


Simple realy.......we threaten their families.

Cheers 

Scott


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## Davey G (Jan 15, 2006)

spooled1 said:


> No yak related issues should be taboo if they are legitimate.


My sentiments exactly.

If anyone cares to look back at the original question (since edited), Redman asked which kayaks have had manufacturing issues and whether owners have had their problems fixed under warranty. Fair enough question, right?

My post on page one of this thread was to point out (from my experience) which kayaks have had manufacturing/quality control issues. I stand by my comments that the Hobie Outback and Adventure have had ongoing issues (however I now acknowledge that the Revolution was not one of the affected hulls - my apologies) and I also stand by my comments that I know the Hobie dealer service is second to none, and all affected hulls (whether still covered under warranty or not) have been swiftly replaced (not fixed) by Hobie. Full marks to them.

The question of being biased is irrelevant. Whether I (or any other AKFF members) are biased towards one particular model doesn't change the fact that some models and brands have had more problems than others. That's not bias, thats facts.

And if anyone cares to look, they may also notice that I wrote about problems affecting the Prowler models. But as usual its come back to another Hobie versus the world debate, which I'm completely over.

Hang on, theres a knock at the door and theres 3 blokes with dark suits and sunglasses carrying Hobie badges..... :shock: :shock: :shock:


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## Davey G (Jan 15, 2006)

Yeah Ken, we get it. You love your kayak. Thats' fine and alls good in the world. Peace love and mung beans eace:

The thing that ticks me off is the fact that every time one of these debates/discussions starts (often instigated by guys who are new to the site and are just wanting information), theres eventually a comeback from a Hobie owner or dealer and that's often what fires things up. This particular thread takes a similar and typical route to all other threads where Hobie build quality has dared to be mentioned. That is..

1. Someone asks a simple question (often not even related to Hobies)
2. Things track along well with balanced responses
3. Somebody dares to mention the H word in a negative way.
4. A Hobie owner/dealer takes offence
5. A non Hobie owner fires back.
6. The thread gets heated
7. The thread gets personal
8. Yada yada and so on.... until we are forced to lock it down (not because of the Hobie issue, but becuase it turns into a slanging match)

My perception is that Hobies are one of the best kayaks out there in terms of design, layout and build quality and I've said so repeatedly in my time on AKFF. However I'm intelligent enough to know that there's some issues with hulls cracking - it's common knowledge, especially amongst long term AKFF members. That doesn't shut my eyes to the possibility of one day owning one, and it doesn't make me a 'traditionalist'

Sadly the thing that comes through to me in a lot of these (yawn) threads is that I get the feeling that a few (not all) Hobie owners have an 'I'm better than you' attitude - and that's what ticks me off. Ken claims that the 'traditionalists' are out to 'bash' Hobies, but from where I stand it also seems that the Hobie crew are pretty average at taking justified criticism, and nearly always feel the need to fire back with both barrels, which then sparks the debate/personal attacks further.

I don't want to be looked down upon because I drive a Ford, and not an AUDI or Merc or Jag or whatever. But I occasionally get the feeling that's the attitude that a lot of Hobie owners carry. Sure, its great to be passionate about whatever boat you own but when it crosses the line to become "I'm better than you because I own brand X" then that's when these discussions lose my interest, and I start feeling sad for the bloke on the other end of the computer.

It just seems that a lot of guys identify themselves by what sort of boat they have, rather than the fact they enjoy the sport. And that doesn't sit well with me at all.

Again, this thread wasn't originally about Hobies. But it has become one, because Hobies were mentioned and owners /dealers took offence (and i acknowledge that i did err in mentioning the Revo). Perhaps if Hobie owners/dealers acknowledged that there were problems, rather than trying to change the topic or blame paddlers for daring to ask the tough questions, then these threads would be one page long and not go on for weeks.

Just a thought.

Hang on theres another knock at the door......... :shock: :shock: :shock:


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## fishydude (Dec 30, 2007)

I musta missed the original post  . Rest assured if I have a problem with any of my yaks (paddle or pedal) and I think I can get help or help somebody on the forum I will definitely post it ;-) . No secret squirrel back door garbage :shock: . I will also post if I have a problem with manufacture that is dealt with swiftly and fairly by the dealer and/or manufacturer and sing their praise 8) . I feel that this is one of the great things about the forum. I can certainly take criticism but so far feel that my investment in an Outback was exactly right for me ( so it is )  . It may not be right for everyone and I 'get' that ;-) . If somebody takes a dig at my own personal yak then I'm afraid I'll have to whip up a payout of my own...lol...'sall good...lol. But a slinging match over make or model is a waste of everyone's time and I don't feel I'll participate in that. I wouldn't like to see posts "pulled" unless they are inflammatory but am happy to trust the mods to do their best to get it right. After all, it's all a moot point. My yaks are better than yours 'cause they're mine :twisted: ...lol. :shock: 
*Quickly ducks under desk to avoid thrown cabbages* :lol: :lol:


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## ScottLovig (Aug 7, 2006)

Here's the main problem.
I dont offer advice about kayaks I have never owned. There's no point, because the info would be pure guess work and get the backs up of real users who have genuine experience. There are more productive outlets for running up a high post count.

Cheers

Scott


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## Guest (Aug 16, 2008)

Lazybugger said:


> Mate,
> 
> So far we've been pretty lucky and haven't had any incidents really involving hull integrity. Most of the warranty issues relate to things like mirage drives on hobies but they are easily & readily fixed by the dealers.


what a load of rubbish. I believe even some of the mods here have had replacment hulls due to hull integrity.......2 or 3 that I hear of.

I am with Davey G on this in the fact when some of these issues get resolved, I will probably get on. A quick google on the matter will show you a poll on a US kayak forum showing 35% of Hobie owners polled experienced problems.

I have been accused on more than one occasion here of being a Malibu dealer cause I love my yak.............but a quick search of my posts will show that 3 or 4 years ago Malibu had some hull issues (only 2 in Australia) which I voiced publicly for my reason for not buying one. Once the issues were resolved, I bought one. Why do hobie owners have such a problem with the fact that their kayaks are not the be all or end all in kayak fishing? After all, it seems to be no problem ramming them down peoples throats why they are better than every thing else out there.

Hopefully before my post gets considered for deletion, the word "forum" gets looked up in the dictionary.


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## Guest (Aug 16, 2008)

probably the best and fairest response I have seen  Thanks for taking the time out to respond to my woffle 8)


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## wopfish (Dec 4, 2006)

Dear Mr Boeing

Ive thinking of purchasing one of your new aircraft for transatlantic flight. I hear the x67A model is a revolutionary piece of design and transforms the flying experience to new heights. I'm really considering taking on one of these aircraft but some reports I hear is that the main structure of the aircraft has been known to fail in 1 % of cases and this happening during flight. Should this concern me while I am half way across the pacific ? I hear your warranty service is second to none... but the possible structure issues leave me with some doubt.

Yours Sincerely

Mr Woppie

PS Please dont get upset If I decide to discuss this issue with some of your loyal users and other people interested in the aircraft industry.


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## Guest (Aug 16, 2008)

wopfish said:


> Dear Mr Boeing
> 
> Ive thinking of purchasing one of your new aircraft for transatlantic flight. I hear the x67A model is a revolutionary piece of design and transforms the flying experience to new heights. I'm really considering taking on one of these aircraft but some reports I hear is that the main structure of the aircraft has been known to fail in 1 % of cases and this happening during flight. Should this concern me while I am half way across the pacific ? I hear your warranty service is second to none... but the possible structure issues leave me with some doubt.
> 
> ...


Dear mr woppie,

a 1% failure (or 35% depending on who you talk too) is unacceptable when it comes to peoples lives, especially when it is half way across the pacific. We would prefer that our customers do not talk people out of an already proven safe method of travel into a craft that still has teething issues until everything has been sorted out and there is no more safety issues.

When these problems are rectified, we look forward to being the superior means of travel. Until then, we will keep our noses to the grind stone building and modifying what we believe can be the next revolution of travel 

Regards,

Mr Boeing


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## justcrusin (Oct 1, 2006)

> ustcruisin's Prowler 13 - Due to a case of 'crappus workmanshippus" Daves P13 nearly sank after he performed some surgery on it and installed (badly) a rear hatch which wasn't quite watertight. :lol: :twisted:


Only just saw this, I'll get you Davey G :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: I also have to dispute this, it was the crappy screw hatch I fitted that leaked not my silcon job :twisted:   That my story an i'm sticking to it.



> The other thing that I don't understand is that I can't recall anything but oblique references to hull replacements from the affected owners. And I know some that simply will not talk openly about the replacement. Some owners have had more than one replacement. That this happens but is not discussed fosters uncertainty and speculation. Is it any wonder that the discussion continues?


Ok Dave I'll spill the beans on mine, there was a pin hole on the front seat of the mirage drive, at the time I was still at uni an fishing three - four times a week with turbo fins, as I peddled water underpressure from the fins would force into the hull and gradually got worse. Good side after contacting the dealer when I actually found the problem because the hole was tiny for the amount of water getting in I had a new hull in around a week and they gave me a loaner for the in between.

I think Davey G's first sumation of kayak problems on page one was correct, as with cars an all other things mass produced occasionally a problem occurs, hobie owners are lucky that they have such good customer service and unlucky that everyone else is jealous :lol: :lol:

By the way I am biased an hate everyone equally :shock: 8) ;-)

Cheers dave


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## Guest (Aug 16, 2008)

there is definatley no arguing Hobies after markt service. I get the poops at some of the people using them, but the companies service to their customers is second to none.

I am a fan of after market service, and despite my personal opinions on some peoples claims, Hobie offer for what its worth, what I consider to be one of if not the best after market service in the kayak industry


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## Flump (Apr 17, 2006)

Heeelllllpppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp.......I've just run out of popcorn


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## wopfish (Dec 4, 2006)

But its not resolved yet...........................     :shock: :? 8) :lol: :twisted: ;-)


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## Blaen (Jul 4, 2006)

Never fear fresh Popcorn has arrived. :lol:

As an owner of a 2006 Hobie OUtback, I have had aboslutely no trouble with either the hull or the mirage drive, except when I hit a submerged log and bent a fin mast and the response from my local dealer was to offer to check out the mirage drive and they replaced the bent mast free of charge. That sort of after sales service even for something that was totally my fault is exceptional.

Thus far no problems with the hull, I got it in August 2006 and "The Tub" is still bobbing along out there.


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## ScottLovig (Aug 7, 2006)

keljad said:


> A quick google on the matter will show you a poll on a US kayak forum showing 35% of Hobie owners polled experienced problems.


Terrible things forums......more unreliable than surveys. :twisted:

No one can run a business on a 35% failure rate, let alone lead the market.

Cheers

Scott


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## Guest (Aug 16, 2008)

Hobie Vic said:


> keljad said:
> 
> 
> > A quick google on the matter will show you a poll on a US kayak forum showing 35% of Hobie owners polled experienced problems.
> ...


Unless they provide the exceptional level of after market service that hobie provide..........................you hobie guys always forget to mention my positive spin on your product


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## wopfish (Dec 4, 2006)

kraley said:


> wopfish said:
> 
> 
> > But its not resolved yet...........................     :shock: :? 8) :lol: :twisted: ;-)
> ...


Note to self - ensure covers on hatches are closed before rolling said kayak in surf.

Note to self - ensure drain plug is screwed in before entry

Note to self - leave free space on back of yak for emergency rescue of fellow peddler in case of structure failure rescue ( 1 % probablity ? ).


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## wopfish (Dec 4, 2006)

leftieant said:


> The vast majority of negative Hobie rhetoric I'm hearing in this thread at the moment is from non-Hobie owners.


What I think that this thread is failing to miss is the fact that I would like to be a Hobie owner - but If I hear a report of the hull cracking for whatever reasons ( abuse or design failure ) then this makes me think twice about setting offshore one one. Yes I am not a Hobie owner - but perhaps one day I will be - but I should be able to state my case and here what other peoples issues are.

So let me hear how the craft fares and here peoples thoughts and experiences on the forum.

I would like to say I have no relationship to any manufacturers of kayaks and my integrity lies with the sport of kayak fishing and the safety aspects of it including the members on this site - sponsored by the NSW government and the tossers in Canberra :lol:


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## Guest (Aug 16, 2008)

leftieant said:


> My $0.02
> 
> The vast majority of negative Hobie rhetoric I'm hearing in this thread at the moment is from non-Hobie owners.
> 
> Let me ask you this: How have you come to this opinion? What research have you done? Is it from credible sources or heresay? Can you substantiate your sources? Are you satisfied as to their integrity?.


My information comes from *Hobie owners* both right here on this forum, the other two Australian kayak forums, and about 3 of the biggest kayak forums in the US.

Is that good enough that the info I base my opinion on comes from the horses mouth?? Can I substantiate my sources??.............ask your fellow mods how many of them have had replacement hulls and you tell me..................................

P.S. Looking at the amount Ive posts I have made since I joined,.........I think my fingers keep clear of the keyboard for the most part ;-)


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## bazzoo (Oct 17, 2006)

Ahhh , thats it , my staff of nubile young readers have had enough and gone home , they ran out the door screaming bloody Hobies , and shedding their clothing as they went . :shock: :shock: :shock: :lol: :lol:


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## bazzoo (Oct 17, 2006)

Ummmm yes Ant if you wouldnt mind , but this time i wanna be standing out in the street as they run out the door shedding their clothing as the go , the view from there would be oh so much better :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## Guest (Aug 16, 2008)

kraley said:


> keljad said:
> 
> 
> > P.S. Looking at the amount Ive posts I have made since I joined,.........I think my fingers keep clear of the keyboard for the most part ;-)
> ...


and yet not so long ago dear kraley you preached how superior your Hobie was to my Xfactor (and everyone elses kayak) without ever trying one ( I believe the comment was "undisputed fishing champion" or words to that effect)...............at least I have tried the competition before commenting, and my Xfactor hull still remains true without ever the need of being replaced ;-) Come to think of it, my previous two perceptions are still going strong with their new owners, as too is my old Australis and Feels free's...........some now onto their 4th and 5th owners. Where is your original hull?

I also give equal credit to the hobies as what I do critisism, and reccomend them on many occasions. Its just that as usual, the smart quotes and comments come if the comment should be not what you wish to hear.


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## paffoh (Aug 24, 2006)

Awww cmon guys, heaven help me!

He said she said, stop it or you will go blind, follow the leader, lead a horse to water etc etc...

I hear that we are talking about Hobies, replacement hulls, manufacturers warranty claims, members honesty, commercial affiliations, over moderation, technical abuse, guess work and a lot of bruh ha ha. If somebody posted a thread which started off with something personal about you I would expect it to be responded to in a malicious way ( But kayaks cant talk, they are not beings ). On this web site I find Hobies to have a represented fan base similar to those of your favourite football teams ( Please compliment my team but dont spend you dieing days exploiting loop holes ).

Hater or Lover doesn't matter, just beware the minions...


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## Marky10 (Apr 25, 2008)

redman said:


> Thanks for the replies fellas, i realise the hobies have a bit more stress but the convenience for fishing is why I bought one so I figured that would take precedence. I've deleted the topic as it has been pointed out it could turn into one big S$#@fight and Id rather avoid that.


Just had to go to the original question to see what this is all about.... Redman, sorry mate, deleting didn't work. Oh why can't we all just love each other.... Answer... coz we don't all have Bazz's nubile assisants..


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## Blaen (Jul 4, 2006)

kraley said:


> Blaen said:
> 
> 
> > Never fear fresh Popcorn has arrived. :lol:
> ...


Nah I would rather be part of the now not so silent majority. I seem to remember a similar thread when the OK's were coming out of NZ with dodgy moulding, they got fixed, just like the affected 2006 Hobies. There's no conspiracy here, well not from the manufacturers at least, they have to make sure they do the right thing by their customers or else they would be out of business eventually.


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## Blaen (Jul 4, 2006)

leftieant said:


> Steven, you're dealing with a serious and potentially life threatening situation. It's clear that the manufacturer does not take your business seriously, and at worst has been criminally deficient in building such a substandard pair of safety boots, that quite likely don't even meet the guidelines set out by the Double Plugger Act, 2008. I would not be suprised if you have been duped into buying a knock off copy, at full price, of course.
> 
> For issues as serious as this, nothing less than a Parlimentary Enquiry, and criminal sanctions against the manufacturer, the retailer, and the safety inspector at the double plugger factory will do.
> 
> Go straight to the top.


Ahhh caught by the ole double plugger double cross hey Chief?


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## spooled1 (Sep 16, 2005)

Blaen said:


> There's no conspiracy here, well not from the manufacturers at least, they have to make sure they do the right thing by their customers or else they would be out of business eventually.


Exactly! And when yak related issues are talked about objectively in forums, manufacturers have an opportunity to take note, revisit and occasionally redesign their product to better suit yak fishing. You just need to look back 2 years to see the developments this activity.

In the past, a drink holder moulding was a luxury feature and flushmount rod holders were nearly always a DIY job. Now there's every conciveable option and just about everything can be professionally installed by specialist dealers for those wanting a turnkey solution. These developments were often based on the collective contributions of real yak anglers like ourselves.

The more we talk about issues, good and bad, the better the end product will be ON ALL YAK BRANDS that market fishability.


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## Blaen (Jul 4, 2006)

spooled1 said:


> Blaen said:
> 
> 
> > There's no conspiracy here, well not from the manufacturers at least, they have to make sure they do the right thing by their customers or else they would be out of business eventually.
> ...


Amen to that Dan.


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## JT (May 25, 2006)

I feel a bit differently than all that Amen to the greater good stuff.

I own a Hobie Revo and owned an Outback prior to that.

I have had a problem with the hull on the Outback and with the mirage drive on 2 different (or is it 3?) occasions over the period of about 2 years. 1 of the issues on the mirage drive was due to poor maintenance on my side. The other 2 were not so much defects in the product but wear and tear pure and simple.

I don't talk about them on this forum or anywhere else for several reasons:

1. I feel no compulsion to tell people about something that I don't consider particularly important i.e. they have been done to death on the forum
2. The service has been so amazing that I feel I would be appearing to be extremely ungrateful to my local dealer who has constantly gone beyond the call and certainly beyond the terms of the warranty
3. I feel that the issues would unnecessarily and disproportionately detract from what I consider to be a very cool product that gives me enormous pleasure and satisfaction. A fault in a Hobie seems to be disproportionately relished and pounced upon by many. That I find really odd :shock: 
4. the issues that affected me have been changed and manufactured out of the product (or so I am led to believe)
5. I am so busy with my business, my kids, my plan for world domination and my vegetable garden that I am buggered if I can find the time

I do wonder however why the topic of issues with any other brand doesn't keep arising. I am not sure if anyone has implied it but IMHO DaveyG isn't anti Hobie...he even told me up in the Whitsundays that one day he can see himself owning one. Sorry DaveyG...I hope I haven't let the feline out of the bag.

That's just my thinking. It may be riddled with holes and be illogical/insane but there you go. Just my .02 cents worth.

Let's hug it out people! 8)

JT


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## ScottLovig (Aug 7, 2006)

keljad said:


> My information comes from *Hobie owners* both right here on this forum, the other two Australian kayak forums, and about 3 of the biggest kayak forums in the US.


Lets face it, thats just regurigtating the same junk we have here. Sound's like your reading the preachings of US forum loonie Capt Jimbo, the David Koresh of irrational Hobie haters. That guy burnt his credibility on this issue a long time ago.

Each time you point out our fantastic after sales service it reads like a thinly veiled smoke screen for the rest of your opinions on Hobie yaks. If you dont own or have owned one then what what can you possibly offer as far as advice to others?

Cheers

Scott


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## Guest (Aug 17, 2008)

Hobie Vic said:


> keljad said:
> 
> 
> > My information comes from *Hobie owners* both right here on this forum, the other two Australian kayak forums, and about 3 of the biggest kayak forums in the US.
> ...


No actually,............ Like I said, the comments are from Hobie owners themselves, go for a google, you will find them, or should I start posting links?

And there is no smoke screen, I am simply stating facts.

1. there is hull issues and
2. They get replaced by excellent after market service.

I see no problem there as these are the facts.

If you dont like me, or anyone else bringing up the problems with these machines, then the answer is simple - fix it

( and who said that I dont now own one?? )


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