# Some questions for REVO owners



## deano199 (Nov 2, 2008)

Im lookin at buying one and would like to know a few things first, i dunno how many questions ill come up with but ill just make a list of em' eh?

1) Can you put a standard kayak seat in em, or do you have to use the Hobie one?
2) Is a sailing rudder nessacary? Why/why not?
3) Are turbo fins worth the extra coin? and do they make you feel like you on a pushy thats always in top gear? 
4) Which do you preffer standard or turbo? why/why not?
5) Is it possible to store rods in the hull? Say something around 7Foot long.

And last but not least which colours are preffered?

Alrite that probably wont be the last but thats it for now, thanks in advance to anyone that answers.


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## Brownie (Aug 15, 2007)

My thoughts and perceptions

1) Probably can put a standard kayak seat in em, but I have never tried as I use the Hobie one with an i-comfort base as an extra (kept the original seat pad attached as well) and no numb bum after hours in the seat.

2) I have found the sailing rudder was one of the most noticeable upgrades to performance that I did, and would recommend it as it sailing rudder really helps the tracking of the revo enormously. (like maybe they would be better coming out standard with a sailing rudder) With the currents and large tide movement around Mackay Qld it has made pedaling so much easier.

3) Never used the turbo fins and have stuck with ST Fins since day one and find them more than adequate. I have heard that Turbo fins can place extra unwanted stress on the hull for a little speed gain. Also Turbo fins mean longer masts which means more issues in the shallower waters.

4) See 3) above

5) Never done it, but would presume that it would be an interesting experiment getting them out as using the big hatch at the front would mean that all your body weight would be up front when removing them,and the rear hatch would have the same issue as well as the fact that I have a crate to contend with as well.

Colours - I have Safety Orange ....... for the safety factor
I go out in the open blue regularly and other places where the tinny and speed boat fraternity also play and I want to be seen before I am hit.

Hope this is a help


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## Scott (Aug 29, 2005)

Mate I have an adventure not a revo but the sailing rudder is definitely necessary. Even with one of these, the turning circle is bigger than my paddle yaks unless a paddle is used. I guess it is due to a paddle blade being to the side of a yak where as the fins are centred under the hull. I use the ST fins and find them fast and more than adequate. I have also heard that the turbos put too much stress on the drive. The Hobie seat is great and has lugs that lock into the hull. I have never tried long rods in the hull but can easily access the front hatch on the water due to the excellent secondary stability.

Scott


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## Shorty (May 11, 2008)

Theres some good advice from Brownie and Scott.

Just so newbees know and i was confused for a while theres 3 sets of fins standard,,ST and ST Turbo fins.

I have seen a few long time Hobie owners drop from Turbo back to ST's, the beauty of ST's if they fit on the existing rods with Turbos you need to fit longer rods,,a bit of stuffing about and cost more.

Other options are Turbo rear and ST front,,which is the route i am going.

As for colour,,i was at the Snapper grounds here looking out a couple of km's,,the Golden Hobies were the easiest spotted (no Orange on that day) the worse colour on a choppy day is white (Pearl?) merges in with the white wash and chop.


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## grinner (May 15, 2008)

mate i think mine goes ok without the turbo fins, i would imagine like a bigger gear on a bike they are a bit harder to push.

i dont think youd get a rod inside, to be honest on day trips i dont touch the front and rear hatch

yellow/ orange seems a bit safer

the most important tip is that when loading it , if you grab by the hand holds and flip it up it balances perfectly on your head with no real effort and then you can just put it sideways on the car. paulo put that tip on here and its the best bit of advice i ever got on akff

cheers pete


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## ausbass (Feb 15, 2007)

1) Probably could never thought about it, but why would you when you buy one with the kayak, I'll be making another foam bottom part cause mine has compressed over time.

2)I wont be buying the sailing rudder because the standard is suitable enough for my needs.

3)Never used either the ST or ST Turbo's, though after some recent XXXL trips of peddaling for up to 4hrs a session, 2x a day, for 3 days Ill be getting the ST fins for sure.

4)See above

5)I have tried fitting a rod in the front hatch but unsuccessful, I have heard others have done it but I might just be doing it differently. I can fit some 6' 6" rods in the front as long as they are 2 piece. ;-)

Colours: I went Moss, cause it looks cool and because I didnt think I'd need the safety colours of Orange or Yellow as much seeing I wear a Yellow PFD and bright red Hat ;-)

Just to add some extra info if you want; 
I have used it in 3-4ft swell thought this was in a river and not as choppy as the beach. Handled the outgoing well, doesnt turn as one would expect whilst surfing a wave; as the pressure from the speed the yak is going renders it pretty much useless (maybe a sailing rudder would be different?). It also tends to nose dive a bit on some of the steeper waves. :shock: 
It handles general chop well though with some of the bigger stuff, and if not all SOT kayaks be prepared to get wet.
Not much wind drag.
Very stable (I often gondala style mine over sandbanks).
Keeps up a reasonable pace for a long distance.

Only probs with it is the lack of moulded in rod holders, so I made a rocket launcher and a crate with holders.


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## mcbigg (Jul 14, 2007)

2/ Yes, sailing rudder made a big difference to turn circle as well as tracking in a straight line without having to constantly make small corrections as often. (It does make the rudder noticeably harder to raise and lower, but it's still doable and worth it.)


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## Guest (May 6, 2009)

Sailing rudder for the win. ST front and turbo rear works best for me.


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## Junglefisher (Jun 2, 2008)

I have the standard rudder, I only use my Revo in the ocean so the turning circle is not an issue for me.
Rods - No.
I put ST (Square Tip) Fins on before I used my Revo and they are the only fins I've ever used. It's nothing like being in top gear (or even middle gear) on a bike. There's very little resistance to each pedal stroke.
Red (papaya).


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## deano199 (Nov 2, 2008)

WOW thanks heaps guys.
suprised at the speed of responses.
Soo when i get it first upgrades are st fins and a sailing rudder.
The only reason i asked about the seat is coz i whent out and brought a $300 seat for my p13.
And the rods inside the hull coz ive heard they dont handle waves too well and if im gonna get dumped ill want all my rods in the hull.

Thanks again


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## Guest (May 6, 2009)

Sailing rudder and ST finns defenately worth it, for better manuvrebilety and a good compromise between speed/ resistance!! 
Rods do fit through the front hatch, but (mine) did not fit through the centre hutch.
Seat is good.


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## Trogdor (Apr 20, 2009)

Has anybody used all three fins?

I went for a test last w/e and tried the outback and revolution with standard and ST fins. They didnt have any turbos to test sadly.

The ST fins were much, much better on both kayaks than the standards. Felt like for less effort more speed was gained (the standard fins seemed to not provide incremental speed with faster paddling).

Is the step up from ST to Turbo bigger or smaller than the step up from standard to ST?

Im getting an Outback very soon - the question is should I buy ST or Turbo fins?


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## jtrippa (Feb 18, 2008)

Hi guys noticed a few comments of st front and turbo rear????? Does that mean you have two different types of blade on the mirage drive??? I am a litttle bit confused how that would work. I have turbo fins on my outback and they are great to use.. I also have sailing rudder and find it excellent.... Having said that I have had it like that since new so can't compare with the standard fins /rudder.


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## GregL (Jul 27, 2008)

deano199 said:


> And the rods inside the hull coz ive heard they dont handle waves too well and if im gonna get dumped ill want all my rods in the hull.


If I'm beach launching and predicting a flogging, I actually lay my rods flat against the hull and hold them in place with the bungy that holds the paddle in place on each side, that way if you do go turtle, there's less chance of snapping them.
Getting them out of the front hatch in a Revo on a wobbly sea would be a bit of a sketchy mission, and I wouldn't want to have the front hatch open if I fell out trying to get to my rods. (I'm 6'2" and 100kgs - it may not be such an issue for a smaller person)
Smeg


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## Guest (May 7, 2009)

> Has anybody used all three fins?


Yes, me. But no one can answer and tell you which fins are best for you. They are different, as is each user. ST fins are pretty safe though.


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## Sunhobie (Jun 22, 2006)

You can fit rods in via the centre hatch. Even easier if you undo the screws and re-install the hatch sideways (so the lid opens to the right) Sure you have to bend them (thats what rods do best). I'd rather have em inside the hull while I am rolling in the surf than have them strapped on the outside.
Some of the two/three pice rods are very nice these days and they go in as easy as pie.


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## mustrumr (Feb 27, 2009)

jtrippa said:


> Hi guys noticed a few comments of st front and turbo rear????? Does that mean you have two different types of blade on the mirage drive??? I am a litttle bit confused how that would work.


Yes, you can mix and match any of the three different styles of fin. It's a bit like having a choice of gears "in between" the standard, Sts, and St Turbos. I haven't tried it, but lots of people swear by the ST/ST Turbo combination.

My impression is that the difference between the various types of fins is not one of top speed (I could go just as fast with the standard fins as with the ST Turbos I currently use) the difference is one of cadence - how fast you have to pedal to maintain a particular speed. With the ST Turbos I'm only pedalling about half as fast to maintain the same speed, but of course, just like a higher gear on a bike, each pedal stroke is harder work with greater resistance.

I'm quite happy with that trade-off, but everybody is different and some prefer the slightly faster cadence of the ST/ST Turbo combination (which is a slightly slower cadence than having just STs). You could get an even lower gear by combining a standard fin with an ST.

To summarise:

Standard fins = first gear
Standard/ST = second gear
STs = third gear
ST/ST Turbo = fourth gear
ST Turbos = fifth gear
(Not sure what having one standard and one ST Turbo would be like, but I'm guessing it would be similar to having the straight STs)

The ST Turbos are about 7cm longer than the plain STs and standard fins, and they do compromise shallow water performance, as does the ST/ST Turbo combination. Whether that is a problem depends a lot on what sort of fishing you do - on the flats or in shallow rivers the standard fins or STs are a better bet.

Hope this helps.

EDIT: I've got the sailing rudder, and I think it is much better than the standard rudder - tracks better and gives a much tighter turning circle. I've had the occasional minor problem with raising and lowering it, but nothing that couldn't be fixed by trying again. And it's essential if you are going to use the sail kit, as without it it's just about impossible to steer, especially upwind.


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## Shorty (May 11, 2008)

ALEC, I put the standard fin and turbo on last night,,so will find out tommorow how that goes.

I am just wondering about the variation and whether the back with suffer more load stresses,,S.T and Turbo seem the better match.


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## deano199 (Nov 2, 2008)

Thanks again guys very handy info there. ;-) 
And the more i think about the more i want a revo over a FG ski. :twisted: (will i go to hell for crossing over? ;-) )
Anyway thanks loads guys and if i think of anything else (questions) will add it this thread.


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## CatfishKeith (Apr 17, 2009)

I just put ST fins on my Revo. I didn't have any issues with the standard fins but since I have the ST fins I better try them out. I'll most probably get a set of Turbo fins as well, that way I'm covered for all situations.

I haven't gone with a sailing rudder. The standard seems to be ok and the Revo tracks well, but from what others are saying it helps with the turning circle in tighter locations.

I think a anchor trolley and a drift chute would also be a good addition to slow down a drift when the wind is up.

Also and still looking at fish finders but which one...I like the Garmin 400c, good for shallow and deep water, big screen, colour but not sure if that is getting to carried away, then again it doesnt have TV reception or DVD  .


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## deano199 (Nov 2, 2008)

CatfishKeith said:


> I just put ST fins on my Revo. I didn't have any issues with the standard fins but since I have the ST fins I better try them out. I'll most probably get a set of Turbo fins as well, that way I'm covered for all situations.
> 
> I haven't gone with a sailing rudder. The standard seems to be ok and the Revo tracks well, but from what others are saying it helps with the turning circle in tighter locations.
> 
> ...


I wont be goin overboard with me sounder on my next yak, i just want somethin similar to what ive got now and maybe a built in GPS. I had a good deal on a Humminbird at cunningham marine until Jason (one of the 2 guys to die in Moreton Bay) went and got himself lost at sea and because i hadnt said i would take it no paper work was done for it. Soo now i wont get anythin anywhere near as good.


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## tater (Apr 16, 2008)

> until Jason (one of the 2 guys to die in Moreton Bay) went and got himself lost at sea and because i hadnt said i would take it no paper work was done for it. Soo now i wont get anythin anywhere near as good.


Yeah, I spose some people are just inconsiderate hey.


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## deano199 (Nov 2, 2008)

tater said:


> > until Jason (one of the 2 guys to die in Moreton Bay) went and got himself lost at sea and because i hadnt said i would take it no paper work was done for it. Soo now i wont get anythin anywhere near as good.
> 
> 
> Yeah, I spose some people are just inconsiderate hey.


I didnt mean it like that, its sad that hes gone and I feel for his family  and im glad Cunningham marine is tryin to help out with their John and Jason appeal  , but all im sayin is im more p**sed at myself for not taking the opporturnity when it arose :? (guess i shouldnt have said it). if it wasnt for the great deals he'd done for me with the prowler i wouldnt even have known his name and he wouldve been just aother sales clerk to me.
Sorry if I offended anyone with that.


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## deano199 (Nov 2, 2008)

Does anyone take a few spares for the mirage?.
whats in the kit and whats it cost?
Just an update on my status towards getting one.
Soo far im saving but im mainly waiting for tax time and then ill work out what i need to sell my p13 for.


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## justcrusin (Oct 1, 2006)

Hi Deano, mate i take a couple of spare bit i have around with me, always seems to be the wrong ones. What I have found the things I have broken on them are usual $20-$50 to fix so not that much really and from what i can see you can get replacment bits for the entire drive. Main things that have gone wrong for me if ripping fins apart on oyster racks and bending masts again oyster racks and rocks all from my own silly fault.

Cheers dave


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## Pauly (Jun 28, 2006)

Mixing the fins (st / st turbo, std, turbo etc....) is a waste of time. :? (josh- some times you can play with your kayak too much)

Just tune your St or st turbo fins, that is why they have brass adjusters!

1st gear - standard blades 
2nd gear - st fins backed off
3rd gear - st fins firm
4th gear - turbos backed off 
5th gear - turbos firm......

I have found after over 4 years using the mirage drive, the turbos or ST tuned correctly will cover ALL situations. (ST fins are great if going into a waterway with alot of shallow sections.)

If you are going to put on 1 Turbo fin & 1 ST you are better off setting up a pair of matching fins & set up so the water flows evenly creating balanced thrust.


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## Shorty (May 11, 2008)

4.5 gear,,Turbo Firm back,,turbo loose front 8)


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## Dan29 (Nov 26, 2008)

Some people must have one leg shorter than the other.


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## Guest (May 15, 2009)

> Mixing the fins (st / st turbo, std, turbo etc....) is a waste of time.


Tried it? There is a noticeable difference in my experiements (not so much in speed, but in feel, and for me this has some effect on endurance - I'm getting near turbo performance from near ST power. Mixing up fins makes more difference than those adjusters. And yes, those experiments have included adjusting the brass adjusters (I have a loose ST up front, tight turbo on rear). So I reckon I know what works best for me Paul, but thanks for your concern 

And the way I discovered what was the best set up for me was by experimenting. You're right, I do play with my yak a lot, and some experiments don't work out. That's why they are experiments. Some do work, and this one definitely does (nor does it cause any damage to anything, so it's not like it's doing any harm either). To say it doesn't work tells me you haven't tried it, or are otherwise probably missing the point of it. I do take your point on even thrust, but that's got more to do with speed, as opposed to cadence. The measures I've taken are to do with cadence... but as a pleasant side to that, speed performance was at least as good as I was hoping for.


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## deano199 (Nov 2, 2008)

Im not worried about the depth too much soo does that mean im probably better off goin with turbos?
Id deffinetly take turbos over ST's if:
1. they cause no prblems with the mirage drive or the mirage well.
2. they make a noticable difference in speed.
3. they arent too hard to pedal (affecting stamina over distances).
???? :? :? :lol:


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## blaggon (Jan 14, 2008)

ok guys. the brass adjusters being talked about here. what effect do they have and how tight or lose should they be ?


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## Guest (May 15, 2009)

Brass adjusters are the brass screw thingies at the top of the fin. There is one on each (not on standards). Draw it taught for a stiffer fin, which will give you a bit better acceleration per stroke (for a slight increase in resistance on legs). Have them set lower for a looser, more flexible fin. This should be a bit easy to push along, and offers a bit more torque for a very slight decrease in acceleration. I find the difference fairly subtle, but its there.


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## blaggon (Jan 14, 2008)

Yakass said:


> Brass adjusters are the brass screw thingies at the top of the fin. There is one on each (not on standards). Draw it taught for a stiffer fin, which will give you a bit better acceleration per stroke (for a slight increase in resistance on legs). Have them set lower for a looser, more flexible fin. This should be a bit easy to push along, and offers a bit more torque for a very slight decrease in acceleration. I find the difference fairly subtle, but its there.


thank you Josh. will give it a try


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## deano199 (Nov 2, 2008)

What does everyone use for fish storage on their revo's?
Pics would be great as im not real good at putting words into a mental picture. Or just a link would be great too.
Thanks to everyone for their help, im still saving, waiting for tax time and trying to sell the prowler but im hoping it will all come together soon.


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## Junglefisher (Jun 2, 2008)

Esky in the back well.


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## deano199 (Nov 2, 2008)

Another one that goes along with the fish storage.
Do those of you who:
A) mostly for estuary species
B) have one.

use the Hobie livewell for fish storage, im thinkin even after youve killed the fish itd be alright in there for hours as long as the water is changed regularly (to keep temp down).

Just wonderin what yas do. as i havent had alot of replies on this one yet im startin to think for myself :? (that cant be good hahaha)


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