# Paddling the Outback - it's horrible!



## mustrumr (Feb 27, 2009)

Headed down to Freshwater Bay today to try out paddling the Outback, since my knees are too stuffed to pedal: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=30092. Not a lot of fun: YakN00b described paddling the Outback as "they track about as well as a pig in a tub of turds". Actually it's worse than that :lol: .

Went out first up with no fishing gear at all, to see if I had learned anything form the youtube paddling vids I watched last night. It took a while, but eventually I was able to get into some sort of rhythm, but I found it really hard work. Trying to do that upper body twist instead of using the arms felt unnatural, but using the arms was just murder - I'd run out of puff in no time. And the Outback is so wide that it really isn't suited to paddling - the angle of the paddle is hard to get right.

If I left the rudder up I just couldn't keep a straight line at all, while with the rudder down it tracked much better but it was really susceptible to tiny adjustments of the rudder lever, so I'd have to stop paddling every 50 metres to move the lever a millimetre right or left.

It was clear from this trial that I wouldn't be able to have a rod in the forward rod holders and still paddle. Rear rod holders only then. OK - set it up for fishing and trial two.

Fortunately I found that I could lay the sounder forward on its ram mount enough to get it out of the way of the paddle stroke, and with the rod in the rear holder I set off to try a bit of casting around the yacht clubs. There was almost no breeze, so positioning myself with the paddle was OK, but it would have been a real pain if I was drifting fast with a wind - trying to juggle paddle and rod was hard enough even in millpond conditions. No doubt it just takes practice.

Donuts on the fishing - had a follow from what looked like a herring, but that was it. Time to head in for trial three - the sail.

I put the pedals in for this trial, as the fins act as a centreboard, theoretically allowing you to sail upwind. By now a very light breeze had come up - probably 2-4 knots, and very fluky, sometimes dying away completely. It was just enough to sail in and I drifted out with the wind behind me. I then tried un-stepping the mast and stowing it along the side and then re-stepping it. Worked OK. Gets in the way a bit but it would still be fishable.

Time to head back - now I'm trying to tack back upwind and it immediately becomes clear that trying to tack in a light breeze is really difficult. Normally if you are sailing the Outback you pedal at the same time. Without pedalling the kayak doesn't want to point higher than about 60 degrees to the wind and the fins don't offer much lateral resistance, so it slips sideways in the water.

Add the poor pointing to the side slip and I found I was really only able to tack at about 75 degrees, so progress upwind was painfully slow in the fitful breeze. Eventually I gave it up as a bad job and un-stepped the mast again and paddled back to shore. It might be better in a stronger breeze - we'll see. My impression is that sailing may be a viable way of getting out to places that would be too far for my poor paddling technique, but it's going to be very dependent on wind direction, since I have to be able to get back :lol:

All up I figure that I paddled the kayak about 3 or 4 kays, and although I can feel it in my arms and shoulders I'm not completely knackered. So short trips should be OK, and no doubt I'll get fitter and my technique will improve. I'll just have to live with it until my knees are better and I can go back to using the pedals. Please God - let it be soon!

Cheers,


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## FishWhisperer (Mar 5, 2009)

Maybe you should look at an ebay special elec motor until your better....get you one way at least...


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## mustrumr (Feb 27, 2009)

I'll certainly look at getting a leccy if the knees don't come good, but between the paddle and sail I reckon I should be OK for the short term. I'm thinking positive - a bit of upper body workout won't go astray - it might even change my carton back into a 6 pack :lol: .

Cheers,


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## YakN00b (Jun 9, 2008)

I gave Bungy a go with my paddle today on his outback and I used his std Hobie paddle. What a shock it felt like I was stirring a pot of custard with a strainer, With 90% of my effort going into the water and 10% into forward movement. On the other hand the outback got and went fairly quickly with a decent paddle.

I cant recommend strongly enough that you pension the std paddle off and get something halfway decent.


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## bungy (Jan 1, 2008)

Would have to agree with Yaknoob,that the Hobie padle is a little difficult to paddle with and the one Noob uses made it alot easier and with a little practise/form would be able to paddle some distance without to many ailments.
I might add that the peddle system works well and in a failure the hobie paddle would do the job in getting you back to your launch site..


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## kiwipea (Jun 17, 2008)

You can fit a leccy into the mirage drive hole on Hobies,
A company in Canberra fits them up























KP


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## pedalfisher (Aug 8, 2009)

I dont even bother with a full paddle on my outback I bought the T handle attachment that turns your hobie paddle into an oar. That is good enough to
get you out of the shallows and away from the boat ramp. I tried to paddle it once but gave up after 5 minutes, to hard to keep it straight


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## NufinFlash (Oct 8, 2008)

i to have tried to paddle an outback and it felt completly sluggish and extremly hard work, i actualy found it easier to paddle and manouver the outback if when your paddling you lean forward and paddle not from the middle of the yak but get the paddle to enter the water near where the mirage drive is, for me it seems alot more responsive paddling from there rather than from where the seat is.

the electric motor idea looks great, do we have any further info on this?


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## mustrumr (Feb 27, 2009)

I'll try out one of my mate's paddle - he's got a decent one - and see if it makes a huge difference. The standard Hobie paddle is definitely rubbish - good enough for emergencies, but that's all.

I think I'll probably end up mainly sailing though - now all I have to do is make up a dagger board, because the side slip when tacking is ridiculous. Or alternatively, does anybody know if the dagger board from the Adventure Island fits an Outback?

Cheers,


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## skorgard (Oct 6, 2007)

Alec I have and Outback and an AI - there is no slot in the Outback for the daggerboard and that is a very large hole to make. My suggestion is to get Turbo fins and keep them straight which will act as a daggerboard.


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## Ranger (May 31, 2008)

NufinFlash said:


> the electric motor idea looks great, do we have any further info on this?


I too am interested to hear more on these little leccys!


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## kiwipea (Jun 17, 2008)

Here is a copy/paste from another yak forum.Was posted December 2008

A lot of people who see Hobie kayaks for the first time wonder about how tiresome it might be to pedal a kayak around the water and some people just won't believe you that it's as easy as it is (which is understandable). Often the next question is 'can mount an electric motor onto it?' So even though I probably wouldn't use one myself - unless I had injured either of my legs that is - I know there's a market for a mounting solution for an electric motor onto a Hobie mirage kayak. Someone else thought so to, and went ahead and designed one, incorporating a Jarvis Marine Watersnake leccy motor (with 34 Lbs thrust) with a miragedrive well cassette plug. Ingenious!
I'd be very interested to see how it performs in any of the mirage model yaks. With 34lbs of thrust I imagine it'd tick along quite nicely, though I have no idea how it'd compare to the power of the Miragedrive. Apparently the unit has adjustable depth/draft and 5x forward and 3x reverse speeds. That would also make it an interesting proposal for a dedicated kayak angler craving the ability to go reverse on the fly. 
The Jarvis Marine Watersnake leccy motor/Hobie mirage cassette kits are being put together by an engineer local to the Canberra area and are available at Wetspot Watersports, Fyshwick. The retail price is $599. 

Did ask on a post few months back if any yakker had fitted up one of these but never had any replies 
kp

PS: No link or affiliation or any of these companys or products


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## mustrumr (Feb 27, 2009)

Hi skorgard - I've got the ST Turbos (the extra big fins) but even with them straight they don't stop enough side slip when tacking. I think some sort of dagger board is going to be the only answer, but if the AI ones don't fit I'll have to make one up. I saw one using the drive well plug on the Hobie US forum, and it doesn't look that hard.

Cheers,


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## Kalgrm (Nov 15, 2008)

Alec,

I've just put this thread up for your information. Others here might also find it useful if they like sailing their yaks. You're welcome to borrow mine for a few days over the weekend if you want.

Cheers,
Graeme


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## mustrumr (Feb 27, 2009)

Thanks for that, Graeme - it looks just what I'm looking for.

Cheers,


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## Ranger (May 31, 2008)

kiwipea said:


> Here is a copy/paste from another yak forum.Was posted December 2008
> 
> A lot of people who see Hobie kayaks for the first time wonder about how tiresome it might be to pedal a kayak around the water and some people just won't believe you that it's as easy as it is (which is understandable). Often the next question is 'can mount an electric motor onto it?' So even though I probably wouldn't use one myself - unless I had injured either of my legs that is - I know there's a market for a mounting solution for an electric motor onto a Hobie mirage kayak. Someone else thought so to, and went ahead and designed one, incorporating a Jarvis Marine Watersnake leccy motor (with 34 Lbs thrust) with a miragedrive well cassette plug. Ingenious!
> I'd be very interested to see how it performs in any of the mirage model yaks. With 34lbs of thrust I imagine it'd tick along quite nicely, though I have no idea how it'd compare to the power of the Miragedrive. Apparently the unit has adjustable depth/draft and 5x forward and 3x reverse speeds. That would also make it an interesting proposal for a dedicated kayak angler craving the ability to go reverse on the fly.
> ...


Thanks Kiwipea. I'm considering one of these down the track, so if I pick one up I'll let ya know how it goes. Personally I recon 34lb is a bit overkill.


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## paddlepop (May 12, 2007)

going back to the centreboard problem, here's one solution

pete


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## FishWhisperer (Mar 5, 2009)

Pete,

Any chance of getting some more photos of your sailing rig? Looks like it's well setup.

Cheers,

Luke


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## paddlepop (May 12, 2007)

sorry luke but that's not mine, just an image i downloaded from a yankee site

pete


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