Hobie Mirage Fishing Kayak Guide

[maverick]

I am thinking of taking the Outback down to Flinders Island this weekend, via the Prom - anyone want to come along?

[wokka1]

I just know my own experience

I think that statement means a lot in regards to the debate. You're a big fit unit Shane with all the safety bases covered and you study the prevailing and predicted weather and tidal conditions and if you do happen to get caught out, like you said, you have plan B and C and your fitness to fall back on. The problem with a lot of people getting into the sport is that they think it's the Yak that makes them capable of tackling spot "X" when in fact it's the person piloting the Yak that get's them there and back again in one piece.

And that by no means is exclusive to offshore use. We all have personal or secondhand accounts of people who get themselves onto an Ebay cheapy and, having read the you beaut spiel online, think they are PPB capable simply because of the piece of plastic under them.

[cheaterparts]

A standard setup may have more issues tracking straight. I also would not recommend anyone heading out in wind anywhere near those speeds. That day was a pick up in wind hours ahead of forecast.

the rudder upgrade on your PA is prob one of the greatest mods

I followed Red Yak back to Grantville from Tenby Point one trip and it was down right scary to watch the PA struggle

We had a following wind 40 - 45 degs off the starbourd rear my guess 15 + kts and of cause the chop was up a bit , the PA wonted to turn all the time and the waves put the rudder clear of the water
in fact he had to go past the landing spot turn and beat back into it as the yak could not hold a heading

I'm sure that a larger rudder would have helped a lot on that trip

I had little trouble with my kingfisher and that had no rudder but a paddle to brace with -- the Prowler I have now would make even easier work of the same trip back -- and a lot quicker than the old kingy

[laneends]

I just know my own experience

I think that statement means a lot in regards to the debate. You're a big fit unit Shane with all the safety bases covered and you study the prevailing and predicted weather and tidal conditions and if you do happen to get caught out, like you said, you have plan B and C and your fitness to fall back on. The problem with a lot of people getting into the sport is that they think it's the Yak that makes them capable of tackling spot "X" when in fact it's the person piloting the Yak that get's them there and back again in one piece.

If anyone can get a PA safely there and back its Shane. There are a lot of peddlers out there who are far from athletic, or on their game.

And that by no means is exclusive to offshore use. We all have personal or secondhand accounts of people who get themselves onto an Ebay cheapy and, having read the you beaut spiel online, think they are PPB capable simply because of the piece of plastic under them.

I did this once, and that was enough to convince me theres more to it than having plastic will travel

[GoneFishn]

-- the Prowler I have now would make even easier work of the same trip back -- and a lot quicker than the old kingy

Cheater, the prowlers are the best even my old modle, handle all conditions and are very quick

[Yakass]

There are a lot of peddlers out there who are far from athletic, or on their game.

Thats exactly right. Just like many kayak models aren't equal so to are many kayakers not equal. This is one of the reasons why one has to be careful about what they recommend on a public forum. You guys wouldn't believe the assumptions that get made because of what is read in forums like this. We see it at the shop frequently. Youtube also has a lot to answer for. People sit back watching youtube clips of guys pulling in monster fish miles off shore and think to themselves 'that looks easy... I can do that'. And they can, just as soon as they get a healthy amount of kayaking miles under their belt, gain some experience and gear up with the right equipment. What the youtube viewership doesn't get to see are all the hours pottering around in closer calmer waters, gaining experience incrementally trip by trip until eventually being ready to tackle more ambitious stuff. The two guys that killed themselves in PPB in their yaks a couple years back come to mind.

The fact of the matter is that the PA is not an off shore fishing kayak and was not built to be used off shore. Yes it can be done in good conditions. Yes some people will handle it better than others. Is it designed for off shore use? No, it's not. Knogg found this out the hard way. Learn from his experience.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKSnRKLJpq0

[cotso]

You could have the best kayak in the world and be the fittest person in the world but without "seaman ship" in bad conditions you won't be on the world for long.

[Piscateur]

Awesome Advice Josh
Guess If I was caught far from shore when conditions went bad Id want to be in the most efficient yak.

[Spiegel35]

Not sure if this has been mentioned yet, when can we buy the new 2015 kayaks?

[Yakass]

Models will trickle in few by few, not all in one go. My guess is we'll start seeing them Nov and some models will come later. If I was a betting man I'd say Islands will be last on the list to come through