I don't know about "the future of sailing", but maybe where a lot of future sailors will get into sailing.

Ok, I gotta tell you, the Hobie Mirage Adventure Island is really fun and it is VERY versatile.



It is the MirageDrive that makes it all work. It is a kayak that can pedal or paddle, a trimaran sailboat that is fun to sail and pretty fast when compared to other boats it's size. The sail is roller furling and can be reefed as desired. The amas fold in against the hull for docking and beaching.

No, we did not design the first trimaran nor did we have the first folding amas, but we did design the Hobie MirageDrive and this has created a whole new class of products for Hobie Cat. We are very excited about combining the drive with other sailboat products as well. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

This is a natural. This is something EVERYONE can do. You can pedal out of a harbor, pedal through tacks and gybes, pedal for more performance or to get up on a plane (yes... they plane in good winds / 10+ MPH is possible), pedal upwind or pedal in no wind to get home. It is simple and efficient. Combine that to the roller furling sail rig and you have something that is safe and secure for people with little or no sailing skills.

Is this sailing? Of course... I have sailed and raced for over 30 years on all kinds of sailboats and boards. This is still excitiong to me. Will this bring in new blood to sailing? Absolutely! The Adventure Islands ARE teaching people about sailing and how to sail. Is it good for sailing? Certainly, any new sailors are good (to have) sailors. We are getting World Wide exposure and the product is EXPLODING with popularity. It is our number one seller now. We have one dealer in San Diego that sold 30 before they were even available last winter. That is Fast Lane Sailing (and Kayaking now) and one of the biggest Nacra / Prindle / Hobie dealers in the country. Ron, his family and his staff love these things. Is it just a flash-in-the-pan that people will get bored of? I don't think so. It is MUCH more versatile than any other "sailing" product I have ever heard of. You can do a lot on these.

You don't have to trust me on this, you can read the users feedback in our kayak forums and others. People love them!

http://www.hobiecat.com/kayaking/video/Adventure_Island.wmv

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Matt Miller
Hobie Cat Company