It's amazing how many people are ready to bash something new if it doesn't fit their miopic view of what sailing 'should' be. It's like they're threatened. And just because the LOUDEST posters are into kev and carbon doesn't mean that these types of boats are the 'best'--they just suit the person that owns them. I don't have people calling for F16's, Tigers or Aclass everyday, but I do have people calling for AI's everyday. They obviously fill a niche and people love them.

The elitist 'my boat is the only boat' attitude does more to discourage new sailors from joining our sport than you may be aware. If you want to encourage new sailors, a little niceness would go a long way. Show them it's 'FUN', not that 'that other boat is crap blah,blah...'.
It's still fun for you to sail, right? It's hard to tell with all of the negativity sometimes.

Now, to anyone that posted a negative comment reguarding the AI.
1)Who has sailed one? (If you did you couldn't not at least crack a smile because you were having a good time.)

2)Who has seen someone sailing one? (They would've had a huge smile, because they were having a good time.)

3)Who just saw pictures of one on the internet and loves to type? (That's what I thought.)

And if you think that this type of craft does not provide an entry level for someone to get into sailing, I want some of what your smokin' <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

<img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Who said "my boat is the only boat?" I think at lot of positive opinions were voiced along with some questions on the position of the product in the market and also if the product would have long term interest for buyers.

Could this kayak be an entry into sailing? Sure, why not. no arguements there. Is it the future of sailing? Probably not.

The only 'my boat is the only boat' attitude is coming from the Hobie only people. I think that people here are pretty inclusive, not exclusive and I guess there is still a backlash against the Boat X edict.

Yeah, the only people that are saying anything about "my boat only" are the Hobie people.

I prefer the higher performance boats and I don't think I will ever own an Adventure Island but I am sure it could help get new people in to sailing. But like I have said before it is not the future of sailing. In my mind saying that it is the future is saying that it is the newest and most exciting thing out there. To me and I think many others the F16 class would be that. It is filling many gaps and allows alot of people to get on the water are very fast boats.

The Hobie crowd, which I used to think I was in because I owned a Hobie seems to look down on the other sailors because they buy from one dealer. And they seem to think that this dealer is the only one people should buy from. But Hobie has become slightly stagnant, yeah they just came out with the AI but what new high performance cats have they come out with. Look at Hobie Europe, they are rolling out new models all the time and some of them are pretty hot looking boats.

I am not saying that Hobie makes bad boats, far from that, I actually love some of their products. But I think that crowd that thinks it is Hobie or nothing else needs to adjust their attitude.

I will go on record again in saying that I find this concept to be interesting and even attractive.

I was just making some fun of the testimonials and the claim that this is "the future" of sailing.

So this is one LOUD poster who is in favour of the AI and I don't feel threatened by it.

Wouter

(can you tell I have been bored sh!tless for the last couple of days ? I got heaps to do but can't do it because I'm watching over a bunch a students so that they don't electrocute themselfs. The newspaper only lasted for 30 minutes. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />)

Wouter

I'd sail one.

The previous Hobie kayak dealer here on Maui had a pile of damaged Mirage drives caused by beaching them. He refused to sell any more kayaks equipped with them.

To answer a few questions raised about the Adventure Island and the MirageDrive.

Bracing and Eskimo roll as a safety requirement -

All of the Hobie Kayaks are sit-on-tops. You don't roll them while locked in the **** like a sit-inside. You simply hop back on if dumped out. The chances of rolling an Adventure Island are very slim. If you did, you can fold one ama in and then roll the boat back upright... and then hop back in the ****.

Beaching with the MirageDrive -

This is one of the greatest features of the MirageDrive. You simply push one pedal forward (either pedal) and the drive fins come up flush with the hull bottom.

Otherwise, for very rocky shores that might damage the drive in some way, you can easily pull the drive out of its well.

Dealer on Maui? Likely a rental place. Owners of MirageDrive boats don't have a lot of problems, but it is a problem with rental people as described in the last post. Kind of like having a fiberglass cat in rental. They take more maintenence. Hard to get the rental people to push one foot forward when beaching... simple concept.

We have been looking at ways to make a drive work (mount) on any boat to use in and out of harbors and when the wind dies. They weigh just 6.6 pounds. You could tuck one under a tramp and pull it out when needed. Just like a paddle, but way more effecient.

Now that I could go for, maybe something that would just hang off the back between the rudders! No more paddling or sculling.

Matt, I think it's a great product, and maybe we speed freaks could add a spinnaker kit <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I ride my bike around a lake to keep the beer gut in check, I have often wondered if I could somehow put my bike on a set of hulls, remove the rear wheel and hook the chain to some sort of propeller drive unit, then ride ON the lake instead of around it, where I'm always at risk of being hit by cars.

How do you steer it? How does this system compare to say riding a bike 20 miles? Same work out? Harder? Easier? Will I want to pedal this thing for an hour straight? I rented a paddle boat (pedal powered, two seats, side by side) last month and it sucked big time, too heavy, too slow and too hard to pedal fast. The pedal motion was not smooth, but more like thump-thump, thump-thump. Not something I wanted to do for more than 15 minutes.

Is the pedal motion smooth and how fast does it go with a -semi- fit person pedaling the eqivelent of 20 mph. on a road bike, not using the sail?

But I love the sail, can we make it bigger?! And at what wind strength will the amas start to go under?

Oh, and where can I test drive one near central Florida? Oh yeah, what's it cost, ball park?

Jeremy, I think the correct term for the people that have not seen or tried the Adventure Island, or for that matter support Hobie Cat products is "Green with Envy".

Caleb Tarleton

While I do think this thing is semi-silly, the more I read this post the more I want to get one. Hobie needs to make a kayak with a closed top so you can put a skirt on it and stay dry. Does this kayak work with out the sail and ama's all the same? For river/creek use?

Dry? We have a dodger you can install over the ****.

Smooth pedaling? Yes.

Steering? Small handle / tiller controls rudder. Another raises and lowers it. Handle in the lower side of this image is steering. Very confortable relaxed position for your hand to rest.



Resistance? The standard fins have good performance and little resistance. We have 3 sizes of fins now to increase performance and reduce cadence. Many people pedal these for hours.

Speeds pedaling? There are a bunch of guys that are totally into this. Here is one part of a post on the issue of different fins performance:



Slow cruise (40 cycles per minute):
Standard fins 3.0 MPH
ST fins 3.4 MPH
ST Turbo fins 4.5 MPH

Fast cruise (60 cycles per minute):
Standard fins 4.4 MPH
ST fins 5.0 MPH
ST Turbo fins 5.7 MPH

Sprint speed (average, using GPS):
Standard fins 6.5 MPH
ST fins 7.3 MPH
ST Turbo fins 7.5 MPH

Here is the thread: http://www.hobiecat.com/community/viewtopic.php?t=6270&highlight=speed++turbo

Without the sail and amas? That is the standard Hobie Mirage Adventure, so yes. We just don't recommend shallow moving water conditions.

Karl, It's their adventure model when stripped of amas and sail. Sixteen foot seems like alot of kayak for other than ocean or lake work.

I suppose your aim is warm water and calm conditions then. I have been out in a kayak in rought conditions in cold water. Missed on the brace, did not know how to roll, wet exit. After three attempts at re-entry, I swam to shore while supporting myself on the inverted kayak. Not much fun at 63deg north in october. Nobody to do an assisted entry with, as this was before the kayak craze hit. I would not go out in anything but a dead calm in a kayak I could not do proper braces and rolls with. I have since perfected several rolls and become both older and wiser. My point is, that it is not as easy as it sounds to simply hop back on if it is choppy or even breaking waves with strong winds, and those are the conditions you capsize in.

The Mirage drive looks pretty good, you have really done something good with the propulsion system. The whole control and propulsion system looks functional and show "out of the box" thinking! Even if I myself am too traditional to let go of the paddle.
I know one of the resellers of the Adventure Island here in Norway, and he say that interest is high and he has sold serveral already.

You are talking about a sit-inside kayak. Yes those are rather dangerous when you roll and even worse when you come out of the hull with the skirt detached. The hulls flood and require very specialized techniques for re-entry. Sit-insides have their place, but have less appeal to the recreational market. They are especially good for experienced users in rough (river) moving water.

Our products are sit-on-top and are certainly capable of handling rough conditions. I surf my paddle sit-on-top... is this rough enough? I can brace well enough to stay in in these waves. I get dumped and climb in, no problem. They don't swamp like a sit-inside, so even if you don't get back in, they float.

Matt Kayak Surfing

Are they available at the Tackle Shack in Tampa or somewhere on the east coast of FL?

I've been pretty astonished watching these things go - they are efficient.

I believe that Economy Tackle in Sarasota carries Hobie Kayaks.

We have dealers all over the place...

Hobie Dealer Finder

We also distribute through Hobie Cat Australia

www.hobiecat.com.au

and Hobie Kayak Europe

www.hobie-kayaks.com

Tackle Shack is selling a ton of Hobie kayaks and sailboats... which we consider the Island to be both.

Amas being pressed under in high wind

GARY