Smaller Hobies
 

Just about to buy my first kayak. Have any of you had any experience with the smaller Hobie's? I'm 5'9" and weigh about 160lbs. I'm intrigued by the idea of being able to fit my kayak inside my GMC van. Specifically the Sport or Revo's? Appreciate the input and feedback.

Thanks, Jeff. This is what it looks like. If I get a Pro Angler 12 or 14 I'll have to bungee the back doors closed.

use the bungees .
 

are you referring to the 10 ' models . no room for trophy fish , after loading gear . check the load ratings . also , i think that guy that got attacked up north was on a small hobie .;) . creates perfect image of seal .

You'd probably make do with a revo 11


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I got a sport....what guy got attacked up north? Don't scare my off my Hobie lol I just got it. I ordered a stringer off amazon if I catch something that won't fit into my ice cooler.

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never hang anything on a stringer
 

you are in the ocean . not the lake . that is a free meal for any dog ( seal ) in the vicinity . much less , you are inviting sharks . if a dog sees that fish , or smells it , he will grab it and flip you . worse case , steal your yak from you . two guys were up north , i believe one guy took out his brother in law for his maiden trip to the ocean . the gws popped him out of his seat when he made his attack from below the yak . the guy was able to recover and get back in , unharmed and make it to shore . their were some pictures posted . it looked like a hobie sport . i doubt if the fellow will be returning to the ocean anytime soon . at the least , he will need some plastic welding on his underside .

^If the tax man takes an interest in you, it won't matter what 'yak you're on. This is a non-starter, and no reason to avoid a shorter boat in my opinion. Most of these incidents took place between Morro Bay and San Francisco, with one off Santa Barbara (give or take).

I've talked with every angler known to have been knocked off a yak by a GWS. Going off memory, the boats were: Hobie Adventure (16'); Ocean Kayak Prowler 15 (15'); Hobie Revo (14'); Cobra Fish n Dive (12'). I'm forgetting a couple, but I might as well add the sit-inside touring kayak that also took a strike (16').

Workplacesafety, you might as well test the Revo 11, but take your normal fishing load including a bait tank to see how much you'll weigh it down. It's a nice shorter boat. Most Hobies have a trophy fish storage problem.

How much candy can you fit in that thing?

I've borrowed Andy's Hobie Sport a few times, and I love that thing.

It takes a little while to get used to not having much kayak in front of you. For being such a small boat, they sure are capable little yaks.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1...ps7c991a19.jpg

It was silly how easy it was to get the yak to and from the water. The fitted hull only weighs about 55 lbs. It won't track as well as a longer kayak, but I never found that to be an issue because you steer with the rudder anyways. I was surprised at how dry it was too.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1...ps46256ffc.jpg

If you are primarily looking to get out and cover some serious distance in the ocean, there are better kayaks out there. If ease of transporting is your main concern, the Hobie Sport is a pretty versatile & fun yak.

Jeff if I had to pick between the Outback and the revo....Id pick the outback.

If I were to pick between the PA12 and the 14, I would go 14.

If I had to pick between the PA12 and the outback, I would go with the outback.

Get the hobie sport if you want to eventually buy 2 kayaks.

Get some racks for the van or for the CR-V and your set. Loading on top of your car isn't as hard as you think, using the proper equipment and or technique, of course.

And Jeff...your not that old! You can still wind in those cow tunas...you can put a kayak on top of your vehicle.

There should never be a problem with storing trophy fish if you plan ahead. Dont settle for less, I did and I regretted it every time I got on the water and saw others paddling and peddling around in better kayaks. I am now a proud owner of a pa14 and am happy I threw down the extra money for a better yak. The hobie sport is fun and very versatile. I personally wouldnt take it out very far in the ocean but thats just me. Plenty of people told me that they wouldnt dare go to open water in the yak I originally had but I did it anyways and no problems.
As stated by someone else, a roof rack system would be your best bet, and would allow you to get a bigger yak such as an outback or revo 13.
My $0.02

I will have to agree that in the case of going out into the ocean, bigger is just better. The difference between a 10' and a 12' might only be a few feet but when you are out there in open water it will give you just so much more peace of mind. I started out going open water with a 9'er and man, I never ever felt at ease. But now that I am in a longer and much more stable ride, I can relax more and have fun....because really that's what you want when you are out there. To have peace of mind and have fun.

Get a roof rack, its not that hard to load, and if you do have troubles there's plenty of ingenius ways to get the job done if you ask around.

Had a problem loading my outback onto my truck but after a little research, problem solved.

Get the PA 12 and use bungee cords. You will never regret it!

anythings possible. my buddy caught his first fish in the ocean on a 6 foot ocean kayak more suitable for surfing.

i may have posted this before but just to reassure you, there is ZERO problem with getting a shorter hobie, just some drawbacks.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...1ab3aca068.jpg


if the pros outweigh the cons then fuggit

I had a deal and jumped on a pair of hobie sports. I weigh 175 and the stern was underwater with a full hobie bait tank. Before I had the bait tank all was good and I traveled many miles in the ocean. Bringing home a trophy was a bear because he sat on my lap for the long hand paddle home. I ended up buying an outback for all the gear that you will eventually want to have. The sports are nice when you want to pick up your yak and go light.

We all start off in this sport thinking we can't afford or don't need anything bigger, so you are inclined to stay small and within your "budget". But the reality is, once you start going often you realize that you should have spent the little bit extra to get something bigger and with more options. The sport is a great light kayak, but if you are a Hobie enthusiast then you already know that the PA 14 is what you want. So might as well save yourself a few years and go ahead and get the one you will ultimately end up with. That's my $.02

Id have to agree.

I bought a Revo 11 because it was lite enough for a 75 yr old to pick up.I use it in the bay and offshore and love it. Jack:)

Defjack is the man!!!!:luxhello: