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Compass
We had a Hobie demo day up in Oxnard last weekend at Channel Islands Harbor and I got to try the Compass. It's a kind of a mashup of the PA and the Outback.
The yak turns on a dime since the rudder is up in the hull and more towards midship that at the back of the boat... and you'd better be ready for that sharp turn if you really crank it over.
The seat is a simpler version of the Vantage seat we've all come to love for it's comfort....it has webbing and buckles to adjust the angle and the lumbar support. not as easy as the Vantage seat to adjust...but you can see that Hobie was trying to keep this new boat below the $2000 price point.
The Mirage drive is the older turbo style fins without the 180 device...again to make that price point. The 180 drive can be easily inserted and retrofitted. Adding the rectangular hatch and moving the round hatch to the front seems like a great idea. It's a pretty stable boat, although you do seem to sit a little higher than on the Outback...I didn't try standing in it (next time).
The lightness and the surf ability of this yak will help make it a popular seller.
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Jim / Saba Slayer
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