Oh yeah!!! This is one great, fun times boat!!! Super easy to set up, and even easier to sail. Fraction of the time it took to set up the Weta (but it also only has a fraction of the performance of the Weta - which is ok). This boat belongs to the Uyeda Brothers (Gareth and Kevin) and they have modified it heavily. Interesting to see the mods people make - shows you how they like to fish. They hadn't had the boat in the water yet after a couple of weeks or so after picking it up from Windward Boats.
Gareth and I went out and this boat handles really well. Where the Weta was more like a technical road bike - fast, precise, demanding - the Hobie was the mountain bike - fun to ride, forgiving and waiting to see if you can go harder than it can. The Mirage pedal drives are really efficient - on the way out it was just me paddling and I did not have a problem going into the wind, through chop and all with decent speed. After sailing around under a reefed main, I asked if we could open it up and see what she can do. With a full sail and stiff trades (17-21 or so) the boat took off and showed it can hold speed. What an amazing ability to have three modes of propulsion - the sail, the Mirage drives and a paddle.
Landing couldn't have been easier - retract the centerboard, pull up on the pedal drives, undo the rudder lock and DONE. You'll never worry about dinging the bow since it is rotomolded polyethene and not fiberglass. Everything about this boat is fun and relaxed. I believe we are going to have to get one... (bye bye motorcycle...) to sail, have picnics on offshore islands, to surf and to fish for pelagics.
Super fun boat!!!
Gareth and I went out and this boat handles really well. Where the Weta was more like a technical road bike - fast, precise, demanding - the Hobie was the mountain bike - fun to ride, forgiving and waiting to see if you can go harder than it can. The Mirage pedal drives are really efficient - on the way out it was just me paddling and I did not have a problem going into the wind, through chop and all with decent speed. After sailing around under a reefed main, I asked if we could open it up and see what she can do. With a full sail and stiff trades (17-21 or so) the boat took off and showed it can hold speed. What an amazing ability to have three modes of propulsion - the sail, the Mirage drives and a paddle.
Landing couldn't have been easier - retract the centerboard, pull up on the pedal drives, undo the rudder lock and DONE. You'll never worry about dinging the bow since it is rotomolded polyethene and not fiberglass. Everything about this boat is fun and relaxed. I believe we are going to have to get one... (bye bye motorcycle...) to sail, have picnics on offshore islands, to surf and to fish for pelagics.
Super fun boat!!!
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