Hobie Turbo Fins

[Steve6902]

So are the Hobie Turbo fins really worth the extra money. How much faster do you really go?? I'm looking to purchase a Hobie Outback and the turbo fin up-charge is around $100 bucks.

[yakscientist]

I've heard they are more than worth the money, but I don't have a pedal kayak, so I can't directly comment.

[mweber02]

I bought my Hobie used w/ turbo fins and have never put the standard fins on to compare. I have heard though that the turbo fins provide more speed at the cost of higher resistance per pedal stroke. So theoretically you should be able to go just as fast with standard fins if you pedal faster. I'm unsure how much faster you would have to pedal, but it would probably be more exhausting to maintain for trolling. Think about using a mountain bike vs a BMX for long distances.

[ronaultmtd]

IMO it makes a big difference so Yes- I used the 2016 Outback square tipped standard fins for two fishing trips before driving the 50 miles to Backyard boats in Annopolis to buy the turbo fins and sailing rudder...I find that I am less fatigued after a day fishing with the turbo fins- an easy stair stepping cadence equals my preferred trolling speed- and if needed I can pick it up to a moderate pace to get in quickly at 4 knots...

And yes to the sailing rudder upgrade, too- trust me they make a big difference

Shame on Hobie for not making both standard equipment for these premium kayaks...

[Steve6902]

Thank's guys, I am torn on which yak I want to go with. The Hobie with its stair stepper style drive or a Wilderness Radar 135 with a pedal drive. They are both about the same in cost if I go with the upgraded turbo fins.

[ronaultmtd]

I have bad knees (4 knee operations- 2 on each knee) and cannot ride a bycycle but the stair stepper does not bother the knees- so if you have knee issues...

[J.A. Veil]

If you are looking beyond Hobie (as you suggest above) don't forget the growing family of Native pedal-drive kayaks. One of their new models, Manta Ray 12 Propel, retails for less than $2000. With the cost difference between that and some of the competition, you can add electronics or other accessories. I have heard glowing reports of how nicely that hull moves through the water.

[Tom Lagana]

I have standard fins. I borrowed my neighbors and tried them out. Didn't like them since I was used to the resistance that the normal fins have. I wouldn't use them. I do recommend the sailing rudder


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Mark]

I have standard fins on a Revo and have never felt the need for Turbos. Note that the Revo is a sleeker boat than the Outback and likely moves with less effort.

I can cruise for extended periods at 3 mph without getting winded. It's as if I was walking along a sidewalk. Hardly any exertion. I've caught plenty of stripers tolling at that speed.

I can go 6 mph in short bursts -- certainly not for long. I huff and puff after that. But speed should not be not an issue if you are kayak fishing. If you need to get somewhere fast, you should probably get a motor boat.

A consideration against Turbos for me was the extra length of the Turbo Fins. I like to hug shorelines in shallow waters. I can feather the fins but I prefer to extend them fully when I pedal along slowly casting to structure.

[Steve6902]

John, I looked at Manta Ray but I do not like the max weight of 325Lbs.

[Jimbo]

I first started with the standard fins . After about a dozen outings I tried the turbo fins and for me turbo fins are highly preferred. The difference in resistance is negligible once you get "out of the hole" but the speed and distance travelled is quite noticeable. It's a lot like switching to a higher gear on a bicycle.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[silasvirus82]

According to Hobie there is about a 10% efficiency gain using the Turbos. I used my standard fins for about a year before buying the Turbos, should have bought them and the sailing rudder first day. They do have more resistance than the standard fins, but the result is more speed at a slower pace. Personally I believe they put less wear and tear on everything including my own body since I can achieve my desired speed at a slower pace. I struggled for one or two trips with the added resistance, but once my muscles adjusted it's been no issue. One last point, WHEN (not IF) you get caught in a storm, having that extra speed and power might be a life saver.

[baitball]

Steve,

I have owned both a Revo and now an Outback. I’ve had Standard fins and Turbo fins on both hulls. In each case, the Turbo Fins were the hands-down winner.

In the case of the Outback, I had the opportunity to fish/troll/cruise with another buddy that had the same boat and conduct an informal experiment. We each had Outbacks, loaded with a similar amount of fishing gear, we are roughly the same weight, same physical fitness level, we were only a dozen feet apart and headed in the same direction so wind, current and other environmental factors were the same etc… the only difference was I still had the Standard fins on my Outback, he had the Turbos. Could I keep up with him? Yes, but I had to complete far more strokes to attain the same speed/distance as he. For example, a typical 10-count cadence for him on this day was: stroke, stroke,…pause,…drift, stroke, stroke,…pause,…drift, stroke, stroke. As for me, with my Standard fins my 10-count cadence was: stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, and stroke.

Seeing this difference with my very eyes convinced me that over time, this larger number of movements (in this simple experiment's case a 40% difference) required by the Standard fins will take a toll on your body.

Unfortunately, I do not have any experience with any of the bicycle-style pedal kayaks on the market, but they seem to have a loyal following which leads me to believe they are a quality product. I hope to try one out at the next demo day.

*And yes, if you go with a Hobie, invest in a sailing rudder

Hope this helps.

[Mark]

There’s a story about an old bull and young bull standing on a hill overlooking the herd. I’ll clean this up.

The young bull suggests to the old bull that they should run down the hill so that they a can have their way with a few of the cows. The old bull responds, “Let’s walk down and “meet” all of them”.

The moral of the story is that speed isn’t everything.

I think that applies to kayak fishing too.

[silasvirus82]

There’s a story about an old bull and young bull standing on a hill overlooking the herd. I’ll clean this up.

The young bull suggests to the old bull that they should run down the hill so that they a can have their way with a few of the cows. The old bull responds, “Let’s walk down and “meet” all of them”.

The moral of the story is that speed isn’t everything.

I think that applies to kayak fishing too.

While I agree with your point to a certain extent, I do think speed is very important kayak fishing. Speed is our #1 disadvantage in my opinion and a 10% efficiency gain plus the potential of greater speed makes a big difference on a long day. Not all of us are retired and have all the time in the world to get there