Hobie trolling motor

[CAGE RATTLER]

Lol....on a 2 year old thread too!

[sam]

Just saying that you might want to look at the torqeedo without a biased opinion. You know it's just an over rated piece of hardware, perhaps, because it is exclusively sold by Hobie, which is also an over rated kayak. Take away the mirage drive and you got nothing special, nothing about the quality of the kayak, seat, paddle, leaky hatches or the stability.
You know it's true and probably many other Hobie owners will agree with me. If your PA wasn't a barge to peddle, you wouldn't be adding or as they say (augmenting your experience) with a motor for it , would you?

What you've got is a status symbol packaged to impress. No real meat to it, an over priced trolling motor with two 12v lithium ion batteries hooked up in series, that were recalled not long ago, so where is the quality and the GERMAN engineering?

I am proud to be a brand new member, and hungry to learn as much as I can about new stuff, however, when I read a comment that seems too fishy, I'll add my 2c.

I am not trying to sell you on any motors, just commenting on what you're reporting.

[DOGFISH]

First, as Rick mentioned, Island Hoppers makes one of those trolling motor setups for the Hobie, and has done so for quite some time. If I recall correctly, anything larger than a 40lb thrust trolling motor will not fit through the peddle well of a Hobie. Keep that in mind for you conversion guys.

All in all, the Torqeedo, sold as Torqeedo or as the Evolve, is a much more powerful motor than a typical trolling motor. I use the Evolve version for ease of use. I like to just drop it in the peddle well and go. I must also agree, that at times, it would be nice to have the motor mounted on the stern and to be able to steer with the thrust of the motor rather than with the rudder only. For me, I do mostly trolling, so the motor well mount is just fine. I have also used an electric mounted to the back of a kayak. As kayak power for saltwater, as we use them in the bay and this coastal area, Torqeedo is tough to beat.

The only problem that I have with the Torqeedo is that it makes more noise than a fishing type trolling motor. Freshwater fisherman may not like the noise. Example, when I use a GoPro mounted to the ProAngler, you can really hear the noise and motor vibration on the video, from the Evolve. There was not nearly the noise on the video, when I was using a fishing type trolling motor. Although there was some noise present. From a lay person's point of view, I assume the fish can hear and feel that added noise and vibration also. Most freshwater fisherman would cringe at that sort of noise and vibration. Just my opinion, just my opinion.

I also must agree with Pinch, that the added power of the Torqeedo is nice when moving against a running tide. I know even around Thomas Point, it is nice to have the added power of the Torqeedo.

Each person has an opinion about motors on a kayak. I like to have the option of doing other things while moving along with the motor. This may range from rigging a line to drinking a beer or eating a sandwich. Remember, this is from my perspective, as doing a lot of trolling. To each their own. Also, remember, there are those who think adding the mechanical pedals to a kayak defeats the simplicity of a paddle. This sort of debate has gone on for a long time. For quite some time, sailing folks have thought it is sort of a sin to add an engine to a perfectly good boat.

Oh, and one more thing. As one who has used a trolling motor and the Torqeedo/Evolve, I certainly don't miss those deep cycle batteries. Of course, at about $600-$700 price tag per battery, for the Torqeedo batteries, that may come as a shock for those wanting to add a motor to their kayak. I found that I needed three, for a full day of trolling, with enough reserve to get back to the launch. Sometimes, the motor does help one get into trouble, as getting further from the launch. At 5 mph, the launch does sometimes seem very far away when in view of a fast approaching thunder storm. One more thing to consider.

[DOGFISH]

Whoa, glad someone mentioned this is a two year old thread. I thought this all sounded familiar. I didn't know if I was just getting that old or if it was just the drugs.


PS: The whole battery run down thing, lead acid vs lithium, on the Torqeedo, is a non-issue, as the Torqeedo controller gives constant battery condition readout and low battery warning. Just saying, just saying.

[Goody]

I asked the store where I bought my Outback the same question about the foam pad inside. Yes the foam is suppose to stay in there. Its like a pool noodle to keep you a float if there is water leakage into the hull.

Just saw this on another forum and thought i would post a link.
Nice alternative for a trolling motor using the mirage drive plug.

http://www.stripersonline.com/t/8216...nt-motor-setup

Might have to try this over the winter. When I got my outback I found a 2nd plug and a 2nd water bottle bottle inside the hull along with 2 pieces of foam about 30" long and about 4x6. While im posting this .... Is that foam supposed to stay in there?

[sparky1423]

I better reinstall that piece of black foam, lol. I thought it was something the manufacturer forgot to remove. Luckily my wife told me to keep it for school crafts.

Does anyone know what the gray plastic looking key is on the inside of the rear hatch lid? Apologizes if this is already mentioned on the thread, too lazy to backtrack on a two year old thread.

[Goody]

It's an extra rudder pin.

I better reinstall that piece of black foam, lol. I thought it was something the manufacturer forgot to remove. Luckily my wife told me to keep it for school crafts.

Does anyone know what the gray plastic looking key is on the inside of the rear hatch lid? Apologizes if this is already mentioned on the thread, too lazy to backtrack on a two year old thread.

[Memory Maker]

Just saying that you might want to look at the torqeedo without a biased opinion. You know it's just an over rated piece of hardware, perhaps, because it is exclusively sold by Hobie, which is also an over rated kayak. Take away the mirage drive and you got nothing special, nothing about the quality of the kayak, seat, paddle, leaky hatches or the stability.
You know it's true and probably many other Hobie owners will agree with me. If your PA wasn't a barge to peddle, you wouldn't be adding or as they say (augmenting your experience) with a motor for it , would you?

What you've got is a status symbol packaged to impress. No real meat to it, an over priced trolling motor with two 12v lithium ion batteries hooked up in series, that were recalled not long ago, so where is the quality and the GERMAN engineering?

I am proud to be a brand new member, and hungry to learn as much as I can about new stuff, however, when I read a comment that seems too fishy, I'll add my 2c.

I am not trying to sell you on any motors, just commenting on what you're reporting.

Oh ....... I get it ....... by bias you mean the many Hobie and Torqeedo owners here ........... and by UNBIAS you mean the owner of Bassyaks .......... got it.

Nothing "fishy" here guy .......... just experience from the owners and the market reports

[russ498]

Oh ....... I get it ....... by bias you mean the many Hobie and Torqeedo owners here ........... and by UNBIAS you mean the owner of Bassyaks .......... got it.

Nothing "fishy" here guy .......... just experience from the owners and the market reports

Ditto to what Rick said. There is a ton of experience and expertise on this board. Collectively, we have probably used every device made for a kayak or for kayak fishing. A newcomer spouting off a bunch of opinions, without articulable facts to back them up, is one of the things that is abhored by the regulars on this forum. It is far more relevant to provide information about a product that you have used for some period of time and, give real life anecdotal evidence about the good and bad. Just saying that a product is good or bad based on a magazine article or some form of third-party information is completely irrelevant and has no value to anyone. So, Sam, come back and talk to us about something that you actually know about. Rick and I have both put the product through its paces and would be happy to give you the pluses and minuses.