Hobie PA sucks with wind in the face

Went out Friday afternoon, putting out at Ft. Washington marina on Piscataway creek.

Winds were brisk, blowing inland from the mouth of the bay, think coming from the North. (Guess I should install a compass - or at least look at my GPS for headings.) Chop was a couple of feet with hints of white caps. However, crossed the inlet perpindicular to the waves and fished the protective coves.

After about an hour or so, got on one big bass, directly thanks to a tip from a Kevin Van Dam video.

I had peddled upstream maybe a half mile or so from the marina. Decided to go to the mouth and catch a cat fish supper. Normally I could have made my way back past the marina in 10 or 15 minutes, just cruisin.

However, I got a wake up call. The wind was in my face and the chop was still heavy and it took me the better part of 45 minutes just to make it the half mile to the takeout point. Had a mile to go to my catfish hole but was already tuckered out. My GPS was indicating progress of less than a half mile an hour. Combined with the fact that the forecast called for scattered storms, some maybe sever, decided to bag it and go home.

To put an aggravated exclamation point at the end of the day, I did something really stupid when trailering the PA. I decided to tie the boat at the end of the pier, rather than beaching it with mirage drive up or out as I usually do. Backed the car to the water and started to pull the boat on the trailer with the bow strap. The boat didn't slide right, so I yanked harder thinking that it just was mis-aligned on the bunkders that Ryan fixed up for me.

After a second yank, it dawned on me that I hadn't pulled out the Mirage drive. Checked it and sure enough, not only had I not pulled it out, but I bent the mast 30 degrees. You can insurance for theft, and manufacturors defects, but nothin on the market for being stupid.

Called Easton Kayak for a replacement. Pays to deal with authorized Hobie dealers. Kevin told me that they have one in stock and they can drop it off with some other items scheduled for dilivery this week.

[BadAssBass]

The main point for my post

I read about how some boats handle in the wind, and think there was some concern about how the Hobie PA performed in wind. However, I didn't feel like the boate wasn' manageable, just that is was slow as hell going against the currend AND the wind. I suspect that all yaks would suffer proportional performance decreases under the same circumstances.

Next time I face these conditions, I'll know to peddle upstream/upwind first and let the current take me back home. Or maybe, I'll just go home and watch Battlstar Galactica re-runs.

[Memory Maker]

It's an aircraft Carrier and not a destroyer ............ going against wind waves and tide will slow any yak but probably the PA even more .......... an engine would help then you could watch battleship Gallactica from your battle ship and still be fresh for dinner ..........

Seriously, glad you made it back without incident ..........

[surfdog]

first rule of kayaking: wear your PFD, 2nd rule: head into the wind going out and have it at your back on the way in not always possible but better. fought the wind and waves many over the bow on saturday as the chop was short and as i came off one wave the front of the revo would go into the next one not realy bad but i had to track into the wind to where i wanted to go and couldnt take a direct route and take them on the side, its a lot more work that way.

you can replace the masts and not the whole drive there about 500 bucks verses 30

[Redfish12]

Sounds like you're getting to know your boat better! We've all been there where the wind shifts and makes for a terrible paddle, just have to be ready for it! Good thing you weren't out in bigger water!

You can bend your mast back, there are lots of tips in the Hobie forums. Looks like the pipe method is the easiest. That way you save the cash or have a replacement. Always good to have spare parts!

[ronaultmtd]

I had the "terrible paddle" at PLO on our meet and greet- trying to get back in against a strong wind and outgoing tide with big chop- rough as a cobb- It seemed to take forever to paddle the two miles back- that made me start to think about the Hobies with the peddle drives or the torque with electrics- then it passed after I fished Mattawoman Creek and the thick grass and lilly pads-

[BadAssBass]

Believe it or not, the PA isn't that bad in lily pads and grass

I had the "terrible paddle" at PLO on our meet and greet- trying to get back in against a strong wind and outgoing tide with big chop- rough as a cobb- It seemed to take forever to paddle the two miles back- that made me start to think about the Hobies with the peddle drives or the torque with electrics- then it passed after I fished Mattawoman Creek and the thick grass and lilly pads-

Actually, while getting back was a drag, I was very glad to peddle back instead of paddling. And I suppose I could have supplemented the peddling with the paddle - although the requirements for coordination may be challenging enough to make the return on energy expenditure efficiency questionable. But good to know if I have to race oncoming weather back to port.

Piscataway has a larg section covered by lily pads. I was pleasantly surprised to find I could peddle through the morass and fish the pockets. Didn't get any hits, sames the bass like the edges better than the internal pockets. Or maybe not but it was good to know I could fish through them.

The effort needed to peddle through high grass is a bit more challenging but still, the peddles same to sloughth off the grass without a problem. Can't say it was that much tougher to handle than my Ride135 - but the Ride is an aircraft carrier too - you just have to paddle it.

BTW, anyone in the club paddle a Jackson Coosa? Looks very promising for river work although I know one experienced paddler who thinks the secondary stability sucks - mostly cause he got dumped and lost a rod. Tinkerine with the idea of selling my Ride and getting a Coosa Elite.

[Redfish12]

Actually, while getting back was a drag, I was very glad to peddle back instead of paddling. And I suppose I could have supplemented the peddling with the paddle - although the requirements for coordination may be challenging enough to make the return on energy expenditure efficiency questionable. But good to know if I have to race oncoming weather back to port.

Piscataway has a larg section covered by lily pads. I was pleasantly surprised to find I could peddle through the morass and fish the pockets. Didn't get any hits, sames the bass like the edges better than the internal pockets. Or maybe not but it was good to know I could fish through them.

The effort needed to peddle through high grass is a bit more challenging but still, the peddles same to sloughth off the grass without a problem. Can't say it was that much tougher to handle than my Ride135 - but the Ride is an aircraft carrier too - you just have to paddle it.

BTW, anyone in the club paddle a Jackson Coosa? Looks very promising for river work although I know one experienced paddler who thinks the secondary stability sucks - mostly cause he got dumped and lost a rod. Tinkerine with the idea of selling my Ride and getting a Coosa Elite.

I think Surf is in the market for a ride 135... the Coosa looks nice but the seat is so high I think it'd be pretty easy to tip or at least fall out. Not too bad in calm water though and they say it's agile. I think a drifter would be about the same manuverabiliy, just far more wet.

Seems like I hit a lot of rough weather last fall and late summer boomers too. Good to get the practice in now! I'm going to miss the rod pod in the hobie- when things got rough in the trident I could put all the rods away and clear the deck. Made the prospect of flipping that much more palatable. Even gave me the confidence to surf some waves, fortunately I didn't dump though because I realized you can still break other things... like a paddle (a friend taught me that one!)...

[surfdog]

i would really rather get another redfish to tool around with and use as a spare