Hobie Quest?
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Nah, I don't think so, I just really like the look of em. They seem well thoughtout and equipped.
If I was gonna buy one of those high teck thingamees, I think my first choice would be an Adventure. but with all the questions about which kayak for me being asked, I just wonder why this one rarely gets a mention. Just from looking at it, I reckon it might fit the bill for many.
I would love to take both of em for a walk though
Nah, bugger that. if I did that, I would probably bring one home
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518 Posts
Hi Guys,
I own one and love it. Sweet yak to paddle. I can't say anymore or I'll get booted off this forum.
Cheers,
I own one and love it. Sweet yak to paddle. I can't say anymore or I'll get booted off this forum.
Cheers,
Joined
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2,010 Posts
Mick, Hobie Aus is a Hobie dealer and as such isn't permitted to promote his products on the forum as it contravenes our non commercial policy on the message boards. The relevant section of the acceptable use policy is quoted below;
"POSTING OF COMMERCIAL ITEMS
Do not post commercial messages or solicitations in the message boards or live chat rooms. User reviews are more than welcome. Our definition of a commercial post is one where the user posting has an affiliation with the organisation they are posting about. "
He has abused this policy in the past and was subsequently warned that it wasn't acceptable. We would however love to hear a genuine user review from a user who owns one of these boats, not a dealer who is just trying to sell some of these boats.
Catch ya Scott
"POSTING OF COMMERCIAL ITEMS
Do not post commercial messages or solicitations in the message boards or live chat rooms. User reviews are more than welcome. Our definition of a commercial post is one where the user posting has an affiliation with the organisation they are posting about. "
He has abused this policy in the past and was subsequently warned that it wasn't acceptable. We would however love to hear a genuine user review from a user who owns one of these boats, not a dealer who is just trying to sell some of these boats.
Catch ya Scott
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518 Posts
QUOTE: We would however love to hear a genuine user review from a user who owns one of these boats, not a dealer who is just trying to sell some of these boats.
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Dear Scott, I "own" one, I fish and I vote however because I run the company, have little input other than it's a sweet yak to paddle. If your ever down this way, I'm more then happy to let you try one.
Cheers,
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Dear Scott, I "own" one, I fish and I vote however because I run the company, have little input other than it's a sweet yak to paddle. If your ever down this way, I'm more then happy to let you try one.
Cheers,
Here is a quick insider's opinion of the Quest:
The Quest is a lovely kayak to paddle, really stable yet quite fast (7-11km/h). Good features such as nifty mesh pockets, comfy seat, adjustable pedal/footrests, paddle rest, large hatches and an effective rudder along with mounting pad for accessories such as sounders make it compable to some of the serious paddle-fishing kayaks. I enjoy paddling the Quest for exercise because it is a sweet boat to paddle,
however, I fish for bass up to five times per week and I much prefer the hands-free operation of the mirage drive boats for that kind of fishing.
In my opinion, the Quest is more suited to either anchoring, drifting or trolling in open water while you get some exercise. In tight spots or around snags, I personally hate having to put down the paddle to fight a fish cause it usually means I'm gonna get bricked!
Mal
SUNSTATE HOBIE
The Quest is a lovely kayak to paddle, really stable yet quite fast (7-11km/h). Good features such as nifty mesh pockets, comfy seat, adjustable pedal/footrests, paddle rest, large hatches and an effective rudder along with mounting pad for accessories such as sounders make it compable to some of the serious paddle-fishing kayaks. I enjoy paddling the Quest for exercise because it is a sweet boat to paddle,
however, I fish for bass up to five times per week and I much prefer the hands-free operation of the mirage drive boats for that kind of fishing.
In my opinion, the Quest is more suited to either anchoring, drifting or trolling in open water while you get some exercise. In tight spots or around snags, I personally hate having to put down the paddle to fight a fish cause it usually means I'm gonna get bricked!
Mal
SUNSTATE HOBIE
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1,433 Posts
Thank you Scott, I must have missed this one. It is just that the quest presents to me as a fine looking set up and was wondering why so few seem to know much about them.
Hobie Aus, Please accept my apologies mate. I would love the opportunity to test paddle one of these and be in a position to make an assessment of them myself.
As an ex hobie cat owner and racer (H16 - Sail No 29031) in the 70s & 80s, I am familiar with the very high quality product that Hobie make and would expect that Hobie Kayaks are to a similar standard.
Hobie Aus, Please accept my apologies mate. I would love the opportunity to test paddle one of these and be in a position to make an assessment of them myself.
As an ex hobie cat owner and racer (H16 - Sail No 29031) in the 70s & 80s, I am familiar with the very high quality product that Hobie make and would expect that Hobie Kayaks are to a similar standard.
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2,010 Posts
Sunhobie, since it seems I will have to settle for a Hobie dealers user review can you answer the following questions for me as your review struck me to be what I could read on a sales brochure.
Firstly do they have the traditional Hobie high flat sides that offer wind resistance when beam on to the wind or are they lower profile like a true sea kayak lessening this and preventing the tendency to want to roll over when hit by a large wave beam on? This occurrence is detailed in the sea kayak design fundamentals seminar and is able to be viewed here http://students.washington.edu/~ukc/library/052902-1notes.pdf and I have noticed the same thing with a mates SIK here on the Southern Ocean.
What is the strongest winds/biggest seas/roughest conditions you have had it out in and how did it perform? When you say they have heaps of stability is it primarily initial stability or do they lean well but offer heaps of secondary stability? Is the hull shape a shallow arc like a P15 or more a more a shallow V bottom like the mirage drive Hobies that I have seen and used on occasion? The reason I ask these questions is that I have never seen the boat in question and am wondering how it differs to a mirage drive Hobie in hull design.
Catch ya Scott
Firstly do they have the traditional Hobie high flat sides that offer wind resistance when beam on to the wind or are they lower profile like a true sea kayak lessening this and preventing the tendency to want to roll over when hit by a large wave beam on? This occurrence is detailed in the sea kayak design fundamentals seminar and is able to be viewed here http://students.washington.edu/~ukc/library/052902-1notes.pdf and I have noticed the same thing with a mates SIK here on the Southern Ocean.
What is the strongest winds/biggest seas/roughest conditions you have had it out in and how did it perform? When you say they have heaps of stability is it primarily initial stability or do they lean well but offer heaps of secondary stability? Is the hull shape a shallow arc like a P15 or more a more a shallow V bottom like the mirage drive Hobies that I have seen and used on occasion? The reason I ask these questions is that I have never seen the boat in question and am wondering how it differs to a mirage drive Hobie in hull design.
Catch ya Scott
Yes Scott, You have a point there...I could write sales brochure cause I work with these things everyday and use them regularly.
The Quest is a lower profile yak with rolled gunwales to reduce windage, and deck-width to make it better for paddling. True, the mirage Sport and Outback models have slab sides to maximise deck deck space, because they are primarily pedal-driven boats that compromise paddle-ability in favour of stability and deck space. They are still fast under mirage propulsion but more difficult to paddle due to their width and underwater shape. The mirage drive system pulls the hull through the water and therefore doesn’t require the same hull features that paddling hulls do, to provide tracking.
The hull shape of the Quest is very different to the Outback and Sport. The bottom of the Quest is similar to the Adventure, in that it is quite flat for good initial stability and low wetted surface area, which improves speed but it is narrow and fast with surprisingly good stability. (The more you heel it, the more likely you are to roll out of it but nowhere near as much as a round-bottom hull.) The Quest has a fine bow which reduces pitching and a mini keel aft, to provide tracking. The Outback on the other hand has chines on either side of the main hull round. With a heavy person aboard, the Outback has good primary stability but a lighter person experiences less primary stability, with improved secondary stability when the chines contact the water as the hull heels.
The Quest foot-operated rudder works well and is easily adjustable.
I have have been caught out in the Quest in quite rough conditions a couple of times but I don't make a habit of kayaking in wild stuff, with wind at about 20 kts and breaking waves all around. Like any SOT it is wet and uncomfortable. It does run with the waves quite well, however in a sizeable shore break its buoyancy and comfort characteristics work against it to make riding big breakers a very wet experience. Being a board rider, I reckon sit-ons are crap surf craft!
As a fishing platform, the Quest is pretty good....Ask Chris Metcalf (bream fishing guru)
I guess to sum up, Hobie Kayaks are designed to be easy to use and comfortable for most people in average conditions. If you are into extreme, hard-core, survival stuff, there are many designs out there that do specific things much better. Thanks for the opportunity to explain.
Now ask me about lure and soft plastic fishing in Outbacks and Adventures and I could go on for hours…. :twisted:
Mal
The Quest is a lower profile yak with rolled gunwales to reduce windage, and deck-width to make it better for paddling. True, the mirage Sport and Outback models have slab sides to maximise deck deck space, because they are primarily pedal-driven boats that compromise paddle-ability in favour of stability and deck space. They are still fast under mirage propulsion but more difficult to paddle due to their width and underwater shape. The mirage drive system pulls the hull through the water and therefore doesn’t require the same hull features that paddling hulls do, to provide tracking.
The hull shape of the Quest is very different to the Outback and Sport. The bottom of the Quest is similar to the Adventure, in that it is quite flat for good initial stability and low wetted surface area, which improves speed but it is narrow and fast with surprisingly good stability. (The more you heel it, the more likely you are to roll out of it but nowhere near as much as a round-bottom hull.) The Quest has a fine bow which reduces pitching and a mini keel aft, to provide tracking. The Outback on the other hand has chines on either side of the main hull round. With a heavy person aboard, the Outback has good primary stability but a lighter person experiences less primary stability, with improved secondary stability when the chines contact the water as the hull heels.
The Quest foot-operated rudder works well and is easily adjustable.
I have have been caught out in the Quest in quite rough conditions a couple of times but I don't make a habit of kayaking in wild stuff, with wind at about 20 kts and breaking waves all around. Like any SOT it is wet and uncomfortable. It does run with the waves quite well, however in a sizeable shore break its buoyancy and comfort characteristics work against it to make riding big breakers a very wet experience. Being a board rider, I reckon sit-ons are crap surf craft!
As a fishing platform, the Quest is pretty good....Ask Chris Metcalf (bream fishing guru)
I guess to sum up, Hobie Kayaks are designed to be easy to use and comfortable for most people in average conditions. If you are into extreme, hard-core, survival stuff, there are many designs out there that do specific things much better. Thanks for the opportunity to explain.
Now ask me about lure and soft plastic fishing in Outbacks and Adventures and I could go on for hours…. :twisted:
Mal
Joined
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2,010 Posts
Mal, they sound like a nice boat with a different hull design to the Hobies I have seen. If Mick ends up trialling one I am sure he would buy it as he thinks that a man can't have too many boats. If I ever see one on the water down here I will try to scam a paddle as from your comments they are a capable boat in rough conditions. As to your wet comment, unfortunately all of my yakking down here is like that unless I take the 580 mirage out but then I have all of the self rescue issues to contend with so I generally throw on the wetty and get wet on a SOT.
Catch ya Scott
Catch ya Scott
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