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Topic: Cobras  (Read 13236 times)

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mooch

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IMO: sitting high and dry can turn you into a "sail" when the wind blows. I don't really mind getting wet on the P15 - as long as I have my wetsuit or dry pants to keep me warm / dry.

regardless of what everyone says - you will still get wet no matter what (boat wakes or big swell days)...if you really want to stay dry - a boat will do the job  :smt002

..just my two cents....


Bill

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There is a big difference between getting wet with a surf launch and decent boat wake and being wet no matter what.  Let's just say I feel like the chance of getting wet in my prowler is close to 100% will the Cobra and Malibus I have paddled seem to decrease those odd greatly. I just don't feel it is good design to force me to use scupper plugs in my seat just so I don't sit in water all day.


MolBasser

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Once again, this is just testament to finding the right kayak for you.  Test a lot and make your choice.

MolBasser
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granitedive

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My Nomad has no Scupper holes. I've been sitting in water for 10 years. Never really thought about it. I do like keeping my gear dry, though. Which leads me back to the question about Cobra hatches not being water-tight?
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miyak

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I agree with Mooch the foot wells need to be wider.  


SBD

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Granite:  

Let me take a run at a few of your questions.  The rudder on the Tourer can be extremely effective.  You need to get Ric's top secret pedal upgrade however.  With the stock pedals a LOT of your turning energy goes into bending the pedals, and not actuating the rudder.  We tried to stiffen the assembly and it broke almost immediately.  :smt013  Ric rode in on a big with horse with the improved pedals and now it is one of the best rudders around.  Ric is working on getting these super pedals mass produced.  The Tourer is a nice boat, light and fast.

There are lots of rumors about Cobra hatches being leaky.  There were some older hatches that warped, and leaked like crazy.  Cobra stood by those hatches, and offered to replace any for free, even after many years.  New Cobra hatches, if installed poorly, will also leak.  However Ric and I don't install them that way.  Installed correctly, they are GREAT.  After long weekends we frequently power-wash all of the boats on our trailer.  A pressure washer will tell you what leaks and what doesn't in a hurry.  Jelly's Tourer is always bone dry inside.  

Finally, as a spearo you REALLY need to check out the Mariner.  My 75 cm eurogun slides into the center hatch like a hot dog down a hallway.  Long fins, absolutely no problem, all without leaving your seat, or even turning around.  Its pretty much the spearo dream boat.  

Also great for trolling when your Linda Mar salmon show, because you can stash your rods in the in the same big hatch as you launch, and then pull them out past the surf, all from the seat.

Finally, the footwells are a bit tight, but they were fine for some, and a deal breaker for other, you'll have try it for yourself.  Your going to love not sitting in water.

Feel free to ring me if you have any more questions.  Are you going to come up an Ab dive at all this year?


granitedive

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Scwa, Thankyou thankyou thankyou for your response. I didn't intend to stir things up with the hatch thing, I just saw some old posts that scared me. I have one leaky boat already; that's the main reason, maybe the only reason I want a new boat.
It's good to hear about the rudder upgrade; I felt like I was going to get carpal tunnel of the ankles trying to push the rudder pedals on the Tourer I tried. Whereas the expedition rudder seemed better.
As far as the Mariner goes, I see what you mean about the center big hatch; that could be really convenient. I did try packing my 32 Biller (my Norcal gun), my fishing pole, and my Promar net into the Expedition and Tourer; they fit inside both boats, but certainly not as conveniently as the Mariner. With the Mariner, it looks like you could have everything you need while fishing right there! Nice. (Believe it or not, I can fit my 62" Riffe gun in my Nomad! I had a tiny bit shorter shaft made by Ray Odor so the shaft fits too - though that is not a Norcal gun).
How does the speed of the Mariner compare with the Tourer? I troll 95% of the salmon fishing I do, which is mainly the only fishing I do, and there's some places I want to visit here locally that would be a few miles or so paddle each way. And in what way is the foot well small on the Mariner - lengthwise?
Lastly, I noticed on the Cobra website that the Mariner is supposed to be super-quiet. I'm not sure how important that is, except maybe for WSB, but I did notice that the waves seemed to slap annoyingly against the Tourer's hull. It may be that fiberglass is quieter and that's what I'm used to. What's your opinion on this?
I didn't know that you did the hatch-cutting and such yourself; I figured the boat just came from the factory the way you ordered it. I would certainly trust that task to you Scwa!
Thanks again for your input, my old Nomad has a big piece of my heart, but I think I would get over her soon enough if I get a fast, fairly stable boat that I don't have to patch constantly! As for ab diving, I will definitely go north after next week's lobster trip; maybe including a family camp-out at Salt Point. I would love to dive with you again.
"It's the ocean flowing in our veins"


granitedive

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This was Scwa's responce:
Rich:

I honestly don't mind the post about the hatches at all...the truth is the truth...and some of them leaked. I am with you, if I put my stuff inside to stay dry, I want it dry! Generally speaking, we do get our boats with the hatches installed, but it was while I installed some myself that I was able to figure out who bad ones happen. The shape of the "A" (bow) hatch is relatively complex, and it takes a while to get the hole just right. If the hole is close you can "make" it fit by flexing the frame into the hole. If you do this, you distort the frame and the lid no longer fits the frame. The seal is part of the frame. Let the leaking begin!

I would say that the noise on a Tourer is medium, other boats are actually quite a bit noisier, others are quieter. The Mariner is in the very quiet end of things.

The footwells are narrow, but there is plenty of legroom. The big wide hatch takes up a lot of real estate, and Cobra tried like crazy to get it to fit in a reasonably narrow boat, so speed would remain good. The result is narrow footwells. Some found it too tight, especially guys with big calves or big water shoes. I am 6'2" 200, and I am just fine. Erik K who is bigger than me just ordered one after trying it at mendo. Other big guys though like cpkayak and polepole weren't into it. I watched them, and they DID look uncomfortable. A perfect example of why it is so damn important to try before you buy. I have one of the only prototypes, and will getting more as soon as the are available if you want to check out the foot room.

Speed in the Mariner is outstanding for a boat of this size. Not as fast as the rocket-powered Expedition, but you will be able to troll for many hours no problem. I am going striper trolling today, as I didn't get to fish much during the tourney (working ya know), I'll let you know what I think.

I'll let you decide if you want to post any of this. I don't mind at all if ya do! Lets hook up when you come up, I still have a few snails left on the card...waste not want not!
"It's the ocean flowing in our veins"


granitedive

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So am I correct in assuming that a Tourer is still faster than a Mariner? And something else I thought of - Would the control bar for the keel be in the way of that big hatch on the Mariner?  :jawdrop
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granitedive

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Sorry, I mean control for the rudder. Emoticon compliments of Carter, my 5 year old.  :smt001
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Potato_River

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Rich,
I had 2 cobras and my buddy had one as well.

On all 3, the hatches were water tight.  The only complaint I heard from some was that it takes longer to turn all the knobs to finally open the A or rectangular hatch.

One one of them, I installed an A hatch and it was very easy.  

I would definitely buy a cobra again, maybe a Mariner??????

Right now I'm in a prowler15 and am fairly happy with it.  Its light and I like the speed.  Its also quite stable given its speed.  

However, its also very wet compared to other rides.  I guess the low center of gravity helps to add to the stability and also keeps it wet.  The deck lay out is not the best and I really miss a center hatch.  Also, its not that roomy, esp for big guys.  The other thing I noticed on windy days is that it drifts faster than a lot of other kayaks.  The high bow and profile seems to catch a fair amount of wind.  This surprised me given that the seat is low to the water.  I would have thought just the opposite.

Stuart


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My Cobra is 5+ years now I think.  And the only time I notice any hatch leak is when I get some sand in the seal.  Of course it doesn't work good then.

But I have bigger problems.  I was taking on a bunch of water at Mendo.  Anyone have any good ideas on how to track down a leak?

-Allen


KZ

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Well... I bit the bullet and ordered a Mariner from Sean...  the foot-well thing is just not enough of a problem for me to be a deal breaker, and it sounded like it would be a while before Cobra re-works that part of the mold, if ever.  

Compared to my Malibu II, the Mariner is like a Cadillac, and I need a new boat badly.  I'll post a review after I've used it a couple of months and put it through it's paces.  

Now... I just need to keep from going totally nuts over the next couple weeks...   :smt101... can't get it out of my head...

Here's a summary of my evening conversations with my wife over the course of the next couple of weeks...

Lucy:  "Honey... are you listening to me?"  "Did you hear me?"  "What in the world are you thinking about?"   :smt061

Erik:  "Nothing honey... I heard you"     :smt023

Lucy:  "Oh yeah... well what did I say then?"   :smt018

Erik:  "Uh....  Uh.... something about a kayak I think?"  :smt105  :yak  

Lucy:  :fire

I'm sure you guys can relate...

Erik
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KZ

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Quote from: polepole
Anyone have any good ideas on how to track down a leak?



I've never done this before, but have heard that this is how to do it...

Plug all of your hatches securely.  Then, through your drain plug hole, introduce compressed air until your hull is positively pressurized.  Then swab over the hull with some soapy water to find leaks.

Good luck...

Erik
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Acts 10:13 And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat.


Potato_River

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Allen,
Not sure if this is doable but here are two thoughts:

1.   Dry out the inside of the yak completely, the put some newspaper inside (under each hatch).  Spray each hatch with a garden hose/nozel.  Dry off the kayak and open each one up.  See which one has the wet newspaper underneath the hatch.  
2.   If its not the hatch, it could possibly be the hull.  Fill it with a little water and rest it on a stand.  If it doesn’t leak, maybe you can turn it upside down to see if there is a leak coming from one of the hatches, while still on the stand

#1 seems easier to test.  I’d try that first.

Erik,
Looking forward to your mariner review.  What’s the ETA from Cobra?   XMAS?

Stuart