I’m just getting into kayaking/kayak fishing and was hoping my new kayak family could help me figure some stuff out. I bought an old tandem Hobie Mirage. Not sure what year it is but it should be v1 or the mirage drive.

I typically go out with my kids (6 & 8 years old) and they sit and play in the kayak, but they don’t pedal. If I go solo, I put an ~10-15 lb. weight in the front to keep the front down. 

When I go out, by the time I’m a few hundred yards outside of the harbor (for crabbing), I’m pretty tired already. I’m 41 and in good shape, but smaller in stature at 5’7 and 135 lbs. I see a lot of kayakers on Hobies go pretty far out and then pedal around for hours while fishing/crabbing.

The questions that always come up in my head are:

1) Am I not in good enough kayaking shape?

2) Are the first generation mirage drives a lot more inefficient and tiring?

3) Is the tandem significantly more effort (more drag or whatever) to pedal around as an individual? Will it be way better as a tandem?

I’m trying to get this info so I know whether I should be saving up to buy a more recent kayak

Separate question, I’m looking to go out fishing for the first time at HMB for rockfish and lingcod. Is the green buoy the best place to try as a beginner?

Thanks in advance!!

 


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Hi Everyone!

First, I want to thank everyone for all the amazing info that I've been able to find on kayaking.  I've been reading for a long time and am finally going to be able to buy a kayak (wife gave the okay  ) and join everyone on the water.  I'm now debating whether to get a tandem kayak.  I've been looking for these two pieces of information, but it has been difficult to find in this forum or on the internet.

Question 1: How old/big do kids have to be to use the Hobie Mirage Drive?  My kids are 5 & 8 right now.  I'm looking at the tandem Hobie Outfitter kayak.

Question 2: I've seen the inflatable outriggers for the single kayaks, do they have them for doubles as well?  I want to make sure the kayak is stable and doesn't flip with the kids.

Thank you so much!