Mirage Drive

I just got my first look at a mirage the other day, interesting setup. 

  For those who own one, can you propel the kayak faster with the Mirage drive or with your paddle?

  I would suppose that trying to use both the Mirage drive and paddle at the same time would probably just slow you down?

  Watching a youtube video of the mirage from underwater, if these kayaks weren't white shark bait enough as it is, that mirage drive really has to bring whitey in, the kayak with a mirage looks all the more like a big old fat sealion. 

that mirage drive really has to bring whitey in, the kayak with a mirage looks all the more like a big old fat sealion. 

Maybe, the jury is still out...

 The Drive system with a leasurly Peddle, will propel you at about the same speed as a Normal Paddler

 on a normal SOT yak,

that is my experience with the OutBack, the Revo or Adventure would be faster, but less stable..

You really need to try these out before you buy and there are several ways to do that..

I really like them for fishing, keeping your hands free, cruising into the wind ect... ect...

But, it is not the end all be all... you give up precious room on your yak with those pedals,

and rigging is a different kind of challenge too.

If you have not tried paddling a Ocean Kayak Prowler or a Tarpon 140 or 160,

You would be wise to try these too ,,,

" Try before you Buy ".......

There's no advantage to pedaling and paddling at the same time.  It's very awkward to do both.  Pedaling a Hobie is way more efficient than paddling one, however, the longer sleeker Hobie Adventure paddles as good or better than many paddle yaks I've tried.

Some believe the mirage flipper action may attract sharks, but I can't imagine the risk being any worse than paddling a surfboard.  If you're out there on any traditional kayak, Hobie, or surfboard you're at risk.  You just have to ask yourself if your sport is worth the risk.  Many kayakers and surfers believe it is.

You can't beat a Mirage for fishing.  The Outback is the ultimate for stability and room for gear.  Ir is faster than my 14' Scupper Pro.  The downside to the Outback is that it is short, heavy and awkward.  It is also not a good paddling boat.  In a combination of wind, waves and kelp it can be scary.  Try the Revolution and Outback before you buy.

Doug

Speed is based more on the hull than just the mirage drive IMO. I can paddle and pedal my Adventure at the same speed. When it comes to sustaining that top speed the drive is definitely faster. The Revo is similar but still pedals better IMO. The Outback pedals well and paddles like a beast.

As for the shark question.. what ChuckE said.

Z

IMO the hobie mirage drive boats are genius. i believe they are faster than paddling especially in the wind. Furthermore, having hands-free propulsion is really-really-really nice. the cockpits and hulls and everything about them seems well thought out. However, i do believe that the mirage-drive fins are more likely to attract a shark than a paddle. I've been a paddler for many years but have recently decided to go mirage-drive. i truly believe it is a way better means of propulsion. I bought a shark-shield to resolve my shark issues.

Someone should call MythBusters to help us settle this argument about the mirage drive attracting sharks.  It's getting old.  Untested myths hold no water with me.  One can argue the paddle splashing attracts sharks too.

If you check out the AOTY 2007  won on a Hobie Mirage and the 2008 AOTY currently being led by two Hobie Mirages   This should tell you how stable and well they work for fishing.   The Outback is the most stable of the line, whereas the Adventure is the fastest.   You can demo all of them at Windtoys in Santa Rosa any time

paddling is more of a intermittent,smooth stroking action. mirage-drive is a constant fluttering action. i have watched and listened to both from underwater. There is a big difference. I dont imagine anyone from hobie will be calling mythbusters anytime soon.

For those who own one, can you propel the kayak faster with the Mirage drive or with your paddle?

Depends on the operator. I own both types. I admire the beautiful engineering behind the Mirage Drive. If I have a long distance to go, I'd rather paddle. Good paddling technique (not that I'm a poster boy for it) involves muscles throughout the body, not just the legs. And in sloppy conditions, that paddle is a huge stability aid.

If you check out the AOTY 2007  won on a Hobie Mirage and the 2008 AOTY currently being led by two Hobie Mirages

You'll never convince this skeptic that the boat catches the fish. Otherwise I'd have my marlin by now. 

If you check out the AOTY 2007  won on a Hobie Mirage and the 2008 AOTY currently being led by two Hobie Mirages

I really look forward to making this quote obsolete...see you at the end of the year!

For me the Mirage Drive is faster.

My neck is messed up so I went with the Adventure. Paddling against strong current or wind was not comfortable because of the neck issue. The thing that impresses me the most about the mirage is how effortlessly you can hold a moderate pace. The Adventure is fast when sprinting but it can cruise with almost no effort.

Sat we were off the coast of Menocino and I would get seperated from the group when I would stop to retie terminal tackle. I would look up and think, "those guys are way out there it's going to take a while to get to them". I would start pedaling low energy and be up to them very quickly. I was also able to stay over a certain spot while holding my rod. I went through the thick kelp with the drive in place. If you push the pedals to the end of their range of motion and hold them there the flippers fold against the hull and you can paddle right over the kelp. I was going through bull kelp that was so thick it was matted on top of the water.

Top speed is like any other high effort exercise. Hold it long enough and the legs burn and the sweat runs. I really miss the open deck space of my Search 15. We were catching lots of big fish and my bag was starting to get in the way.