Y'all might want to check this out!!!

The different look could be just a different housing design for the propel mechanical works although there are several pedal drive manufacturers making drives for recreational markets. Lightweight materials like kevlar, carbon fiber, or even glass would be far more costly than poly molded mass production yaks in that more hand labor is needed and the materials cost more. I wonder if Wilderness tried to negotiate with Hobie about using Mirage Drives and were refused and then decided to go full revolution pedal in that patents in full cycle craft can be got around by easy modifications of drive setups.

I can guarantee you that Wildy and Native are not working together on this

Although I wouldn't be surprised if we don't see a little consolidation in the industry in a few years time.

I can guarantee you that Wildy and Native are not working together on this

Although I wouldn't be surprised if we don't see a little consolidation in the industry in a few years time.

Sea Cycle is a fairly large company that makes pedal propulsion units for their small watercraft and also sells the drive units separately. There is a visual likeness between their promo pics and the Wilderness video. Could very well be the provider to Wilderness.

Let me see if I get this straight, motor, paddle, or peddle all in one boat?  You mean all my procrastination for a new boat just paid off? Frak Yeah!

That trio has been around for years with Hobie & Torqeedo but I do like that Wildy

or

That's a nice paddle but.....nah!

 

So, I've been scoping Threshers now...and I wonder if the pod is too far forward to pedal effectively? Just speculating and wondering. Maybe the seat will have a mod to scoot forward or the pedals will be extended closer to the seat...

So, I've been scoping Threshers now...and I wonder if the pod is too far forward to pedal effectively? Just speculating and wondering. Maybe the seat will have a mod to scoot forward or the pedals will be extended closer to the seat...

In the video it looks as though the pedal system angles back towards the seat.  Im not familiar with the Threshers. Does that pod go all the way through the boat??? Like a jackson big tuna?

Yes

Does that pod go all the way through the boat??? Like a jackson big tuna?

Yep, see pg 3 of this thread: http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=60929.30

I've been checking craigslist everyday in hopes for a good deal on a Hobie but I will definitely be saving my nickels and dimes for one of these.. Once a wilderness girl always a wilderness girl!!

Annie...remember for $40 you can play AOTY and for each species you enter you get a raffle ticket for a WS Thresher 140!

And...if you win AOTY the grandprize is a Hobie Revo13!

 

http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=63980.0

 

Sincerely,

Jim

thanks for the link....that is really cool....I cant wait till these hit the stores. I can actually look at one since we have a WS dealer here in Fresno.

The only bummer I see is that I would loose the pod (fishfinder/gps) if I use a pedal drive leaving me back at "regular" kayak status as far as the electronics pod is concerned.  My initial reason to look at the new Thresher WAS the electronics pod.  I'll be curous to see what the drive system will retail for as an 'add-on' to existing owners.