Ever try a Hobie Mirage?

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Has anyone ever tried a Hobie Mirage, the kayak with the pedals? I row a dory and also own an Alden Martin that I almost never use. I'm thinking about getting a Mirage to try facing forward for a change. Any experience? Do those flippers really work?

-- Chuck Thompson (cthompson@troweprice.com), July 11, 2002

Answers

I haven't used one, but I observed one up close. The flipper system indeed works, after a fashion, but it's mounted on a stubby sit-on- top kayak that would prevent it from going very fast, even if it developed enough thrust, which it doesn't. It's an improvement on pedal boats driving a paddlewheel -- but not by much. If you want to face forward, I suggest you look into the "Frontrower" system.

-- Kim Apel (kapel@fullerton.edu), July 11, 2002.

We own a mirage tandem, and have astonished many folks with the ease and speed. It seems to be an extremely well designed rig. We use it off the beach and sand has not been a problem in the moving parts. The flippers do work, and if you are a cyclist, the motion, though different is very similar. Comments about the efficiency of the hull material/shape are well founded. The drive system works better than the rudder arrangement.

-- Peter Jorgenson (pjorgenson@ameritech.net), November 21, 2002.

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