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Kayak Addiction

Posted by Steve Vickers, Local Hobie Team Member on 27th Jul 2018

I own 5 kayaks…..Isn’t admitting you have an addiction the first step to recovery? HaHa….Hear me out; I NEED a minimum of 3. Let me explain; you don’t play golf with one club, it would be kinda hard to drive with your putter or vice versa. If you’re a hunter like I am, it would be difficult to hunt all the different game animals with just one gun. Kayaks are no different. No one kayak will perfectly serve your every need; in my opinion. Let me continue, my favorite thing to do in my kayak is fish in the marsh but I also like to get out front in the gulf and do open water paddling. So my first kayak need would be one that will allow me to fish comfortably, safely and is set up for fishing. Sit-on-top kayaks are usually the best choice here. Their open decks, integrated rod holders, self-draining, wide platform are great for fishing. Obviously I prefer Hobie’s hand free, Mirage Drive option here in the form of the Pro Angler, Compass or Outback models. I could even break it down more as to why I need two different fishing kayaks. Casual, leisure fishing (Hobie Pro Angler) versus tournament fishing (Hobie Outback) could call for different kayaks. In tournaments you may want something you can get in and out of the water quickly in those instances where you are changing locations frequently throughout your tournament fishing day. A lighter weight, narrower profile would be a factor for not only being more mobile but for paddle/pedal speed also.

My second kayak is for those situations where I’m not fishing but may be doing open water touring in the Gulf or going long distances exploring the islands. I want something that is long and skinny to cut through the open water, waves and wind. A sit on top model like the Hobie Revolution 16 comes to mind or you could go the route of a sit inside kayak which gives you less wind resistance, an option of a spray skirt for the cockpit for protection from the wave spray. These sit insides are paddle propelled and allow me to use a different muscle group than I’m used to in my pedal kayaks. Most importantly, you need a third kayak in case a friend or family member wants to go! The Hobie Compass is a perfect stable kayaking platform for both fishing and recreational use.

That’s 3 and I know I said I have 5 kayaks…..well let’s just say I’m addicted to kayaking and I also love to sail. I’ll talk about my awesome sailing kayak in my next post!

Stop by Everything Kayak and visit with the staff about adding to your kayak addiction. They have the largest selection of kayaks in the surrounding area and the most knowledgeable staff. Hope to see you on the water.

Wishing you success and safety on the water!

Steve