best way to land a hobie - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

sbsyncro · 06-04-2008, 09:10 PM

After bending one of my masts on a rocky exit early on, I ALWAYS pull my drives out before launching and exiting. I bungee them really well in the front compartment (I have an outfitter tandem) and usually loop another rod leash around one of the legs just in case. I put a drive plug in my drive well to keep the water and sand from washing my seat, and then walk out to about knee deep, jump in on my knees, and use a paddle to get out through the surf. By the way, this method requires buying a different paddle than the one that comes with the Hobie - for any serious work like getting through surf, it is not very efficient (tons of flex).

I paddle like hell out of the surf line, un bungee my drive unit, drop it in the well (the hardest part), flip down the rudder, and off I go. Exiting in the reverse.

I did my first complete "el rollo" this past Monday while trying to shepherd a friend of mine out of the surf. he is not as comfortable in the surf as I am (having grown up on the water) and we had stayed out past dark with a wide-open WSB bite (that was amazing, by the way). I escorted him into the surf zone and stopped to talk him back about 50' when my worst fear loomed up behind him - a 4-5' wind swell driven wave scooped up at just the worst distance from me, and I saw it too late because of the darkness. I shouted him back, and tried to turn around to face the wave. Because my Outfitter turns like an oil tanker, I ended up taking the wave full broadside. I leaned like hell into the wave and it picked me up where I rode up to the crest of the wave, then it peaked and threw me over upside down.

I came down underwater, totally submerged (in the dark) and hit the bottom. Somehow I managed to push myself up and with my hands above my head came up against my upside down yak, both of us still rolling in the whitewater. I pushed off the bottom again and with the extra "oomph" got the yak righted, and followed it into shore holding onto the rear toggle.

My CrateMate Jr. (with my custom-fabbed mounts) was still attached, and still had all four of my rods in place! None of them broke, amazingly.

I think the only thing I lost was a scupper plug - everything else was tied down really well. Oh, I did notice that the rubber ball I use to cover the end of my gaff was missing, leaving the gaff exposed (lashed to the paddle keeper) on the same side of the boat I came up on from under the water. The realization of what that gaff could have done to me in the surf was probably the scariest part of the whole experience.

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Switch to Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Threaded Mode

06-04-2008, 09:10 PM	#7
sbsyncro Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Santa Barbara, CA Posts: 80	After bending one of my masts on a rocky exit early on, I ALWAYS pull my drives out before launching and exiting. I bungee them really well in the front compartment (I have an outfitter tandem) and usually loop another rod leash around one of the legs just in case. I put a drive plug in my drive well to keep the water and sand from washing my seat, and then walk out to about knee deep, jump in on my knees, and use a paddle to get out through the surf. By the way, this method requires buying a different paddle than the one that comes with the Hobie - for any serious work like getting through surf, it is not very efficient (tons of flex). I paddle like hell out of the surf line, un bungee my drive unit, drop it in the well (the hardest part), flip down the rudder, and off I go. Exiting in the reverse. I did my first complete "el rollo" this past Monday while trying to shepherd a friend of mine out of the surf. he is not as comfortable in the surf as I am (having grown up on the water) and we had stayed out past dark with a wide-open WSB bite (that was amazing, by the way). I escorted him into the surf zone and stopped to talk him back about 50' when my worst fear loomed up behind him - a 4-5' wind swell driven wave scooped up at just the worst distance from me, and I saw it too late because of the darkness. I shouted him back, and tried to turn around to face the wave. Because my Outfitter turns like an oil tanker, I ended up taking the wave full broadside. I leaned like hell into the wave and it picked me up where I rode up to the crest of the wave, then it peaked and threw me over upside down. I came down underwater, totally submerged (in the dark) and hit the bottom. Somehow I managed to push myself up and with my hands above my head came up against my upside down yak, both of us still rolling in the whitewater. I pushed off the bottom again and with the extra "oomph" got the yak righted, and followed it into shore holding onto the rear toggle. My CrateMate Jr. (with my custom-fabbed mounts) was still attached, and still had all four of my rods in place! None of them broke, amazingly. I think the only thing I lost was a scupper plug - everything else was tied down really well. Oh, I did notice that the rubber ball I use to cover the end of my gaff was missing, leaving the gaff exposed (lashed to the paddle keeper) on the same side of the boat I came up on from under the water. The realization of what that gaff could have done to me in the surf was probably the scariest part of the whole experience.