Finally a Hobie review!
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Finally a Hobie review!
I ordered a Kaku Voodoo a while back and it came in last Friday (Nov 9th). I had it out Sat-Mon.
Pros: Very Stable, was standing and paddling with no issues
Can stand, sit in the seat or up on the seat back.
This board/yak carries lots of gear/weight for camping on deck
At 77lbs it comes in a little lighter than my other yak, but fits on my trailer
Cons: I had noise coming from the forward scupper holes while paddling directly into the wind chop. I think this is just a matter of adjusting the seat.
It did not track as well as my other pure yaks, but it was not an issue that couldn't be overcome.
This is not a con, but a known going into this hull. If you look at the pictures of a Voodoo there are gear tracs, but no gear other than the seat. Keep in mind anything you add to the tracs will be an additional expense. Depending on how/what you want/need you're looking at spending from $100-$250 to add rods holders, paddle holders, tie downs, etc. There are a lot of things you could add. By taking off the seat and using just a cooler ( I picked up the small Engel with the rods holders) you can downsize for quick trips. I could not get my kids off of it and everyone who tried it really enjoyed it.
Hobie PA 14
bought used with trailer, Helix 9, Micro power pole, trailer and lots of extras.
Pros:
very comfortable (adjustable seat)
Mirage 180 drive (pedal drive)
stability
fast (5.5 mph top speed so far; cruise 2.5 mph)
handle waves from boats very well
cons:
cost
loading/unloading
So, Ive used most brands....
My last one was a Kaku Kahuna. I was torn between it and a clone of it, the Vibe Maverick. I went with the Kraphuna because I was offered a special deal by the owner of Kaku. I was told it was a great boat, and by all accounts, it looked amazing. It paddled very well as well, even with a smaller paddle like I had. I was told the screw holes in it that were made for securing track rails were watertight and corrosion resistant.
HOWEVER, the reality was much... crummier. The main hatch up front leaked big time, and the screw holes were neither watertight nor corrosion resistant. The padding, which looks great when you first get it, didn't even last the first six months without beginning to tear. Now, it looks like it was eaten by a junkie on bathsalts. I do still love how well it paddles, but, my back cannot handle paddling anymore, hence why I moved onto a boat.
Kaku voodo. Pros- stealthy and it glides after a paddle stroke like none of the kayaks that i have sold. Unlimited rigging options, ability to sight fish very quietly. Will be adding a trolley motor to expand my range. Cons- want to use it all the time
I posted about my Wilderness 115X earlier in this thread. There is a con I didn't post until now since I didn't know about it until now. This kayak has the fish finder console and is Lowrance ready, only you can't use a Lowrance fish finder. According to the techs at Wilderness, Lowrance recently started using a thicker wire that will not allow the console to fit into the designed area, therefore you need to rig it other than intended or advertised. Not happy. What makes it worse, I have a new Garmin which would fit better than the new Lowrance I purchased before Christmas just because the console was advertised "Lowrance Ready". I blame Wilderness Systems and Lowrance for this. Going to see if I can return the Lowrance Fish Finder. Pop
I had a 115 X max for my last kayak. I had to drill holes in the top of the console to make it work. Had several issues with that kayak that w/s didn’t seem interested in hearing about. That being said it was still a great kayak.