Brand spanking Hobie Adventure Island, rigged up and good to go
I've upgraded once again, this time going from the Adventure to the viagra-enhanced Adventure Island. Hull-wise, it's much the same boat and for some of the time at least, I'll be using it in very similar fashion to the original. The Island does have a few major appendages that when fitted, transform it from being a not so humble kayak to an even less humble trimaran. It's not the kind of upgrade that everyone would want to do but after having played around in a few Islands recently, was something I could really see merit in. There's a few reasons for this, which I could summarise as it's overall versatility. If you've got your heart set on getting out onto the water, having something that can be paddled/pedalled in calm conditions or otherwise sailed in windy conditions can really open up ones options.
Sailing the Island really is a hell of a lot of fun. It's simple enough to do, the boat itself is incredibly stable and under the right conditions, super fast. My fastest recorded speed so far is 16.4kph, which I managed last night in winds somewhere in the vicinity of 15-18 knots. I took it out today for a longer run, launching from Murrays boat ramp and sailing over to Pt Perpendicular and then playing around the headlands. What would otherwise take me about 3 hours to paddle/pedal, took me about an hour and that was tacking into a headwind. Sailing back with a tailwind behind me was even faster.
Fishing from the Island has commanded a few adjustments to my game and that's partly why I've been working towards minimising my gear and organising it better. After a couple of trial runs (one with rods, one without) with the new boat I think my efforts have been well worthwhile. Less clutter on deck definitely makes things go smoother while sailing. I also took the step of re-thinking storage of tackle and essential items, with a view to make sure that everything that absolutely positively has to stay dry does. This is very important on the Island, because the faster it goes - especially in choppy water - the wetter the ride. That's all part of the fun though I reckon, which is demonstrated in the video clip below, which I shot today. In the clip I'm playing around off Pt Perp, tacking into a northerly breeze. My GPS was off at the time but I estimate that I was doing just over 10kph at the time.
Extending my range of capabilities is one of the major reasons I started to like the idea of using the Island as a fishing platform. Jervis Bay is a rather large body of water and equipped with sail power provided by the island, I'm able to reach any part of it. There are some very productive reefs off shore that are too difficult to reach by paddle power alone. Now they are within my reach.
The added speed should also help to round up some pelagics whilst trolling. So far I've had good success hooking up while trolling at fairly high speeds and that trend should only continue. In my experience some species respond better to faster moving lures and with tuna season coming up I should get plenty of opportunity to test that theory. It is challenging to boat a good fish when hooking up while sailing (especially when the boat is going one way and the fish the other) but the furling system featured on the Island makes it relatively easy to manage.
I did have a good day's fishing from the Island today, which I'll talk more about in a soon-to-be-written fishing report (Snapper for dinner). I'll also talk more about how I've rigged up the Island, as well as how I've re-organised my gear to suit in another post soon.
Those of you familiar with the Hobie Adventure Island kayak/trimaran might be wondering where a dune coloured model came from, as it is only available in Hibiscus (red) or Papaya (yellow) as standard. There is actually a dune island upgrade kit available, which I've matched with a dune adventure (would also go well with moss and orange I think). Installing the upgrade kit was easier than I was expecting and I'm glad I got the chance to do so, as it gave me an opportunity to get up real close and personal and learn more about it. I do like both the Hibiscus and Papaya colours but couldn't decide between the two, so opting for the dune colour seemed to make sense.
I've often compared the experience of pedalling a Hobie Mirage kayak to that of pedalling a bicycle, especially to those who are wondering how much physical exertion one needs to expell in order to reach cruising speeds. I also use a push bike as an example when I'm asked if using a Hobie gives you a sore backside. To those that aren't use to it (ie: beginners - especially those that have bony bums or don't get much exersise, or both), much like riding a pushbike, some people might find it a bit of a pain in the butt after a few hours. Not everyone experiences this - and many that do only experience it briefly - but to those who do, Hobie have now come up with a solution. Behold, the i-comfort seat pad.
The i-comfort seat pad is a self-inflating pad that replaces the standard foam core pad and can be used on both the old and new style seats. It is exactly like a self-inflating camping mat, with a tough nylon upper and a non-slip surface underneath. I use to use a small self-inflating camping seat pad to do much the same thing, although unlike this, there was no way to attach it and as such, would slip around all over the place. The i-comfort pad screws into place though, so it would be much better than my make-shift fix (that I believe Astro still employs). They'll be turning up on dealers shelves as I type so if you like the idea of making those longer trips a bit more comfy, pop into your dealer and take a peek. I know Astro will be checking them out :-)
While you're there, keep an eye out for the new fish grips, which are made from glow-in-the-dark plastic, and float: two attributes perfectly suited for kayak fishing.
Update: I tried out the i-comfort seat out in Jervis Bay today and it was every bit as good as I'd hoped. It really is more plush than the standard seat pad, and is warmer to. It also occured to me that you could also double them up (inflated pad underneath, foam pad on top) for ultimate in luxurious kayak fishing.
Pacific Tailboat and Native Watercraft Multisport Propel concepts
Native Multisport Ultimate 14
Much to the dismay of some paddling purists, pedal-powered kayaking is really catching on. Ever since Hobie burst the bubble with the invention of the mirage drive a decade or so ago, I've seen several alternative pedal propulsion system concepts. Some on the web, one or two others on inventors programs on TV. For one reason or another none of these have hit market yet (that I'm aware of) but recently I stumbled upon a couple of interesting concepts currently in development and they do make for some good speculation though. There's really not much media available on either of these right now (that I can find), so it's a bit early to be certain if they'll ever make it to production.
The Native Watercraft Propel kayaks do, however, appear to have an advanced prototype of a pedal-powered concept that looks quite interesting. As the name suggests, it's a propeller based design and I'll be very interested to see how it performs. According to the Nativecraft website, it offers similar benefits to the Hobie mirage drive: respectably fast and very efficient, offering the additional feature of on-the-fly reverse. A propeller is precisely what many curious onlookers expect to see poking out from underneath a Hobie mirage kayak and this propeller does look pretty sleek, so I think it will attract some attention when and if it becomes available. There are also electric-powered versions in their Multisport range (12 and 14.5').
It is interesting to note that the hull designs of their Multisport kayaks are not a sit-on-top design as such, nor a traditional sit-in kayak, but more of a dug-out canoe design. Although I think that's fine for sweetwater conditions, I'm not a fan of that style of hull in choppy water. If a large wave crashes over the sides it's going to take on a fair bit of water... one would want a good bilge handy at the least. The pedalling position is much more like that of a recumbent cycle (than a Hobie for example) and I'm not so sure how well that would suit active fishing. Time will tell... maybe.
The Pacific Tailboat uses a different system altogether and much like the Mirage drive, seems to have found inspiration in nature. The reason they call it a tailboat is that the propulsion system simulates the action of a shark tail. There doesn't appear to be any photos on the website, although there are concept images and a few small clips of a prototype in action. I'm actually surprised how quickly it seems to be moving along in the side view clip, but while I watched the front and rear clips I picked up how much the bow is snaking left and right. Obviously this would be caused by the sweeping sideways movement of the tail fins and would have to impair efficiency to some degree I imagine. Either way, it's pretty hard to discern much from those videos and even less from the concept drawings, so it'll be interesting to see if this one ever makes it to market.Here's a description of how it works:
The propulsion fin is the rear-most fin suspended from a carbon-fibre "boom". The boom sweeps, or "heaves", from side to side by pedalling. The foot pedals are located in front of the recumbent-style drivers seat. The rudder, or "pectoral fin", is mounted at the stern of the boat. The pectoral fin is used during steering and braking, and is controlled by the side-mounted joystick. Thrust is generated as the airfoil-shaped propulsion fin slices edge-wise back and forth through the water, just like a fishes tail. The fin generates lift and "flies" through the water like the tail of a shark, or wing of a bird.
Wow. I had a rapid response to my recent article titled 'Keeping warm on the kayak' in which I paid special attention to Skarkskin and Aqua fleece apparel. Being that it's winter (and a cold winter at that) I guess I shouldn't be surprised on getting so much immediate feedback. It seems I'm not the only one who's been looking out for solutions to staying warm while kayaking in the southern half of Australia during the cooler months. I've received numerous emails and PMs, some of which have asked me where they can get the stuff (which I did actually mention in the article, linked towards the end) and some that have asked how I thought these products compared to some other commonly used garments or fabrics. I certainly don't have all the answers there because I haven't used it all.
One reader did recall a post I made last year on the Icebreaker line of merino wool clothing and asked if I had shelved that in favour for Sharkskin. The short answer is no, but a more accurate reply would be to say that I'd be inclined to use the Icebreaker gear in situations where the Sharkskin is probably overkill. I like the comparable icebreaker garments for different reasons (mainly it's incredible permeability). For example, I have an icebreaker singlet, which I'd wear in reasonably warm days, or mildly cool days. I do, however, always wear my Icebreaker beanie on cold days, full stop.
Another reader remembered a post I made about Sealskin merino lined socks, and asked whether or not I think the Sharkskin is better. Tough question that. I do think the Sealskins are warmer, though I find that because they are waterproof, and not as tightly fitted, if the foot is submerged, they trap water inside. Sharkskin socks don't. It's great to have both though, because I hate putting on wet socks and often go out two days in a row. So if I was to wear the Sharkskins on the Saturday, for example, I'd likely wear the Sealskins on the Sunday. It's good to have options.
I was also asked if I had to choose between the Rooster Sailing Aqua fleece and Sharkskin, which would it be? Another tough question, which I'd be inclined to answer by asking a couple of questions. Such as 'do you paddle a lot, and do you prefer a loose fitting garment?' If yes, answer is Aqua fleece. Next question would be 'do you plan to do some diving from the kayak?' If yes, I'd answer Sharkskin. But ultimately, as mentioned in that article, the two used in conjunction make for a brilliant, practically infallible solution for retaining body heat and resisting wind chill for mid-winter kayaking. That was the overall point of the article.
And yes, I do still have a few neoprene items. One being a pair of Adrenaline boots, which although inexpensive, I find pretty good. And I do still use a pair of 2mll thick neoprene pants that I wear over the Sharkskin pants on those really cold days. Oh yes... I'm also using Oceanpro gloves, which have a neoprene upper and suede palm/fingers.
The response I got on this write up influenced me to update the gear list page. I've added a section on apparel, which I probably should have done when I refreshed it's look and content a few weeks back.
Couta1 is one pelagic kayak fisherman gaining notoriety in Australia for his uncanny ability to catch big fish, and many of them. He holds various records in the AKFF Hall of Fame and this week he added another to the list: a rather impressive fat-bellied 26kg longtail tuna caught from Palm beach, gold coast. The full report is posted at the AKFF and is worth checking out, complete with several photos of the monster, accompanied with Couta's monster smile. Check this out:
I picked up my new Rack 'n Roll roofrack loading device yesterday and in doing so learned that the manufacturors were very appreciative that I discovered the invention and found a moment to write about it. I'm hitting the road tomorrow, and won't have my own vehicle handy to demonstrate it, but a full review with images is forthcoming (check back next week). Details are being ironed out so that members of Yakabout will get a special offer on any orders they take when yakabout is mentioned, so keep that in mind. This won't mean a commission for me (in case you were wondering) but they will be using to it so guage online marketing ventures. So if you're thinking about buying one (and those of you tired of breaking backs may well be) hold tight until I have more info on that offer. I'll email all yakabout members with full details when that occurs, so look out for it.
I was given a hands on demo on several types of racks and I was suitably impressed. When I replace my shoe-budget version with one my car will look like I actually care about it's appearence, and we all know chicks dig cars that don't look like they are fresh from the scrap heap. Good times ahead!
Rack & Roll has been designed to work with with common styles of roof racks from major brands:
There are currently two threads running at the AKFF just full of inspiration eye candy, and if statistics at this site are anything to go by, yak fishoes just love a good snaphot. The two threads in question are 'best photo of you' and 'best photo you've taken of an AKFF member'. There really is some magic shots there and you're well advised to go forth and feast the eyes. Keep in mind that you'll need to be a registered meber to see them all, for if not anything else, its worth signing up just for these. Below is probably my favourite (of AKFF mod 'Red'). Just magic!
Whatever it is, it's weird, looks pissed off and... well, dead
Montauk is a name that continues to be associated with all sorts of phenomenon, natural and otherwise (researchers of the Philidephia experipment will know what I mean). The words 'Montauk' and 'weird' have found association again recently, although it has nothing to do with time travel or camoflage technology. This monstrosity (a word I'm abusing lately) washed up at Montauk beach, Long Island recently. And my big question is this: WTF is it?
Who knows if it's even real. Hollywood have pulled some eye-opening stunts before and perhaps this is the same. But I will be keeping an eye out for autopsy reports to try and figure out if it is in fact a biological organism. To me it looks like a werewolf crossed with a prehistoric turkey. I don't see any gills of any kind, and have never heard of anything like this ever surfacing for air. My best guess is that it's a clever attempt at viral marketing (attack of the killer pirannas, anyone?). Look for the oceans to come alive with these things, coming soon to a cinema near you. But oh man... I hope I'm wrong. I want to be the first to bring one of these up on light tackle... with a wire cable tracer, of course.
There's a reason I've written a few posts about James Castrission and Justin Jones over the past few months and the simplest way for me to state it is that they are my personal heroes. I'm in awe of these guys and what they managed to accomplish (paddling over 3000km across the Tasman sea from the east coast of Australia to the west coast of New Zealand). Today I got to meet them and I have to admit feeling a bit like a newby white belt martial artist meeting Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan. James was busy fielding questions for the many other curious onlookers while I was hanging around but I did get to corner Justin, shake his hand (I think he was a little embarrissed when I told him that they were my heroes) and ask him a bunch of questions about their incredible voyage. He really was very friendly and was more than happy to answer anything I had to ask. I think I'll try to arrange to do a proper interview with them, because what Justin did have to say was really very interesting. Attending the Sydney boat show was worthwhile going just to get a chance to chat to them.
James Castrission and Justin Jones: chicks dig em
Equally as interesting was getting a close up look at the kayak they built for the trip. I was surprised at how big the kayak is and astounded to learn that fully loaded with all their gear, it actually weighed 1 tonne. Yes, a whole tonne - that's not a misprint. They paddled this monstrosity (Justin seemed amused at my description of it) for about 3300km over the course of 62 days. Wow. Just, wow!
The 1 tonne monstrosity
Cockpit. Too cosy for my tastes, but clearly it did the job
This years Sydney boat show got off to a great start with good numbers of people checking out the many exhibits on show. There was a fair amount of eye candy on display and not all of it had something to do with fishing or boats. Admittedly, I was surprised how few kayak manufacturors were showing off their wares, although there was certainly enough there to make it a worthwhile visit. Overall there was a lot to take in and I'm a bit too tired to go into much depth on it all. A picture is worth a thousand words though, so here's a few thousand syllables for you to absorb.
Sailing Scene's Hobie kayak and catamaran display
Hobie's inflatable kayak range (note the new 9' model)
Stylish carbon fibre kayak (sit-in style)
Classy canoe... only a lazy $15k. Thanks for coming
I'm always on the lookout for worthy weather prediction sites and a few days ago Kev from Hobie Sports Gosford pointed me towards Ask Huey , which I've found to be very comprehensive. One feature that really impressed me is their SMS weather feature, which as the name suggests, sends weather reports to your mobile phone. Pretty much any kind of details a kayaker might want to know are available there and navigating to the information you need is a breeze (pun intended). There are even fishing reports to peruse, which should tell you a little bit about Huey's intended audience. I've just added Ask Huey to the weather section of the Yakabout links directory.
It was only a few days after creating a shoe-string budget kayak loading system for my car that I stumbled upon this newly invented system that makes my el-cheapo effort look rather primative. It's also a detachable support (unlike mine) and is a snap to install or remove, which is a good thing for people who care about the appearance of their car. Apparently the Rack & Roll is compatible with the majority of roof racks currently on the market. The simplicity of the Rack & Roll kayak loader is rather impressive and I think I might just have to add one of these to my kit. I'll update the site with more info (and pictures) when I do.
Below is a snippet on how the Rack and Roll works. Head on over to the website and check out the user guide to view a quick video to see for yourself.
Rack & Roll is a universal and removable roof rack accessory originally designed and developed to make it possible for just one person to load heavy, awkward objects onto the roof of their vehicle. Originally designed to load Kayaks and Canoes onto a vehicle, the Rack & Roll system has also found uses in trades for an individual operator loading timber or ladders. Rated for loads up to 40kg, Rack & Roll - Universal Loading Solution is the convenient and pain free way to lift your load.
'Bluewater' Jon Schwartz is a dedicated kayak fisherman based on the US west coast and is particularly keen on hunting large game fish (with an impressive number of marlin under his belt). He's also a pretty good writer, which is a skill he's put to use on an article about big game fishing from a kayak. Although he's writing from a US perspective, it's all applicable to any yak fisho looking to pick up a few worthy tips. The article can be found at Bluewater Jon's kayak fishing website. Here's a snippet:
"The thrill of landing a trophy on a kayak is matched by an increase in risk factors. Conditions can change in an instant, and the lake-like conditions that you paddled out it in can quickly morph into a frothing cauldron. Be cautious, conservative, and curious; anyone can get lucky, but to safely catch fish on a consistent basis, you’ll have to study the sport and the ocean diligently."
News 
Much to the dismay of some paddling purists, pedal-powered kayaking is really catching on. Ever since Hobie burst the bubble with the invention of the mirage drive a decade or so ago, I've seen several alternative pedal propulsion system concepts. Some on the web, one or two others on inventors programs on TV. For one reason or another none of these have hit market yet (that I'm aware of) but recently I stumbled upon a couple of interesting concepts currently in development and they do make for some good speculation though. There's really not much media available on either of these right now (that I can find), so it's a bit early to be certain if they'll ever make it to production.
The 
Rack & Roll has been designed to work with with common styles of roof racks from major brands: 
