Another Seattle Boatshow find from a few weeks back was the Hobie Adventure Island model, a do-it-all, over-achieving kayak design which is actually pretty impressive. Starting with a sit-on-top design, Hobie adds their interesting foot-pedaled Mirage Drive, which slots through the hull (and is easily removed by turns of a couple locking cams). The main hull can be used as a conventional kayak, and features a bunch of nice little touches, like integrated holders for a folding paddle; molded-in mounting holes for a wheeled cart (which also stows perfectly behind the seat); and hatch-accessible inside storage, as well a generous, bungeed, outside storage area behind the seat.
Attach the amas (pontoons) and sailing rig, though, and you have an impressive little craft. It all locks together without tools, and is surprisingly straight-forward. What’s more, by releasing a bracing bar by the side of the seat, the ama will fold back against the main hull, making it much easier to get on and off the boat at a dock.
The sailing rig features a two part mast, and vertical battens give it a nice, square-top roach that work so well with multihulls. A built-in furling drum at the mast-base provides near instant furling when things get too exciting.
The rudder is a bit over-sized for a kayak, as is necessary for sufficient steerage with the sailing rig. And there is a composite daggerboard the slides into its own casing next to the Mirage Drive, so this thing can probably go to windward pretty well.
And the whole package costs about $3000, which isn’t a bad price for such a versatile and fun vessel. Now I just gotta figure out where onboard I can stash a sixteen foot kayak and all the bits!
Link: Hobie Kayaks
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