I’ve been waiting to see these in person ever since I first heard about them last fall. In case you weren’t aware, Hobie has one of the most innovative pedal-power systems around, the Mirage. It may look funny, but it’s actually a lot more ergonomic than conventional bicycle pedals driving a propeller shaft.
We’ve written about this before, in an entry entitled “And One Roto-Molded Kayak to Rule Them All.” Obviously, we’re big fans. That’s why I’ve been so eager to see Hobie’s inflatable Mirage-drive kayaks. Lo and behold…
Here’s the tandem model, called the i14t. 
Fourteen feet long, 36″ wide, 61 pounds. The Mirage drive units weigh 6.6 pounds each. Each drive “cassette” locks into a rigid receptacle bonded into the inflatable body of the kayak. When inflated to 3-5 PSI, the boat feels very rigid.
That’s the real trick here, you see: human legs are powerful, and energy wasted bending the boat back and forth or causing the Mirage drive to wiggle around in its slot is not propelling the boat forward. Worse, any slop in the system is going to accelerate wear and eventual breakdown of the components.
Hobie appears to have created an inflatable capable of transferring almost all of the pedal power to the propulsion fins.
It all packs up pretty well, too, although these roller-equipped bags are heavy, make no mistake. You’ve got a lot of kayak here. The bag containing the single, designated the i12s, is on the left.
7 responses so far ↓
Momma Pauline // Jan 29, 2008 at 1:10 pm
I would like to try one out (when it gets warmer). Sounds perfect for protected Sound waters. Would you recommend these kayaks to a person of my age and physique?
Wayne // Jan 29, 2008 at 1:24 pm
I haven’t tried the inflatable, but the rigid model was quite effortless to propel through the water. If the inflatable achieves an appropriate rigidity and hull shape, it would be quite a wonderful little craft.
I have yet to see an inflatable kayak that I would like for paddling flat water. If anyone can pull it off, it would be Hobie. I’ll have to see if I can try one of these out.
Steve Roberts // Jan 30, 2008 at 8:58 am
I have a Hobie i12s inflatable, and I love it! The stability and dry ride are fantastic compared to the Hobie Revolution I’ve had for the past year… the new series is robust and fast, and stows much better aboard than a hardshell. I’m a big guy (6′4″ and 225-ish) and I can crawl from bow to stern safely… yet it’s not a slug underway like some inflatables. Recommended.
Tom Hart // Feb 7, 2008 at 10:56 am
These are incredible boats!
They preform incl. sailing like the hard shells and are easy to assemble aind break down in less than 10 minutes!
Brad Stephens // Feb 7, 2008 at 2:04 pm
This is the perfect boat for anyone who is short on space. I, like most of you, was hesitant when I 1st heard of the boat coming to the market. I can say without a doubt all those hesitations are gone. Easy to maneuver on and off the water, there isn’t a better kayak on the market for the RV lifestyle!
George Haines // May 18, 2008 at 7:11 am
Has anyone attempted to repack a Mirage 12i after setting it up and taking it apart and deflating it? I have just spent the better part of an hour just trying to get the uninflated kayak back into the bag. This does not appear to be a boat one sets up for a short kayak trip.
Has anyone had experience repacking the 12i?
Philipp Sorel // Jun 8, 2008 at 3:49 am
Can you send a i12s to germany ?
What´s the price ?
regards
Ph. Sorel
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