Hobie Mirage Pro-Angler

[Hobie unveiled the new Mirage Pro Angler at the Bassmaster Classic in Shreveport, LA last weekend. It's a new boat designed around the innovative Hobie Mirage Drive. There is a video to help introduce the boat, but I can't embed it here, so you'll have to click this link to see it.

Regular readers will recall that Navagear has long been fascinated by the Mirage drive system, and the boats designed for it. Perhaps you remember such classic Navagear posts as
And One Roto-Molded Kayak to Rule Them All and Hobie’s Inflatable Mirage-Drive Kayaks. The rest of the content below comes from Hobie. —Tim]

Oceanside, California – Long known for their expertise in building watercraft, Hobie Cat® introduces the Hobie Mirage Pro Angler fishing boat. Hobie has taken the defining feature used in their kayak line, the patented MirageDrive™ pedal system, and combined it with their proven boat-designing capabilities to build a first-in-class, no-gas required, 100-percent fishing machine… all at the affordable price of $2199, suggested retail. “The Pro Angler is small enough to let you access your favorite skinny water with unbelievable stability,” commented Hobie spokesperson and legendary bass fisherman, Hank Parker, “plus… it is large enough to provide plenty of room for multiple rods and tackle.”

The 13’ 8” Pro Angler is designed to facilitate the fishing experience for those who want the amenities of a large boat including stability and spacious storage combined with the user-friendly benefits of a smaller fishing boat such as light weight, maneuverability, and economic advantage. Anglers will be comfortable in all bodies of water, from narrow inland waterways to ocean coastlines. It also offers an affordable, human-powered, environmentally-friendly alternative to fishing from the shore. The Pro Angler boasts a weight capacity of over 600 pounds despite weighing in at only 138 pounds, fully rigged. The high quality, ergonomically-designed Cool Ride seat is wide, ventilated, and easily adjustable. The boat is both wide enough to allow ample freedom of movement and stable enough for anglers to stand up and cast, giving them the advantage of a better view of the water.

The defining feature of the Pro Angler is its patented MirageDrive™ that has pedals connected to two underwater flippers, much like penguin wings, that are instantly locked and unlocked from the boat with an easy Click and Go system. Finger tip steering is controlled via a small lever conveniently located adjacent to the seat. The combination of the rudder system and the hull design leaves the gunnels clean so that there is no issue with lines getting caught. Jackie Smith, NFL Hall of Fame member and avid fisherman, has been instrumental in the development of this new Hobie fishing boat. “Because of the MirageDrive, the quietness, comfort, and stealth qualities of the Pro Angler are unsurpassed,” stated Jackie. “Anglers will have the ability to quietly power the boat all day long with very minimum effort.” The MirageDrive™ is adjustable for any leg length, so it is easy to share the boat with family or friends.

There are other key benefits of the MirageDrive™ for anglers. Its rudder is positioned to provide a very tight turning radius resulting in easy maneuvering in and around obstacles and along shorelines, but will automatically retract under the hull when obstacles are unavoidable. The boat can be held in position while casting to a specific spot…the same advantage offered by an electric motor.

The Pro Angler has room for up to six horizontal and two vertical rods and the potential for 13 Plano® tackle boxes. A retractable Bungee® system is designed to hold rods and tackle boxes in place. There is ample capacity and accessory mounting boards on each rail to outfit the boat with a whole gamut of optional equipment including fish finders, GPS units, lights, downriggers, or additional rod holders. It is designed with a large forward hatch with liner, as well as a stern storage compartment for an optional livewell or cooler. The center hatch is equipped with a state-of-the-art work area/cutting board, drop-in tackle bucket, and a Hobie lure hanger.

Midship handles are shaped and positioned to work as braces getting in and out of the cockpit. Ergonomically designed bow and stern handles are well thought-out making it easy to move the boat. The Pro Angler can be transported on top of a car with the help of two built-in skids, in the back of a truck, in an SUV, or on a trailer. An optional Hobie Plug-in Cart can also be used to get the boat from a vehicle to the water.