# Last two days have been a bust



## JD7.62

Yesterday left the beach as the sun was coming up. As soon as I get over the spot the cable on my mirage drive broke. I fished awhile but paddling the outback in the wind wasnt too fun. Caught one small cobia but got cut off four or five times by either mackerel or shark. The leader would be frayed up so I was figuring shark which could explain the lack of snapper.

The paddling got old real fast so I headed on in. Luckily I probably could have taken a nap and the wind would have taken me exactly back to where I launched. Still the two mile paddle wasnt the most fun.

Today I took my wifes mirage drive, no turbo fins, in search of redemption. Let me just say that if you dont have turbo fins, GET THEM. Anyhow, I arrived to the spot, bottom machine was lit up pretty good unlike yesterday. Bite was slow though. I usually see a few remora but today they were EVERYWHERE. I even got a couple on the bottom which I hadnt done before at this spot. It was a pain just getting bait down. 

Finally the bite is picking up, I get wrecked back to back, my Senator 4/0 is locked down tight and there was still no hope of slowing them down. After I retie for the second time I peddle back to the spot and my rudder pin breaks.  At that point I had had it so I headed on in again, with something broken and no snapper in the box.

And if I didnt have enough reasons to hate remora, on the way in I put my hands in the water and a remora that I guess had been stuck on the yak latched on. It scared the crap out of me and man they have more jaw strength then youd think. The little bastard drew blood.

I picked up a couple bobos, a king and a spanish on the way in.

Oh well, I guess not all days can be good days.

Ive had my outback for just a couple months now and so far Ive broken:

Two rudder pins, one my fault for forgetting to pull my rudder and the other today on the water.

Replaced two sprockets for missing teeth

The masts have started to rip through the rubber seam on both turbo fins

Cable on mirage drive

Broke the rudder on my wifes older Sport - my fault

Its a love/hate thing.

Hopefully I can lick my wounds and get back out there once more before the season closes.


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## oxbeast1210

Dang man good thing the wind was blowing in ur favor . That's the only thing I didn't like about peddling .. more things to break . But it was worth it.


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## JD7.62

oxbeast1210 said:


> Dang man good thing the wind was blowing in ur favor . That's the only thing I didn't like about peddling .. more things to break . But it was worth it.


I hear you. I think I know why the rudder pin broker today. Normally I dont latch the "down" rudder rope - sorry I have no idea what its called - but today I did because in the waves it would flop up. I have the large rudder so I gues with the rope latched it was just too much force in the waves and broke it. For now on I will leave it unlatched.


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## BlackJeep

It sounds like more bad luck than anything but it some of it might be preventable. Not pulling out your fins on landing or running your fins in the ground will definitely bend your masts, force them to break through the rubber fins and certainly shorten the lifespan of your mirage drive. I haven't heard of sprockets getting worn before that sounds like a loose chain but I've seen Ginzu break his pedal uprights and Yakntat actually break a chain. I've broken through the adjustment position holes on 2 'drums' on the mirage drive as Liquid Surf and Sail called them, but haven't broken anything else yet and I have over 500 miles of pedalling on them in 18 months. My fin masts are still in relatively good shape and no real cuts on my fins. I secure my rudder cable all the time when its down and have forgotten to release it many times on landing but no rudder pin damage thus far. Now I'm pretty good about pulling out my fins before I land and releasing the rudder just before I hop out. 

Definitely a lot of sharks and remora around there but we often see pesky remora mysteriously become injured and float away from us during a day's fishing.


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## JD7.62

I bought my yak used though it was in pristine shape, not a scratch on it. Ive never landed with the fins in, I always take them out before I jump out and swim it in. My buddy just bought four Hobies, a PA, two revos and outback and ALL of his fins are doing that, hes had them only a few months.

Ive only left the rudder down once on landing and it broke the pin then, pretty easily actually. 

Oh well, it is what it is, and bad luck isnt anything new to me. At least its easier to paddle a Hobie back in when something goes wrong then it is to paddle a boat in if the engine/s fail.


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## oxbeast1210

Jd I noticed that happening to the fins a lot. Especially for people that like to peddle fast .


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## MillerTime

I live to peddle fast. I already had one of my fins replaced because the mast ripped through half of the fin on one offshore trip. One night i was coming back in at 3mb and heard a loud pop and my feet slipped but didnt know what happened. Later realized i tore through the adjustment holes. Not sure how everyone else feels but i out alot of stress on the pedals trying to go fast most of the time.


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## oxbeast1210

Miller in surprised that is all you have broken.
damn horse legs ,u nearly plane that thing out.


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## Ginzu

Damn, bro. Sorry about the bad luck. I thought I was hard on the PA ( Liquid Surf guys cringe every time I walk in). I told them Hobie should let us field test their new stuff, lol.


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## JD7.62

I do peddle hard and fast, had a guy in a PA come over to me and asked if I had one of those electric motors on it haha.


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## MillerTime

oxbeast1210 said:


> Miller in surprised that is all you have broken.
> damn horse legs ,u nearly plane that thing out.


I probably would have more things broken if I took it out more often.


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## bbarton13

yep been there done that with the bad luck, but i have tore a mast threw the fin and busted the adjustment holes, but ive had mine for over a year and i fished at least twice a week even in the winter and that is all that has happen. but i try not to be so hard on them, cleaning with freshwater and i spray with pb blaster after every trip. i never beach mine with the drives in .


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## oxbeast1210

Have any of you tried out the pa12? 

My knee is recovering pretty good this time ...


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## Bigkidneys

I haven't but am giving heavy consideration to getting a used Adventure Island that is setup for fishing. You can tell I am really getting lazy now as I want to sail to and from sites rather than peddling and using that as a last resort! Lol...


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## JD7.62

So I went to Key Sailing today to get a replacement cable. Upon closer inspection I will need to replace both cables because the other is about to go as well. I have all the hardware and the chains are fine so baisically I would need to just buy the cables. How much you ask? Well you cant replace just the cables, you have to buy the chain and hardware and for the two its 111 dollars. What the hell? Are they made out of gold? Thats insane. Needless to say I passed.

Anyone have any ideas how to just replace the cables onto the old hardware?


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## oxbeast1210

Jd can you post a picture of the parts in question please?


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## JD7.62

Here you go, the first pic is the broken cable and the second is how it should look. I called Hobie, the dude I spoke to was an ass. I told him I bought it on Craigslist and he went on to say how sometimes people sell "junk" that should be "thrown in the garbage." Good to know he thinks his products are junk.

Anyhow, the cable is "hydraulically pressed" into the fitting according to him. He says its labor intensive and that is why they are over fifty bucks a pop.


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## Randy M

How long is the actual piece of cable?
If it is long enough it seems like you would be able to make a piece with loops on each end, using cable clamps. Use an eye bolt on the one end and go through a chain link on the other?
Here's a site where you may be able to find something:
http://www.gbgindustries.com/Clips2.htm


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## oxbeast1210

DO you have V1 or v2 mirage drive? 

Austin kayak has the V2 chain Assembly for 40 not sure how much shipping is ..
http://www.austinkayak.com/products/4889/Hobie-V2-Mirage-Chain-Assembly.html


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## oxbeast1210

Its $81.33 for two including shipping


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## oxbeast1210

V1 is a lot a lot more


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## Bduv

Looks like you may have the "Old" style cams. Cant be sure from the pic. If so, I would look at replacing cables AND cams. The new design eliminates a pressure point on the cable and makes it less likely to break.

Its a little more expensive but may save money and frustration in the long run.

I broke a cable 4 miles out a couple of years ago. After that miserable ride back to shore I upgraded everything. Havent had any problems since.

Get the dealer to show you how to adjust tension on the cables. Too loose or too tight could cause issues with the cables or sprockets.

Good luck with the repair.

Bryan


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## oxbeast1210

I was just looking at that Bduv it does indeed look like he has the older model mirage drive.
Jd can u post a picture of the cams? what year is your outback?


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## oxbeast1210

here are some of the improvements with the newer design

http://www.hobiecat.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=8285


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## JD7.62

Its a V1 which after some research Ive concluded is not ideal for use with turbo fins. Not sure why my '11 Outback has the V1 drive though. The chain assembly for the V1 is more then the V2 because according to the guy I spoke with today, they get the V2 from Thailand and they make the V1 in California.

Randy can you explain a little more how youd attach the new cable to the chain? Id need a new cable because it is now too short.


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## oxbeast1210

Jd did the sport also come with a v1?


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## JD7.62

Bduv said:


> Looks like you may have the "Old" style cams. Cant be sure from the pic. If so, I would look at replacing cables AND cams. The new design eliminates a pressure point on the cable and makes it less likely to break.
> 
> Its a little more expensive but may save money and frustration in the long run.
> 
> I broke a cable 4 miles out a couple of years ago. After that miserable ride back to shore I upgraded everything. Havent had any problems since.
> 
> Get the dealer to show you how to adjust tension on the cables. Too loose or too tight could cause issues with the cables or sprockets.
> 
> Good luck with the repair.
> 
> Bryan


Itd be around two hundred and fifty dollars to upgrade including getting new drums, chains, sprockets and new turbo fin kit with the upgraded masts. So, by the time I buy new chain assembly for the V1 and risk another failure with the turbo fins, I can upgrade completely for a little over twice the repair cost.

I asked one of the guys at key sailing to show me how to adjust and he said hed have to charge me. Its pretty simple so it wasnt to hard to figure out as I had to replace a sprocket on my other drive.


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## JD7.62

oxbeast1210 said:


> Jd did the sport also come with a v1?


Yes, the sport is an older model, not sure on year though.


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## steve1029

That was me Jd I swear you had a wake behind you it was moving so fast. Good Luck onthe rest of the snapper season.


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## Randy M

JD7.62 said:


> Randy can you explain a little more how you'd attach the new cable to the chain? Id need a new cable because it is now too short.


JD, if you go to that link I posted you'll see some ends they supply/make. The threaded end ought to be easy enough. I would get a longer cable and loop it through the last link and then use a cable clamp (2 if you have room) like this:


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## JD7.62

steve1029 said:


> That was me Jd I swear you had a wake behind you it was moving so fast. Good Luck onthe rest of the snapper season.


I do push it hard. I guess combining the turbo fins on the old V1 drive and me doing my best Lance Armstong impression results in failed parts.


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## Randy M

Heck, if you can't find a suitable end for the other side you could do that through an eye bolt on the other end also. You could possibly upgrade to thicker cable too, as long as it fits through the chain link. If you wanted to get real creative you could use one of those ends they make on that site and turn that last chain link into a master link.


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