Author Topic: Hobie SUP "stepper board"  (Read 3767 times)

wrybread

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Hobie SUP "stepper board"
« on: May 25, 2016, 02:20:44 PM »
I'm guessing this has been posted here before but I can't find it. Hobie's pedal driven paddle board:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwbqobUBv5s

I like what the Hobie dealer said in the comments. "Ever tried to paddle board for a few hours, try and hold up the paddle all day, now you can relax and pedal away. I assure you pedaling a craft this way via the amazingly easy to use but powerful Mirage drive will be a joy." As if pedaling, especially from a standing position, isn't at least as exhausting as paddling. But I guess this has value for people with tendonitis? And a need to look like a complete dork? And room in their garage for toys they'll use twice and forget about?


spirit4earth

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Re: Hobie SUP "stepper board"
« Reply #1 on: May 26, 2016, 11:35:59 AM »
If it doesn't have a motor and it gets people on the water, I'm all for it.  It'll probably be a hit in Florida and as rentals.

TallDude

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Re: Hobie SUP "stepper board"
« Reply #2 on: May 26, 2016, 12:09:52 PM »
Yes. It's been discussed and pedaled by a few members already.

http://www.standupzone.com/forum/index.php/topic,29491.0.html

It's not overhead to me!
8'8" L-41 ST and a whole pile of boards I rarely use.

Badger

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Re: Hobie SUP "stepper board"
« Reply #3 on: May 26, 2016, 03:01:21 PM »
Kalama E3 6'1 x 23" 105L
Axis HPS 980 / PNG 1300
Sunova Flow  8'10 X 31"  119L
Me - 6'0" - 165lbs - 66yo

TallDude

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Re: Hobie SUP "stepper board"
« Reply #4 on: May 26, 2016, 03:15:22 PM »
Got to know when to pull up on those bars....
It's not overhead to me!
8'8" L-41 ST and a whole pile of boards I rarely use.

PonoBill

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Re: Hobie SUP "stepper board"
« Reply #5 on: May 26, 2016, 03:58:03 PM »
Got to get one. It's 90 percent of what I've wanted to build for the last four or five years. Ditch the handlebars in favor of some short carbon shafts attached to the pedals so I can engage my core as well as just pedal. the way the pedals fold forward if you fell into them they'd pivot out of the way. Pretty easy to add the steering to the shafts--either twist grips or levers. Love it. Gotta be good for downwind. I even like the kick up rudder.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

JP4

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Re: Hobie SUP "stepper board"
« Reply #6 on: May 26, 2016, 09:32:09 PM »
I ran into my friend David as the wind was dying on the way back from a Viento run a few weeks ago and he was demoing a Hobie sit on top with the Mirage drive. The wind was really north and only about 10-12kts, so I was trying to milk some ankle biter bumps in the shallows on the inside of Wells Island. I wasn't putting a ton of effort into the paddle at that point, but David could easily keep up with me in that thing and actually was catching the little bumps easily too. It's pretty darn fast for a heavy plastic boat. It will be interesting to see how it does in a little bigger swell. Going upwind was easy for him as well. Not surprising. He did say the steering wasn't very responsive and he also ended up bending one of the rods that the rubber flippers are mounted on, probably from hitting the bottom. While the drive system looks well designed and is fairly easy to disassemble, I think you might need a box of those rods if your using the Mirage in shallow water.
I could see this system getting really popular if paired up with a light weight hull or board. The sit on top was a struggle for two people two get on a mini van. In something like a surf ski hull, it could be really interesting.
JP


TallDude

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Re: Hobie SUP "stepper board"
« Reply #7 on: May 26, 2016, 09:59:38 PM »
I actually did the same thing about two weeks ago. I was paddling my unlimited in the harbor and happened upon a guy in a Hobie kayak with the Turbo Mirage drive. I asked him if he wanted to drag race.  ;D  I told him about the stepper sup and that I was curious about the speed. He agreed, and we were off. In to a light head wind, he was peddling his heart out. I was definitely faster. I had about 3 board lengths on him in about a 100 yds. The obvious test would be to just paddle a stepper without the handle bars and drive, next to a fully equipped stepper and see which is faster. 
It's not overhead to me!
8'8" L-41 ST and a whole pile of boards I rarely use.

Dusk Patrol

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Re: Hobie SUP "stepper board"
« Reply #8 on: May 26, 2016, 11:38:25 PM »
I 'pedaled' one at a local Seattle paddlefest type event. It was the shorter version... about 10'6". Because you're pumping those pedals there is rocking side to side going on, as you unweight and weight the pedals/levers. And of course you want to go faster so pump harder, increasing the side to side movement. It's distracting.  The levers on the handlebar actuate the steering. Pull on the left to go left.  There's significant lag time between a lever pulled and the board turning. Just reporting what the experience was like. These things can be compensated for with familiarity. But any water toy is a good toy. I'm a long time Hobie fan boy BECAUSE they stretch like this.
RS 14x26; JL Destroyers 9'8 & 8'10; BluePlanet 9'4; JL Super Frank 8'6

 


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