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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 16 ม.ค. 2025
- As you recalled, my Hobie drive system broke a few weeks back. Now, I am letting you know exactly what happened, the process that took place, and what to expect in terms of customer service when you purchase a Hobie kayak. Use this to help determine if purchasing a Hobie product is best for you.
Article on Hobie buy out by investment firm:
paddlingmag.co...
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That’s a shame. Sorry to hear about the poor warranty experience. They could’ve made a lifelong customer but decided to skimp out on this one. Thanks for the video and info
Thanks! 🙌🙌🙌
100% accurate. Hobie’s customer service is basically non existent. It’s unacceptable for a brand like Hobie.
That's bullsht,get a better dealer
@@sargentt6003 FTU is the ONLY Hobie dealer in Houston Metro area.
I appreciate your honesty and letting me as a viewer know what we can expect on a warranty issue. This helps many make the right decisions when spending there hard earned money on a good product with a great warranty Thank you!
I’m glad to help. I care about my viewers and I’m not going to sugar coat anything.
@@RXAngler I refused to do it and fanboys got angry over me. #lovedit
Great video, great eye opener for anyone who hasn’t experienced the new American consumer way of life. It’s not just Hobie, it’s all American companies. They complain because we buy a foreign brand but they don’t stand behind the "made in America" brands.
I’ve been burned on everything from small engines, to boats, to meats from the grocery store. This country has lost its way.
Its really a "chicken or egg" sort of problem. Hobie was sold because it wasn't profitable working under the customer service policies that everyone here is lamenting the loss of.
There has to be some sort of sanity in your warranty policies. Its just not sustainable otherwise.
💯
Happened to me six years ago bro. I was fishing a tournament, Kayak Classic in Jamaica Bay NY. Had to purchase a new sprocket and mast. Mine sheared off because of the torque put on it while racing against the clock to get back in. Glad this didn’t happen in a dire situation.
Sup brother! I remember you telling me that story.
And for this reason I went with Bonafide kayaks lol I did my research beforehand to avoid unnecessary added expenses 💪🏼
I’d like to add a positive experience with Hobie. My dads brand new Outback had a leak in the hill in one of the seems ina scupper hole. Brand new. Now he had just bought the yak from ship to shore in lake Charles. We couldn’t find the leak. But he brought the yak to lake Charles, ship to shore found the leak, and facilitated a warranty replacement of the entire hull. Maybe a better testament to Ship to Shore than Hobie. Still sucks they won’t warranty your drive. Very unsettling.
There are far more reasons to put that pedal drive under serious torque. I waited for a good day to push my Hobie Pro Angler 14 100yds upstream at a local river. When I finally got out into the main river where the current was pretty strong, I had to really get on it and stay in it once committed headed up the river in order to make it to the cut I wanted to fish. If you find yourself in a channel or a pass where the current is strong, you will have to really pedal in order to make it out of that current! We rely on these pedal drive systems to keep us safe while on the water. Great video and great explanation!
Great example!
Good thing your a pharmacist and can afford a hobie and can prescribe medication for the headaches that come with it
🤙
Pharmacist cannot prescribe anything.
Thank you for sharing the experience. I am in the research stage of purchasing a fishing kayak and Hobie WAS going to be the one I get. The lack of customer service especially at that price is alarming. I agree 100% with you. If I need to get out of the way quickly, that drive better deliver. Therefore, I'm looking at other Kayaks now that actually value customers. I'll reference this video if anyone ever mentions Hobie. Thank you again and tight lines!
Honestly I hope the original founders of Hobie can come up with another brand name or something similar for the anglers that found their products to amazing and get the job done. It’s a shame that these corporate owners now don’t know the true meaning of customer service and taking care of your products to keep them coming back! Thanks for the heads up 🤙🎣
He does run into a lot of shell and dragging across bay bottoms.
@@williamjonson6845You didn’t hear Nick mentioning his pre-trip inspection? With your reasoning, any kayaker with scratched bottom should be denied of warranty service.
@@kulkrafts3143 yes, but I can assure you that while the product didnt just suffer a design failure it was from repeated use and contact with the shallow marsh system and mud drags that would ultimately cause the fault
@@williamjonson6845 Were you there to see the condition you are describing has occurred to the drive? Also, your description of failure is different than the cause of failure described by Hobie in the email.
As a retired product design engineer, a mechanical product can fail from poor design, poor material, poor assembly, operator error or an accident. Nick never mentioned poor design. We used to perform product failure analysis to identify failure mode after considering failure explanation from end user AND a dealer. We would never assume a cause of failure without analyzing the failed item and a written statement from end user and a dealer. It is a bad science.
@@kulkrafts3143 have you watched all his videos? They aren't designed for oyster drags and marsh mud slides. But contjnye
I have an Old Town Bigwater which I love. Was going to get my wife a Lynx because they are so light. Will now go with the Pelican Getaway at half the cost.
That's why I love Old Town! They have the best customer service bar none! I had an Hobie Outback before my Old Town Sportsman autopilot 120 fishing kayak and Hobie has one of the worse customer service!
DISSAPOINTED is definitely the key word here. Thank you for helping me determine which company and system to avoid.
Thanks Nick
I ordered and purchased mine just before the sale of the company (2020). I had some excellent customer service with the purchase and component availability. I am now sickened at the prospect of having to deal with customer service at this point & can only hope I am lucky and dont need any!
I appreciate your experience and report!
I have a 10 year old Hobie that still works well. I've been thinking of upgrading but I'll keep this for now and do more research on what's out there. Thanks for your honest review!
I have a 2022 OB and before I made the move from paddle to peddle I did tons of review searches and your channel was influential in making my choice of Hobie. I am sure there are many like myself who have and will do the same. So for
The point is NOT about ignoring an influencer, Hobie should have serviced broken drive as any other manufacturer. If my Torqueedo broke during maximum power acceleration, should Torqueedo deny my warranty? If your Ram transmission broke during towing your boat, or if your carbon paddle broke during race?
I understand what you're saying.
Customer service is everything to me.
💯% agree
i heard, from more than one source "hobie got no money" which explains all the cutbacks, specially on warranty claims
What’s up brother!
@@RXAngler here fighting the robot lol, a sub reached out to me like a week ago about having issues with Hobie warranties, he wants to make a video about it
How they ain’t got no money, hobies more expensive than a used car lol
I had written on the video of the drive breaking, that I was curious to see their response. The reason I was curious is because I had my drive break in the exact same way, but both fins. And they gave me the same response they gave you. I spent close to $500 to fix mine. It was very disappointing
Thank you for your honest opinion, Hobie has been losing customer service for a while now, that is why i got rid of all my Hobie kayaks. I love Hobie kayaks but for similar situations like you experienced, I dropped them.
year ago I was shopping for a fishing kayak. I've been a paddler for decades, but decided go pedal for fishing, Hobbie's were number one oon my list. I remember a couple guys in my marina using them some 20 years ago. After my first initial research, I came across a few cases just like on your story. Pedal drive breaking, Hobbie washing their hands. No Hobbies for this guy here
I must've got lucky. Mine broked as nearly as identical as yours back in the days when we can launch at 8 mile road. I was returning back to the launch and it happened. I purchased mine from ACK years ago. When I showed and explained to them what happen, they just replace it with another one they had in stock. Thanks for sharing, Nick
Totally agree with your observation. It's a shame how you were treated. Maybe time to think about another brand!
Thanks for watching 👍
I am in the market for a kayak right now. Wont be buying a Hobei. Thanks for the info.
Wow news to me that they were bought out. Great video and information for those looking to buy a Hobie. I had my 360 which was out of its 2 year warranty period, get repaired in summer of 2022. Hobie covered it even though I was put of warranty period. The engineer who designed the 360 drive directly emailed me and handled the repair. It’s sad to hear they were bought out. Thanks again for this info. Needs to be shared amongst the community for sure
There is a big difference between Hobie and OldTown when it comes to Customer Service. I have both, an OldTown 120 Auto and a Hobie Lynx. OldTown is the best. OldTown is still made in the USA and owned by Johnson Mortors but all the original OldTown employers are still there and they still manage their company.
Thanks for posting this. I am in the process of deciding which kayak I am going to purchase. I have been tossing around between Hobie 14 and Old Town 14' autopilot. This does help me in my decision. Looking like Old Town is getting my money.
Thanks for the follow up, crazy that parts can fall off and not warrantied!
Great video. I’ve had a Hobie for 10 years and loved every minute. I’m in the market for a new kayak and was 110% going with hobie…..until I watched your video. Thank u for the knowledge!!
We went through the same problem here in Brazil and it became much more intense after the purchase of Hobie by the auction company and the separation between Hobie Veleiros and Hobie Caiaques. Warranty issues and parts shortages became common despite the efforts of the local representative. The 2023 Hobie has nothing to do with the 2013 Hobie.
Ty ! Video helps my decision to buy the right kayak
Glad to help. Good luck!
I have fished out of a 2013 Revolution for almost 5 years now. I bought it used for $450. If I were to buy a new fin-drive kayak, I might consider the HooDoo out of West Columbia. I haven't fished one, but they cost around $12-1400 new. That's a huge difference. If you are paying a premium for Hobie, customer service has to be first rate. If not, someone else will figure it out.
That is discouraging, I think the simple explanation that that the company sold, is how these deals always start.
I appreciate you showing us , how it happened. I agree that there will always be times when you need to get out of the way,
I have been doing research on two boats, the PA 14, and I have heard so many issues with the new 360 drive. as well as a Jackson, I had all but made my mind up on the PA 14 until I just seen this video. I may be going back to the drawing board on what will be my next kayak.
Thanks again for sharing the story as well as the news article.
Beautiful fish sir, I am not sure where you are fishing at, but it looks like a great place. Is the a session up front, I always felt like that was go pros best camera, it is a good one, I hated to see them quite ,making it prior to adding stabilization to the cameras.
On my 10th birthday, my dad took me to the gulf to go wade fishing. It was my first and only time to fish the gulf, I would love to go back and do it again,
Keep up the fun videos and have a blessed week.
Dale
It started before the purchase by the investors group.
I purchased a used Hobie kayak. It sank in 40 F water. Stress fractures where the foot pedals go through the floor would open up every time I pumped a pedal. Things to look for when buying used.
Hobie must revisit their PDL system. Some years ago I had a Vibe Shearwater 125. I bought it a brand new Hobie Mirage 180 PDL with Turbo Fins that cost me about $1,000.00. It was fun at first but man, the manual forward and reverse system is a pain when you have hooked a fish that is running around like crazy and you need to keep up with him. It was until one of those days when I was fighting a huge peacock bass that I had to change directions when suddenly my PDL's forward spectra line snapped and that was it. I was able to board the fish, but I had to pedal on reverse to the dock because I had no forward. I was lucky that the system was under warranty and Hobie replaced what I call the "Backbone" of the system and I had to pay nothing. After that I was considering the Hobie Pro Angler 14 with 360 DRIVE TECHNOLOGY, which still is a manual system with a different setup, but watching the videos of guys having problems with their PDLs, I decided for a Jackson Knarr. Having instant forward and reverse makes a difference especially when you are fighting a strong fish like a Tarpon. The day Hobie decides to replace or add as an option a PDL with instant Forward and Reverse, that day I would consider buying a Hobie.
I am only commenting because you Siad you went with the KNARR, I have the PA 14 and The Knarr as my top two for my next boat, I have owned Jackson for many Years trouble free, not hard to be trouble free with a paddle, however, if you dont mind can you tell me how your Knarr is holding up? Thanks in advance and I hope you have a blessed week.
@@HeartlandMakesAndOutdoors I have been using my new Flex Drive Mark IV for a year now. So far I have not had any problems with the new Mark IV Drive. I go fishing every weekend and spend at least 8 hours fishing each day, Saturday and Sunday. The Drive is maintenance free, just fresh water every time I go salt water fishing, no lubrication needed to the main drive. Instant Forward and Reverse is a blessing. I can maintain my arms fighting the fish and not reaching out the forward and reverse cords like I had to do with the Hobie Mirage 180. It is smooth, quiet and faster than the Hobie Mirage 180 with Turbo Fins. I am very happy with my Knarr.
@@RemayPesca Thank you so much for taking the time to reply, it is truly appreciated. Thank you and I hope you have a blessed weekend.
dale
@@HeartlandMakesAndOutdoors Thank you buddy! Amen.
Nick, what is your opinion on Hoodoo pedal kayaks? I am currently comparing the hoodoo impulse 120 vs. the impulse 105. Wondering if you have any suggestions on 10.5 ft length kayak vs. the 12 foot length for doing the same kind of fishing you do?
My fiancé and I are both avid anglers and we love watching your videos each week. We live in Galveston and plan to start hitting these shallow marsh areas up once we figure out which kayak suits us best!
I would do 12’ for inshore fishing.
I use a 2015 Revo 13 with the GT drive and its such an amazing yak thats gotten me onto countless great fish and out of some hairy situations. Sad to see the company going downhill.
Thank you It's so seldom we get an honest review
Glad it was helpful!
I know this video was made a couple of years ago but I just came across it recently. How well did the Gator Patch hold up after the repair?
Yeah I’ve been looking into kayaks… I ain’t ever wasting my money on Hobie when there’s many better options out there for much less money.
So sad to see the Hobie name fall victim to corporate greed. I switched to Old Town and love it.
i know 4 people with hobie yaks, all 4 have had drive issues all 4 have left hobie, yep many were replaced for free once . then it got worse. and imo junk but that's there experience they cost to much and i once wanted one. and lord knows one had a leak day one and it sunk, recovered it and zero warranty and he has hired a lawyer but is it worth it ?? probably not he know has a titan and loves it.
I’m with you bro. Hobie is not the same company it was a few years ago before the sale. The customer service and quality control since they moved production to Mexico has gone down. Unless something changes it’s time to consider other options. It’s a shame too because I really think that conceptually they have a better drive unit, but again, QC is an issue.
Dude same problem with my HULL 2021 OUTBACK with a manufacturer defect crack. They are not issuing a full warranty replacement anymore, only repair!!!!!
That’s a shame. Cracked hull should be replaced for safety reasons.
Sue them.
I really appreciate honest reviews there are so many bought and paid for influencers. Thank you for making a great video. I will not be purchasing a Hobie product.
Great video.. I am disappointed in Hobie
I have three, two outbacks and a pro angler, 360. On my 360 I had a warranty claim because the hull cracked and they replaced the whole boat. And it’s true they’ve changed hands a few times. It’s very disappointing. That’s why I bought a old town Salty PDL 120 and it’s bad ass.
Great choice on the Old Town.
Another Salty lover here
I’m worried now. We just found a crack in the hull and have just sent pictures with email and waiting for response. 2022 hobie outback. The drive has broken 2 times 1 thing was covered the other wasn’t, not sure the reason why they made me pay for 1 and not the other. Definitely something different going on. Great video.
Thanks for the PSA. It's a shame the new companies (mostly holding companies) which buy out the older companies don't have the same ethics as the originals - the ethics which made them so successful in the 1st place.
I wonder if the drives from one of the Hobie drive clone companies fit into the Hobie deive slots.
Thanks for the info . Not surprised they really scrutinize warranty work . It may bite them in the future unless CS improves. Tight lines!
Seems like now would be a good time for brand. X to swoop in and show you some good customer service.
We will see what the future holds.
Old town hint hint haha. They have great customer service and good people
Honestly, stories like this, and talking to other kayak fishermen, is what convinced me to go Old Towne. Hobie kayaks look so sleek and sexy, but I'm glad i went with OT because of parts availability and customer service. I'm still thinking of buying a Hobie but no way am I ever going to sell my super stable, solid OT. Good honest video.
It is sad to hear one great company is going down fast. Hobie used to provide great service and was always very responsive. I currently own three Hobie kayaks, but I might look for different company kayaks for my next purchase.
Hey Nick you’re 100% right. You didn’t improper use it. Hobie has its problems not only on the drive and craft. After year now it’s the Hobie 360 XR new improved drive. I made up my mind and going with new Titan X 12.5. Not perfect it also has its drawbacks. Significantly cheaper more accessibility definitely more stable. You are 100% right Keep posting glad to see you back on the kayak fishing. 👍
This is good to know,got a passport in 21 and love it. Thought about getting another now I might just go with a pvc small boat, especially after what you said about the investment company
So sorry to hear this. I am a Hobie fan since 2010. I have fortunatelynever had a warranty issue in 9 kayaks. They sure blew it on this. Should have been... bring it in , sorry this failed customer, hear is your repaired drive. Enjoy free of charge. Thats what sells new kayaks. I sure hope this is not becoming the norm .
wow, thanks for making this video. I've been looking at the Hobie Lynx so TH-cam suggested your video this morning. I think I would've really been caught on the fence while considering to never use or promote a Hobie kayak ever again.
You just help me make decision not to buy an over priced Hobbie...Thnx !
I have owned Hobies since the mid 2000's. Hearing they got bought out. I will not buy another. Old Town, here I come
I was going to buy a Hobie, but I have heard several stories like yours. Now I am going with a Native Titan X Propel.
Alex Fogeria put out a video saying the same thing hobie not warrantying the hulls and other things. Alex sold a hobie after they rewelded the plastic defect and then the kayak sunk and he got a new boat.
I think people ready to move on from hobie
That's a shame. As small companies get bought out by big companies customer service just disappears
Hobie i11s rudder controller mount bracket, dozens of people had it broken. And when I buy two of them for replacement, cost me 5 months to wait and it come without tiny quick release part. Why hobie do this? I paid $30 for a small 3D-print plastic part and still can not use it.
I have noticed every time this has happened from others, they all had turbo fins, it must be that extra torque put on the drive that causes it to snap, I stick to my regular fins for this reason
Thanks for this. So far been lucky w my 2021 Outback, sad to hear they are no longer the company whose various products I have used for 40 years.
Hope you are doing well.
I hear stuff like this all the time about Hobie. Hobie and GoPro, two "top tier" companies that regularly have faulty products with poor to nonexistent customer service.
I agree with you 100%. I recently purchased Barts Bay Armour wase boots and had an issue with the short ones and he quickly fixed it and send me a new pair. That's the customer service you expect when purchasing expensive fishing gear.
Hi RX i have gone through the same thing with my hobie kayak I bought my kayak from Finn factory here in Corpus Christi and Had to replace the cable and chain on my drive. When it broke on me out on the water. I had to pay a $116 for them. To replace that cable and chain on my drive. And it's just a regular drive for a hobby compass 2020.. They told me it was just regular wear and care. And that the warranty does not exclude that when I when I bought it.
And 2021. But I did all the same Thing that it was not under warranty.
I think Hobie is known for it's light weight. Part of being that light weight is a lot of plastic parts. I chose another kayak with a pedal drive because it's super robust and metal. It's not the lightest kayak, it's not super heavy either, but it's very robust. Nah, I'm not calling out the name here, it doesn't seem appropriate, but I'm happy with my choice.
Those new native kayaks looking even better :)
I need to take a look at those.
Had a propel 12.5....that thing was a barge. Maybe for bass fishing, but it was horrible for our Galveston/freeport marsh fishing.
What’s brand X? I don’t feel like spending the amount they want for a pro angler. If anything I may go used for $2500
If there was an alternate mirage drive of quality I would totally go for it but I can’t do the pdl drives bc of my knees. So until one comes around I’ll just have to go easy on my mirage drive
Hobisjust replaced my Hull after some cracks around the scuppers appeared on top. They did want photos and how i stored it. I store it as one of there recommendations.
I can't even buy the parts to fix my mirage drive. On backorder for months with no ETA.
The PA-14 360 will be the last kayak I buy from Hobie. Your right about innovation and features. The Hobie kayaks are falling behind in them.
Same here. I’m on my 3rd PA14 360 hull and 2nd drive. I will be switching to OldTown when I get a new kayak.
I agree with you. For what you pay for a Hobie like yours, I would expect superior customer service. I just scratched Hobie off of my wish list.
I have an outback and an old town sportsman with spotlock. Bad to say but the outback is way more agile, on the other hand oldtown stands behind their products.
Both products has great features.
I dealt with my local Hobie dealer for a broken belt (PA14 360) and they fixed it under warranty the very next day. Never talked to or called anyone at Hobie.
I wanted the Outback bad but my wife didn’t want me fishing alone so she wanted me to get two. I got two Lightning with peddle drives and I have one drive that is rock solid and one that has broke twice. They sent parts first time and second time i decided to just buy the Hobie drive that will fit my Lightning. They are outrageous the drive you have is 1050 plus tax. Just a plain old style is like 600 plus tax. This makes me wonder if I should buy from Hobie. What do you think Nick
God is good! I have a Hobie PA360 with no problems yet but I have to say I’ve been holding my breath. Thanks for sharing
My hobie is still holding up well after 2 1/2 years. What I’m having issues with is ordering parts for the drive for future maintenance. I can’t find idler cables anywhere. Back ordered for months.
I 100% agree. I have similar issues with my Hobie. The only reason I keep it now is because I have the PA17. Nobody else sale’s anything comparable. Those fins are way too expensive for this BS.
I’ve been back and forth deciding on either a Hobie Outback or getting an Old Town Bigwater pdl 132. I really like the ability of instant reverse with Old Town. The only thing I’m how it performs in shallow flats. Just pull up drive & forge on, I guess. Thank you for video
What are some other good brands that also make a fin pedal drive?
Good info in the video and in the comment section concerning Hobie new ownership and how it has affected their customer service.
I appreciate it.
Fishing Tackle Unlimited is not the only Hobie dealer in the Houston area. Fin Factory has locations in Spring (Houston), Corpus Christi and San Antonio. I understand if you're within some kind of contract with FTU, but Fin Factory is worth checking out in the future.
Thanks for sharing experience. Just got my 2 mirage revos off Craigslist. No drag racing for me! I am gonna start out easy 😂
Have fun!
It's unfortunate they couldn't throw somebody like you a bone. I'm sure you've definitely sold them more than a handful of kayaks due to your videos and support.
I'd argue with them you have video showing no side impact. It broke pedaling wich is a catastrophic product failure.
Bro so true , im glad you tested it out and not in a die or need situation find out 😂 im a Hobie lover as well 🔥🤙
Thanks for the video. I 💯 agree with you. Hobie lost my business
I hope it works out for you.
I just sold my 2020 Outback Saturday. That was my second Hobie. I plan to go buy the Hobie Lynx this Saturday. I pray I don't have any warranty issues in the future with the Lynx because i'm basically buying it to have something with a warranty since I'm retiring in November...e
Sorry to hear that Nick. I guess Hobie did not know you were giving them free advertising in your videos.
Thanks for commenting!
And I was just about to buy one. Great timing, lol.
Good luck!
I own a PA14. And the plastics are cracking everywhere! For what they charge for their kayaks, HOBIE SUCKS! I’ll go out of my way to to AVOID THEM and their products.
More and more I hear this about Hobie. I know of a guy with a PA 360 Ike version. He has several cracks in the hull and hobie is giving him a hard time. I bought a different brand kayak but the 180 Mirage drive fits in it so I bought that. Not sure how but the some of the bearing in the drive crushed. I am an old man, I don't race my kayak or use it hard. I really don't think for the price I paid that is should have had this issue in less than 10 months, especially since 4 or 5 of those months were winter when I didn't use it. I ended up buying new bearings and replacing them myself. Definitely not a Hobie fan after that. I couldn't buy the bearings directly from HObie so I had to find someone to order them for me and them get them from them. The other kayak I mentioned that I bought developed a small crack behind the seat. I email a picture to the office asking what I should do. I got an email back saying they would take care of it and let me know when my new hull was shipped. 1 1/2 weeks later the new hull was at my door. That is customer service.
I hear Mark and Christian really love their Autopilots.....
Ever thought of a solo skiff or tail chasers set up?
Old Town makes a really great product. I’m not surprised that they love their set up.
Man this has nothing to do with the video but thank you for all your gear reviews. I just ordered my first bfs setup. Curado bfs reel and a old 18 suppressor 7’ ultra light rod. Thank you again!
My man! Have fun with the new set up.
I owned a Hobie and sold it because customer service! But I have been on many and most of the time when they fail it's because they were damaged loading unloading storing. I damaged mine but I couldn't get customer service to help me! Itsfunneh big company like that with expensive kayaks has crappy customer service! The Pelican much cheaper kayak and customer service is awesome! Not to mention you can throw the Pelican catch 130 on your shoulder and run down a trail or climb over fence! You're not going to do that with Hobie or many others!
This is what happens every damn time these investment companies buy businesses. They do nothing but destroy good brands. Do your best to make that $218 cost them much much more!