Video · Kayak Reviews
2017 Hobie Tandem Island: My Sailing Kayak for Adventure
I show off my 2017 Hobie Tandem Island, a tandem pedal kayak that quickly turns into a sailing machine for open water.
What’s in this video
The 2017 Hobie Tandem Island is a tandem pedal kayak at its core, but attach the akas and amas, drop in the sail, and in 2 minutes or less you’ve got a sailing kayak. It’s 18 feet 6 inches long and holds 600 pounds, so three adults at 200 pounds or under. New this year are the Mirage 180 drives, which now have reverse. It’s Lowrance ready, and dual rudder controls make sailing tandem or solo pretty easy.
This isn’t my primary kayak, it’s too big for that, and it takes a bit of time to transport, but a trailer makes it easy. Don’t be scared off if you can’t sail. Within a few minutes I was flying past dolphins.
Quick takeaways
- 18 ft 6 in long with a 600 lb capacity: three adults at 200 lb or under.
- Setup to sail takes 2 minutes or less: attach the akas and amas and drop in the sail.
- The Mirage 180 drives add reverse, and the boat is Lowrance ready.
- It's big to haul around, so a trailer makes transport much easier.
Gear from this video
- Online Hobie Kayak Dealer
- Motor Kits For Hobie Kayaks
- Hobie TI on Amazon
- Hobie AI on Amazon
- UV Protectant For Kayaks
- Filmed with GoPro Hero 4 Silver
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