WildBill
Member
Hobie's Pro Angler 360 drive kayaks are a wildlife photographers wet dream. If you can afford 5k for a kayak... I strongly recommend this. Let me know if you all have any questions.
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Using my hands for my binoculars and camera, while still maneuvering, is the exact reason I bought this.Interesting. I have been shooting on a good-sized lake in northern Minnesota for a few years in a Current Designs 16 foot single kayak. I have wondered about getting a version that uses pedals, as it might be easier to maneuver with my feet as I hold a camera with my hands.
I need to look into it a bit more. I have had several questions. First has been how stable they are in windy weather and whitecaps. I often have to cross the lake in such weather to get to more sheltered areas. I can certainly protect my gear with dry bags (and use them in the cockpit of my kayak even in calm water).
Second question is how quiet they are. Paddling my kayak is quite quiet and I find that I can get closer to waterbirds with it than I can with my hydro-bike (a bike on pontoons) which has a pedaling mechanism and propeller (I am also quite a bit higher up from the water on the hydro-bike which may be more the cause).
Third question is whether the propeller mechanism would get tangled in weeds? Does it have a protective cage? I pull my rudder up when in weedy water, but it is often a good place to go.
Final question is whether you need to use it from the seat. I often like the low level and perspective that I get in my kayak when sitting in the cockpit. I believe that I have seen some kayaks with pedals that do not have a seat. But there are also times when being a bit higher above the water would be nice.
Good luck with your new kayak.
Ya, I hear ya. No issues with water moccasins in Florida, yet. Thankfully! It's stable enough that I can stand up and move to the other side of the kayak if needed. It's also big enough to keep nesting gators from approaching. I got the green version just so I look like the biggest gator in the water.Wow, seems like a really interesting novel design. Now, does it do anything against water moccasins dropping from branches into your boat? Biggest scare I ever had... I hate snakes I have dealt with inquisitive bears, cheetahs and hyenas but drop one of those slithering things in my boat and I freeze in a panic.