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MIRAGE i9S “I


HOBIE


want the yellow one!” the little boy declared, flopping onto the sit-on-top kayak’s thick, inflated floor and confirming my suspicions that lifting out the seat and MirageDrive pedals would transform the nine-foot Hobie i9S into a peerless post- paddle air mattress. While the boy acted out imagined adventures on the manicured green seas of the city park’s grass, his patient stroller-pushing dad diverted from the bike path for a closer look.


Three air chambers in the Hobie’s heavy- duty PVC-vinyl hull inflate in just a couple of minutes with a supplied hand pump. The result is so firm and slick, Dad is surprised to learn it’s an inflatable. I show him the rolling travel duffle that I had pulled the kayak from just 10 minutes earlier, after easily wheeling the 70-pound package from my trunk to the shore.


The i9S features Hobie’s trademark pedal drive to propel two penguin-like flippers under the bow hull. Reclining into the com- fortable high-back seat and kicking your legs is faster than using the included four-piece paddle, although the inflatable’s beamy width


and shorter waterline means cruising speed isn’t as quick as Hobie’s hard-shell Mirage sit-on-tops. An available sail kit adds to your propulsion options.


With the compact rudder deployed, the i9S tracks well and responds quickly to inputs from the hand-controlled steering disk on the left gunwale. Rudder cables are routed inside welded channels on the gunwale to protect them from snags and damage.


The pumpkin seed-shaped i9S is a super stable platform for fishing, photography and family adventures. A bungee-secured storage area behind the seat accommodates a large dry bag or crate, so you can bring along the essentials for a full day on the water.


IDEAL FOR…


All-around rec use; day trips on harbors, lakes and rivers. DIGITAL EXTRA: Click here


to watch a video review.


KURRENT F


FEATHERCRAFT


ounded in the late ‘70s on Vancou- ver’s Granville Island, Feathercraft builds foldables with many features of narrow-beamed composite kayaks. The Kurrent is the company’s newest and lightest folding single. With its fine, upswept bow and low cockpit and decks, it has a lively performance fit and feel. The Kurrent’s aluminum/magnesium alloy frame assembles inside the skin, cleverly using two pieces of the deck frame as levers to tension the hull. Four plastic, donut-shaped crossribs add rigid- ity and allow a limited amount of gear to be fed into the bow and stern for storage. Disassembled, it fits in an oversized backpack for easy carrying. Feathercraft uses a durable welded urethane for the deck and hull. The absence of stitched seams or zippers means the skin is completely waterproof and sleek enough to pass for a hard-shell from a distance. Strips over the keel and chines reinforce the hull along these higher wear areas.


The lightweight Kurrent accelerates swiftly and cruises about average for a 13-footer. Its shallow V hull offers an ideal blend of initial and secondary stability. Engaging the hard chines yields snappy turns on an outside edge. Held level it tracks well, without the optional rudder or strap-on skeg.


POR T ABILITY PERF ORMANCE


Feathercraft’s cockpit outfitting provides one of the most comfortable and dialed rides going. The floating foot bar feels secure and is easily adjusted. Sus- pended hammock-like from the frame, the seat has inflatable bottom and lumbar pads, and the backrest is supportive with- out hindering layback maneuvers. Rolling and edging the Kurrent is a breeze thanks to the cockpit bracing bars—removable, curved poles that pro- vide snug knee and thigh support within the otherwise roomy cockpit. Standard with every Feathercraft is a nylon spray deck and sea sock, which limits flooding to the cockpit area if you do take a swim.


ASSEMBLY TIME 10 minutes or less LENGTH WIDTH


9’ 36”


MATERIAL WEIGHT


PRICE WEBSITE 50 | ADVENTURE KAYAK


1000-Denier PVC 66 pounds


$1,749 $2,195 CAD


www.hobiecat.com


Feathercraft’s reputation for quality and durability is evident in their boats. The Kurrent is a lightweight, user- friendly kayak that rewards peripatetic paddlers of all stripes.


IDEAL FOR…


Day and overnight trips on all waters; hike- or fly-in destinations; smaller paddlers.


DIGITAL EXTRA: Click here to watch a video review.


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