Quarantine Kayak Build - Blue Fin 15-29 w/ Mirage Drive

Builder show and discuss their progress.
OnkaBob
Posts: 401
Joined: Fri Jul 18, 2008 10:12 am
Type of boat I like: <-- Please read instructions to the left and delete this text. Then, tell us what type boat you like! :-)
Location: Seaford, South Oz

Re: Quarantine Kayak Build - Blue Fin 15-29 w/ Mirage Drive

Post by OnkaBob »

The painted hull / timber deck combination looks great - all it needs now is some fish slime! :D
Cheers, Bob

Laker 13 - christened and slimed (just).
Laker accessories underway.
Cowbro
Posts: 22
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2020 11:58 pm
Type of boat I like: Blue fin

Re: Quarantine Kayak Build - Blue Fin 15-29 w/ Mirage Drive

Post by Cowbro »

It has been a hell of a week, my home town made nation news for the wildfires this week. My parents were evacuated Wednesday but luckily their house was untouched. Two of our family friends lost everything :(

We had a decent break in the smoke yesterday and the air quality wasn't too bad so i braved the 100* weather to get another quick test run in. No fish slime yet, but i did get some Sacramento River Delta Slime which is probably nastier. lol.

Rigging is pretty much complete. I installed the transducer and transducer skidplate. I ordered some thicker black HDPE for the skid, but shipping got interrupted by the wildfires so i improvised with an $.88 cutting board from Walmart. I added track to each side, the Lowrance Hook 5 is on the left and rod holder on the right. I added a ram ball behind the seat and i have a ram tube that i'll use to hold the net. I also splurged and bought the Hobie cart that fits into the drive well, it is super light and works really well. Worth the $144. I also bought a cup holder and track hoping that i could find a spot to mount it in the cockpit, but space is getting pretty tight. It looks like it might end up behind the seat, i haven't decided on that one yet. You can also see in the picture how my 7.5' jigging rod stows away on the deck, the rod holder folds back and secures it to the deck, should be very secure for surf launches.

Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Cowbro
Posts: 22
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2020 11:58 pm
Type of boat I like: Blue fin

Re: Quarantine Kayak Build - Blue Fin 15-29 w/ Mirage Drive

Post by Cowbro »

Almost forgot. I fired up the old sticker cutter and made these for each side. The JEM Watercraft turned out real good. I like the font for the Blue Fin 15, but i am not sure how well it is going to hold up. Hopefully you don't mind me making these up.

Image
jem
Site Admin
Posts: 4915
Joined: Fri Jun 18, 2004 8:14 pm
Type of boat I like: Wooden
Location: Greensboro, NC
Contact:

Re: Quarantine Kayak Build - Blue Fin 15-29 w/ Mirage Drive

Post by jem »

Wow! That's artwork. Beautiful. No problem with the sticker/stencil at all. May I use these pictures?

How does she handle compared to your other boats? The stand up picture, is that just to show you can stand? Perform any movements while you stand or jut stand?
-Matt. Designer.
Cowbro
Posts: 22
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2020 11:58 pm
Type of boat I like: Blue fin

Re: Quarantine Kayak Build - Blue Fin 15-29 w/ Mirage Drive

Post by Cowbro »

Matt,

Use any of the pictures you want. i'll be adding more as i use the kayak too.

I forgot to add that i clocked a top speed of 5.3 knots into the current and 7 with the current. So maybe an average of 6 conservatively? Which is almost 7mph! That is with the standard (non-turbo) Hobie fins also. I was able to stand and us the paddle as a sort of SUP paddle, but i wouldn't do it for long, or with any waves present. Primary stability is a little wobbly, but secondary is very good for a 29" wide boat. The important part is that i could climb forward and access the front hatch, i could also turn around and reach the rear hatch while seated.

Kayaks for comparison:

Feelfree moken14: These kayaks are almost the exact same dimensions, ~14.5' long and 29-30" wide. Standup stability is very similar, but even the Moken pushes a little bit out a bow wave. The Bluefin does not push any wave, even at full throttle it slices through the water.

Hobie Outback 2016 model: The Outback is a tank that plows at anything above 3knots. Standup stability is decent, but i wouldn't fish standing up, setting the hook too aggresively could be a disaster.

Wilderness Systems Radar 135 with pedal drive. This kayak belongs to my buddy, and up until now was the fastest in our collective fleet. the Propeller is more efficient at speed that the Mirage drive, the mirage drive is quicker out of the hole. The blue fin is quicker than the Radar, he couldn't keep up with me on Saturday.
Cowbro
Posts: 22
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2020 11:58 pm
Type of boat I like: Blue fin

Re: Quarantine Kayak Build - Blue Fin 15-29 w/ Mirage Drive

Post by Cowbro »

Success! I met up witha buddy at one of the little beach access points on the NorCal Coast for a nice little morning on the water yesterday. Fishing wasn't on fire, but i did bust my lingcod slump with a fat little 25"er and a handful of rockfish. The kayak performed fantastic. Plenty stable, pretty quick, even surfed a couple of big following swells (not on purpose, but it handled it great). I get quite a bit of spray over the bow when headed into the wind, i may try to incorporate some sort of spray rail in the future.

The cheap plastic paddle holder did not work at all, luckily there was plenty of room to stuff the paddle on the inside under the gunwale. There is a reason the Vibe seat is 5x's less $$$$ than the hobie vantage seat. I will probably have to figure out some way to add some padding and removed the bar that was digging into my back. Much to my surprise the homemade steering worked really well.

An interesting thing that happened, when launching and landing with the mirage drive stowed the drive well was like a vacuum and hoovered water up into the boat. i don't recall this ever happening on the Hobie, I may think about bringing the plug for the drive well and stowing it in the front hatch if it will fit.

The inside of the kayak stayed pretty darn dry. If it wasn't for the drive well water suck i bet it would have been even drier.

Anyway, on to the pictures:

Image

Image
Image
Image
Image


Next trip is trolling for salmon, we'll see how lucky this new boat is!
OnkaBob
Posts: 401
Joined: Fri Jul 18, 2008 10:12 am
Type of boat I like: <-- Please read instructions to the left and delete this text. Then, tell us what type boat you like! :-)
Location: Seaford, South Oz

Re: Quarantine Kayak Build - Blue Fin 15-29 w/ Mirage Drive

Post by OnkaBob »

Looks like you had a great day. Well done on the build and on the sliming!

Thanks also for a really good thread. The comparison with the other kayaks is bonus info that doesn't appear very often.

And good luck on the salmon!
Cheers, Bob

Laker 13 - christened and slimed (just).
Laker accessories underway.
jem
Site Admin
Posts: 4915
Joined: Fri Jun 18, 2004 8:14 pm
Type of boat I like: Wooden
Location: Greensboro, NC
Contact:

Re: Quarantine Kayak Build - Blue Fin 15-29 w/ Mirage Drive

Post by jem »

Great pictures and report!
-Matt. Designer.
scottrunnr
Posts: 389
Joined: Sun Apr 23, 2006 8:34 pm
Type of boat I like: <-- Please read instructions to the left and delete this text. Then, tell us what type boat you like! :-)
Location: Brookline, MA

Re: Quarantine Kayak Build - Blue Fin 15-29 w/ Mirage Drive

Post by scottrunnr »

I'm going to follow in your footsteps with the Hobie inflatable assembly & rudder system to retrofit my old Bluefin. What adhesive did you use to bind the plastic assembly to the wood?
jem
Site Admin
Posts: 4915
Joined: Fri Jun 18, 2004 8:14 pm
Type of boat I like: Wooden
Location: Greensboro, NC
Contact:

Re: Quarantine Kayak Build - Blue Fin 15-29 w/ Mirage Drive

Post by jem »

-Matt. Designer.
Post Reply