Hobie I12S User Manual
Hobie Inflatable Kayaks
Instruction Manual
Hobie Mirage i12s
Welcome to the Hobie Way of Life
Thank you for choosing a Hobie Mirage Inflatable Kayak. As a member of the
Hobie way of life, you are now on the road to pure adventure in pedaling and
paddling. This owner’s manual is designed to help you get maximum enjoyment
from your new Hobie kayak. But more important, it is designed to help you use
it safely. The content of this manual covers all inflatable Mirage kayaks.
1
About the Design of your Kayak
Hobie Mirage i14t w/ Sail
Sit-on-top Cockpit
Hobie Mirage kayaks are open-top cockpit designs. This
allows the kayaker to enter and exit the kayak easily from
the shore, dock or water. Scupper hole(s) make the kayak
self-bailing. The design also eliminates the need to perform
an “Eskimo roll” (advanced kayak technique).
Scupper Hole(s)
Drain holes (scuppers) in the cockpit or cargo well will allow
any water that enters the cockpit to immediately flow back
out.
Patented Inflatable Hull Design
The Hobie Mirage Inflatable line of kayaks uses a patent
pending drop stitch construction to give performance that is
comparable to a hard shell kayak. The black material along
the bottom is stretched tightly to give you a fair hull shape
for maximum performance. It is important to know that the
bottom surface creates a bilge area inside the kayak that
can collect water if punctured, but the kayak will not sink.
See the draining instructions later in this manual.
Maneuverability
All Inflatable Mirage Kayaks come with the (patented) Twist
and Stow rudder system which comes pre-installed by our
factory. This new rudder is designed to flip out of the way
during land transport. It has an optional larger rudder blade
for more turning authority with the kayak sailing option.
Durable PVC Construction
Hobie Inflatable kayaks are made from a durable PVC to
continue Hobie’s tradition of quality, long-lasting products
that will give you years of enjoyment.
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2
Inflating Your Hobie Mirage Kayak
Follow the instructions below for valve operation and correct
inflation and deflation procedures.
Valve Operation Your kayak is equipped with three different chambers that need to be inflated. All of the valves are
located near the rear of the boat. There is one valve on each
of the tube sides and one valve on the floor.
To close off the valve for inflation, make
sure that the center valve pin is in the "up"
position. If it is in the "down" position,
press down on the valve pin and turn it
counterclockwise until it pops up.
To open the valve for deflation, press
down on the valve pin and turn it clockwise so it locks down. Be careful of any
sand or debris around the valve area
when deflating as small particles could
become airborne with the release of air
pressure!
Always lock the valve cover over the
valve stem when in use. This will prevent
accidental air release and entrance of any
particles into the air chambers.
Kayak Inflation Steps
1. Make sure that all of the valves are in the closed position
(valve pin up) so they hold the air inside the tubes.
2. Open up the forward hatch on the firewall.
3. Press the pump nozzle into the valve receptacle.
4. Start pumping air into the kayak
chamber by sliding the pump piston
in and out. Start by inflating the floor
first, then the tube sides. If you can
pick up one end of the kayak with the
other end on the ground and the kayak
does not buckle, the floor is properly
inflated. The tube sides should be
inflated until all wrinkles are smoothed
out of the exterior surfaces.
Tip: If the pump piston starts to
squeak, apply some spray silicone on
the piston shaft.
Hold
pump
here
3
Kayak Deflation Steps
1. Open up the forward hatch on the firewall.
2. Clear any water or debris out of the valve areas.
3. Slowly press down on the valve stem to start letting air out
of the kayak. There will be an initial burst of air, but that will
slow down very quickly. Once the air flow has slowed down,
press the valve stem all the way down and turn it clockwise
to lock it into the "open" position.
4. Follow this same procedure with all of the chambers.
Inflation Tips and Precautions
· The boat can be inflated either with our hand pump or an
electric pump. The electric pump can inflate the boat to a
moderate pressure and save a lot of time with about 90%
of the required air volume. You will need to use your hand
pump to inflate the chambers to the correct pressure.
· Do not use an air compressor. Damage to your boat
caused by over inflation from an air compressor is not covered by your warranty.
· After 2 or 3 days there may be a small decrease of pressure due to temperature change. If so, add a few pumps of
air to each chamber.
· Before undertaking a long trip, inflate the boat for a full 24
hours to be sure all chambers are completely airtight.
If you are seeing a consistent decrease in air pressure, follow the instructions for leak detection in the kayak repair
section of this manual.
· Do not over-inflate the kayak. A pressure of 3-5 PSI is
adequate if you have a pressure gauge. The easiest gauge
of a good working pressure is to have the chambers inflated
to a firm pressure when you press on them.
· Do not pump to a high pressure and let the kayak sit out
in the sun. If the kayak is going to be in a warm environment, slightly under-inflate the chamber and allow the heat
from the sun to increase the internal chamber pressure.
When kayaking, the colder temperature of the water may
cause a slight loss in chamber pressure. It is a good idea
to carry a pump with you so that you can add some air to
the chambers if necessary.
· If you notice that the bow area is sunken in when inflating, make sure that the forward Twist&Seal Hatch is open to
prevent a vacuum from building inside the bilge area.
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4
Kayak Features
Bilge Draining
As mentioned earlier,
it is important to know
that there is a bilge
area between the bottom surface the tubes.
If water collects in this
area the kayak will feel
heavy and you will hear water sloshing around; it will need
to be drained. On the right corner of the firewall is a drain
plug. Simply lift up the kayak and rotate it toward the drain
hole to drain the kayak. To prevent moisture build-up in the
kayak, leave the front hatch open to allow the interior to get
fresh air and dry.
Seat Adjustment
To hold the seatback to
the floor of the kayak,
there are three padeyes
that are used as anchor
points. Notice that there
are three lengths of webbing with hooks on the
end. Clip those to the padeyes and tighten up the webbing
straps to hold the seat securely in place. This webbing system allows you to adjust the fore and aft location of the seat
to accommodate both tall and short paddlers in addition to
the adjustment of the pedals on the drive.
Rear Draining Scuppers
Located just behind the seat on the
i12s and behind the rear most seat
on the i14t are two draining scuppers. These will allow any water to
drain if it collects near your seat bottom. Pull the plug out of the tube to
allow water to drain. If you have the
kayak loaded heavily with passengers and gear, you may want the plug in the tube to prevent
water from surging up into the kayak.
Plug in Cart
To make transportation from
your car to the water a breeze,
there are transport wheels
available. The two prongs of
the cart plug into two receivers located on the bottom of
the plastic Mirage well. The
cart scuppers are designed to handle relatively light loads
and smooth rolling. Rough terrain and jumping over curbs
could result in damaging the Mirage well.
5
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