Hobie "Mirage Oasis" Hot

The reviewer below stated that this boat is expensive, but I don't think that should put you off if you're looking to buy. With the amount of use my wife and I get out of this boat, I feel the boat has been a steal. I've tried other cheaper brands at rental places but I have to say this is it.

My wife and I have used an Oasis for about 2 seasons now. The Oasis fits inside our Sienna with the rear hatch open which works for the short trip (inside our development) to our boat ramp. We release 3 bungie cords and we're launched. We like the ease of use, tandem seating and not having to deal with motors. The Oasis is great for bird watching as your hands are free for your binoculars. I'm a bicyclist so I'm the prime mover; and to get anywhere you'll need some endurance. Our furthest trip has been about 15 miles. We've had the boat in various conditions; in waves about 2' you can feel the hull flex. In a 2.5' chop the ride is not comfortable. A relatively high profile makes the Oasis somewhat difficult to control in a breeze. The rudder is the weakest part of the boat; it is small, limited in range and adjustment (control lines stretch over time) is not as easy as Hobie indicates. Keep your paddle handy in tight spaces (and to push free when you run aground). Seat backs are comfy but seat bottoms lack padding. We use closed cell foam padding under the Hobie seat and that helps. The seats tend to come loose from their hand-tightened anchors when the anchors get wet; that makes pedaling more difficult. We use the Oasis in brackish water, rinse it after every use and used WD40 on the metal parts. We've had some minor corrosion on the Mirage Drive; a flaking away of the black paint. I've switched to Boeshield for metal protection. Friends of ours have Hobie kayaks on a fresh water lake for several years, never wash it and have zero corrosion. Nu-Finish cleans up the boat very nicely and 303 Protectant works well on the softer parts (rudder, fins, etc.). And then there's the cost of the kayak and parts; it's obvious Hobie has no competition. We'd buy another Oasis (for guests) if it weren't so expensive.