Great Outdoor Blog

A new SAIL/YAK from Hobie is now available in select shops. The Hobie Mirage Adventure Island, a 16′ Trimaran “Sail/yak” that incorporates the patented Hobie MirageDrive into a unique sailing machine unlike any other sailing craft on the water. This boat should be a speed-demon based on our experience with the Hobie Mirage Adventure kayak. The Adventure kayak is already a very versatile boat and appeals to recreational users, divers, exercise enthusiasts, and touring boaters. The Adventure Island appears to be a natural evolution to an already excellent platform. Here are the features that make the Adventure Island so special:

• A boomless, roller-furling sail rig completely manageable from the cockpit with the pull of a line.
• Two retractable amas (outriggers) that fold up against the side of the boat, again with the simple pull of a line, for easy docking, maneuverability, and transport.
• The cockpit is the stable platform of the Hobie Mirage Adventure Kayak.
• The Hobie Mirage Drive allows the boat to be pedaled while under sail, or simply pedaled with the sail furled for versatility not found in any other sailboat.
• The Adventure Island is loaded with additional standard features such as a daggerboard; oversized “Twist and Stow” rudder; Turbo Fins; Mast and Sail Cover; and an Ama/Daggerboard Bag.
• The Adventure Island will be offered in two color packages: Yellow and Red. Both options include beautifully color-coordinated sails.

Our Price $2995 (available in select shops, please email for info)

» GOPC Paddling Page

The gear we sell at Great Outdoor Provision Co. is made to last many years of hard wilderness use. While outdoor gear has to take all sorts of knocks, abrasion, dirt, sweat, water/sun, and then be put up dirty and wet for another day in a backpack, all gear needs care between trips to maximize product life.

» http://greatoutdoorprovision.com/resources/howto/

This simple to use vessel identification tool is a great small boater’s device. It is small, lightweight, and simple to use. The tool shows the actual view of vessels for Port, Starboard, Bow and Stern lights. LIGHTrule identifies 60 light configurations and provides a magnifying lens to make vessel descriptions easy to read. It also displays audible signals for restricted visibility, maneuvering and warning. LIGHTrule is also an excellent aide for navigation classes and Coast Guard exams too.

It’s a great value, constructed of extremely durable plastic and stored in a vinyl sleeve. US Patent Pending.
Dimensions: 16” x 5 ¼”
Our Price $22.95

Joining the highly acclaimed Manitou 13 and Manitou Sport, Necky adds the new Manitou 14 and the Manitou II Tandem for the 2006 season. Each of these models, to one degree or another, is functionally somewhere between a Touring Kayak and a Recreational Kayak. At Great Outdoor Provision Co., we call such boats Hybrids.

The Necky Manitou series is our best selling line of kayaks –and for good reason. Quite simply, these are the most versatile kayaks on the market today. By versatile, we mean the Manitou family of kayaks is well suited for a wide variety of uses such as river use, ponds and lakes, estuaries, sounds and the like. For example, the Manitou 13 can safely handle Class II whitewater, make the complete beginner feel at ease on a local pond and do a light overnight trip at the coast with 2 ft seas and 15 knot winds. No other family of kayaks can perform so well on so many different types of water as the Necky Manitous.

As easy to paddle as most Recreational Kayaks, the Manitous however, are not limited to the typical protected waterways like a Rec boat. Indeed, the Manitous can ply many of the waterways frequented by Touring Kayaks (Sea Kayaks). On the other hand, the Manitou series is considerably more accessible than the typical sea kayak. In essence, these two accomplishments define the very nature of a Hybrid kayak and are made possible by the Manitou hull design.

The basic Manitou hull design is based on Mike Neckar’s famous Alsek. These original Alseks were basically short, wide sea kayaks with particularly full chines and moderate rocker. Like the Alsek, the Manitou allows the beginner to experience plenty of initial stability while providing access to a hull capable of edging –a defining characteristic of the sea kayak. In this manner, the beginner can grow with the sport as they learn to edge the Manitou for improved turning performance and rough water handling. Of course, Necky is famous for its sea kayaks and from their perspective, the Manitous are “recreational kayaks with a hint of British charm”. Whether you conceptualize the Manitou as a “Rec boat with British charm” or a very capable Hybrid, these kayaks are extremely versatile boats that you can truly grow into.

Now in 2006, the paddler has access to four different Manitous to suit most any preference within the Hybrid category.