The Hobie Lynx is an interesting kayak that has a lot of appeal for one very good reason - it's incredibly lightweight. It is by far the lightest MirageDrive pedal-powered kayak in the range (that isn't an inflatable model) and because of this it is instantly attractive for anyone who struggles with the weight of a typical kayak.
It is quite an achievement for Hobie to have reduced the weight so dramatcally, however doing so has come with trade offs in terms of on-water performance, durability and storage utility. Lets discuss the performance trade off first, because this is important.
Performance considerations
The advantages of such a light kayak like the Lynx are mostly fairly obvious, especially when it comes to handling the kayak off the water. There are some advantages to on-water performance to, but with one significant caveat. While the lighter footprint of the Lynx does translate to a speed & manueverability performance advantage on flat water in calm conditions, disadvantages in rougher and windier conditions became apparent quickly.
Because of the weight and shape of the Lynx hull, it sits on the water in similar fashion to an inflatable kayak, with very little draft. Because of this stronger winds will push the kayak around significantly more than a typical kayak hull shape that has more draft and weight. Therefore the Lynx is not a recommended model for off-shore open-water conditions and if anyone ever tells you anything contrary to that, you can safely stop listening to that person. If you're a fair-weather fisherman who is selective about where and when to go kayak fishing then the Lynx is probably perfect for you. If you have ambitions of chasing pelagic ocean fish, you should probably look at a different model. The minimal design of the Lynx coupled with its hull shape and weight does not lend itself to those situations.
Hobie Lynx durability concerns
Now lets talk about durability. If you've previously owned a rotomolded plastic kayak you probably already know that they are very robust and can handle being knocked around a fair bit. They are constructed with a thick, single-piece polyethylene shell. The plastic is meant to flex, bounce off rocks, and take dragging, oyster bars, and ramp abuse. Scratches stay cosmetic - a hard hit rarely breaches the hull.
The same is not true of the Hobie Lynx due to its ACE-TEC construction. This is an EPS foam core wrapped in fibreglass, with a thin thermoformed plastic skin. In this regard it is much closer to a surf board than it is a rotomolded kayak. This means that the outer skin scratches and gouges easily, so owners are advised to take care when launching and landing and car-topping. You are also well advised to avoid collisions with sharp rocks and oysters.
Providing the owner is mindful of this and cautious about handling it on and off the water, these potential issues can be mitigated. This is a little more challenging when launching and especially landing, however. It's almost impossible to prevent the underside of the bow making contact with the ground beneath it and over time you will see the wear and tear show up in this part of the hull. So this is the part of the kayak that is most exposed to inadvertant damage through normal use.
This is exactly why our Lynx Bow Guard Bumper Bro is now the most popular keel guard in the range. If you own a Hobie Lynx then you are well advised to use the bow guard to add armor plating to this part of the kayak. It will add years to the lifespan of your kayak.
If you car-top your Lynx by loading it one end at a time then this probably means the stern is copping a bit of abuse when you load and unload it as well. If so then you should consider installing a Bumper Bro Lynx Stern Guard as well, which you'll find listed on the same page. We also make a replaceable rear skid plate for the Lynx as well
Another part of the Lynx hull that can be exposed to inadvertant punishment is the scupper holes on the base of the hull. This is only really a potential problem if you use one of Hobie's plug-in wheel carts, but not if you're using a kayak cart with padded support skids. if you are using a Hobie plug-in cart you're well advised to add some form of padding above the collar clamps to soften the ride. There are numerous ways to achieve this, from utilizing pool noodles, tennis balls or our purpose-built heavy duty silicon Scupper Bro.
If there are any other areas of the hull starting to show the rigors of wear and tear you could consider using Keel Eazy tape to add extra protection. Ultimately, the most important thing to be aware of is that the Lynx is not built like plastic roto molded kayaks and as such you should act accordingly.
Storage Utility
Hobie didn't achieve such a low weight with just a different construction method - it's entire design centered around reducing weight and this can be seen in the deck layout and the distinct lack of features you would typically see in most fishing kayaks. For example, there are no molded drink holders, hatches or storage pockets. They really took the "less is more" approach here and while that will suit minimalist kayak anglers quite well, many users would be scrambling for customizations to add extra storage capability.
This is one of the reasons Lynx H-Rails are so popular, as Hobie H-Rail accessories such as H-Rail tackle bins, Mini bins and Cup holders can easily be mounted to it. It also features a channel track so track-mounted accessories such as paddle and rod holders can also easily be secured.
Hobie also make a handy accessory storage bag that can be added to the back of the seat, which is an obvious recomendation to make. The back of the seat is valuable real estate that is otherwise wasted, so this can be very handy on the Hobie lynx. It will come down to personal preference as to what to store in it, but accessing it is a bit more of a hassle than it would be in it was in front or beside you. For this reason a lot of users don't use it for items that they expect to be reaching for while out on the water all that often.
This is why BerleyPro designed an adapter that allows the user to add a Side Bro storage pocket to one or both sides of the seat. We call this arrangement the "Lynx Bro" and we're pretty proud of it! This is highly convenient for anglers and is ideally suited for fishing tackle and tools. If you do own a Lynx and are determined to add extra storage capacity for your fishing kit you'll want to check these out as well.
Extra storage capacity can also be gained with a storage crate or bag, or both. A popular arrangement is to add a storage crate to the rear well and a fish storage bag to the front of the deck as well. There are a plethora of fish storage bags out there that can easily be to work, including Hobie's own fish catch bags, of which there are several options. Almost all of them would get the job done, with the exception of their largest catch bag, which is just a bit too long (so keep your ambitions in check on that one).
The rear storage well has plenty of room so just about any storage crate would work out nicely, from the simple milk crate through to purpose built options such as Hobie's own H-Crates, Railblaza Gear Hub or Yakattack's excellent Blackpaks. You really couldn't go too far wrong with any of those options. If you really want to be able to accessorize the storage crate with H-Rail accessories, then the H-crate is your go-to. if you're operating on a lean budget then look at the Railblaza gear hub first. If you really want flexibility with customization then you couldn't go past the Blackpaks.