I recently has the opportunity to fish out of the Hobie Compass while in Navarre Beach Florida. The first day the weather was calm (that's a relative term for saltwater) with light winds, slack tide and 1-2 foot rollers. From beach launch to final surf landing (6 hours) the boat handled great. The seat was comfortable and rudder very responsive. The next day we had a smaller window as a storm front had just past through. 3-4 foot surf, but the Compass handled the waves with no issue. We pedaled out about 3 miles and got on the red snappers we were hunting. On the return trip a second storm popped up. I found myself in 5-6 foot waves and a cross wind that picked up into the 30 mph range. Add to this a driving rainstorm. I found that heading back towards our launch point was going to be next to impossible by heading directly into the waves and winds. I then turned 60° towards the shore and took the waves over the side of the kayak. I'm sure that Hobie never planned on the Compass handling these conditions, but it handled the waves and winds. The drive kept me going and the rudder controls were on point. This is a solid watercraft that will exceed your expectations.
Side note: Both days I was able to limit out on red snapper, including catching my pb 25" 14.5 pound snapper.
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