Marine

Hobie Eclipse stand-up pedal board will have you walking on water

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The Hobie Mirage Eclipse will become available later this US spring
Hobie has been in the watercraft game for more than 60 years and has never been shy of experimentation
The Hobie Mirage Eclipse will become available later this US spring
Not content with rescuing kayakers' tired arms with its highly efficient pedal-propulsion system, water sports specialist Hobie is now setting its sights on those who like to take to the water upright
The fins fold up flat against the bottom of the vessel for beaching or when moving through shallower waters
Users can steer the board with the aluminum alloy handlebars (adjustable between 36 and 43 in (91 and 109 cm)
Hobie has been in the watercraft game for more than 60 years and has never been shy of experimentation
Users can steer the board with the aluminum alloy handlebars (adjustable between 36 and 43 in (91 and 109 cm)
Hobie's Mirage Eclipse Stand Up Pedal boards make for new kinds of aquatic adventure
Not content with rescuing kayakers' tired arms with its highly efficient pedal-propulsion system, water sports specialist Hobie is now setting its sights on those who like to take to the water upright
The Hobie Mirage Eclipse will become available later this US spring
Users basically hop aboard and go for it like an elliptical trainer aficionado finally unleashed on the waterways
Hobie's Mirage Eclipse Stand Up Pedal boards make for new kinds of aquatic adventure
Users can steer the board with the aluminum alloy handlebars (adjustable between 36 and 43 in (91 and 109 cm)
Not content with rescuing kayakers' tired arms with its highly efficient pedal-propulsion system, water sports specialist Hobie is now setting its sights on those who like to take to the water upright
The Hobie Mirage Eclipse will become available later this US spring
Hobie has been in the watercraft game for more than 60 years and has never been shy of experimentation
Users basically hop aboard and go for it like an elliptical trainer aficionado finally unleashed on the waterways
The Hobie Mirage Eclipse will become available later this US spring
Users can steer the board with the aluminum alloy handlebars (adjustable between 36 and 43 in (91 and 109 cm)
View gallery - 19 images

Not content with rescuing kayakers' tired arms with its highly efficient pedal-propulsion system, water sports specialist Hobie is now setting its sights on those who like to take to the water upright. The company's Mirage Eclipse Stand Up Pedal boards make for new kinds of aquatic adventure by allowing vertical users to glide across the water simply by moving their legs up and down.

Hobie has been in the watercraft game for more than 60 years and has never been shy of experimentation, from new kinds of surfboard materials in the 1950s and 60s to rethinking kayaks for touring and fishing, and one of the company's key innovations of late is its MirageDrive propulsion system.

It is intended to do away with the paddle that kayakers use to move through the water and instead tap into our more powerful muscles below the waist. It allows users to pedal their kayak like a bicycle, which moves a pair of flippers beneath the vessel back and forth to propel the craft forward.

Hobie's Mirage Eclipse Stand Up Pedal boards make for new kinds of aquatic adventure

This MirageDrive has been fitted to a series of Hobie's watercraft since it was introduced in 1997, including sailyaks, tribrid kayaks and the Pro Angler for mobile fisherman. We have some experience ourselves with Hobie's MirageDrive and can attest, it is a very effective system that makes kayaking and fishing much more accessible to less active people.

The Mirage Eclipse board takes that same pedal system and applies it to stand-up paddle boards. Available in both 10.5 and 12 ft-long (3.2 and 3.7 m) versions, the Eclipse is crafted from composite epoxy and features a square tail and flat bottom designed to increased stability.

"We adapted our time tested MirageDrive to work with our industry leading stand up paddleboards," explains Hobie's Director of Engineering, Jim Czarnowski. "We designed the Eclipse so anyone from a beginner to a more athletic expert user can all have a great experience."

Hobie has been in the watercraft game for more than 60 years and has never been shy of experimentation

Users can steer the board with the aluminum alloy handlebars (adjustable between 36 and 43 in (91 and 109 cm), squeezing the right caliper to turn right the left caliper to turn left. But that's about as complicated as it gets, with Hobie claiming that riding the Eclipse is as intuitive as walking, you basically hop aboard and go for it like an elliptical trainer aficionado finally unleashed on the waterways.

Like Hobie's other MirageDrive watercraft, the fins fold up flat against the bottom of the vessel for beaching or when moving through shallower waters. A cup holder and phone mount are available as optional accessories. The Hobie Mirage Eclipse will become available later this US spring, with the 10.5-ft priced at US$2,500 and the 12-ft at $2,600. You can see it in action in the video below.

Source: Hobie

View gallery - 19 images
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5 comments
Stephen N Russell
Markets for: Hawaii, Australia, PR, Caribbean, Med Sea, Greece. Fiji, So CA, MN, MI, TN, NV,
unklmurray
I wish I didn't have to have oxygen bottles or a portable oxygen machine with me every where I go,Then I'd be able to enjoy this type of toy,I mighe be able to use the ''Hobie,Mirage'' Kayak anyway if I can keep my equipment reasonably dry.........This looks like a very fun toy!!
JimJackson
Very cool & i'd love to have this but $2,500? That's a lofty pricetag & would turn off most of the potential buyers that would want something like this. You need to get the pricetag under a $1,000 for this to work & be affordable towards the general public. Otherwise you'd just be catering to hotels to use as rentals.
JuliePowell
I would like to know how to purchase one of these. I am in New Zealand
ShellyCarr
Where can I get one of these at a decent price under $1,000