Hobie "Revo Island" from an Outback- Anyone else make the transition?

Looking for a few owners of the Revo 13's converted to the Revo Island to weigh in with their reviews/experiences...

I have watched/envied Hobie Revo 13's launch from Rockaway beach on the hunt for salmon, and more than a few on the crab grounds at various locations. I even went so far as the build my own pontoon and tramp for the Outback, which makes crabbing so much more comfortable. For a few years now, I've been wanting to try crafting my own "Revo Island" which is part of the reason why I picked up a Revo 13 from a member here earlier this year.
 
I had hoped to be in a position to keep both the Revo and my Outback, but I'm not able to get the necessary money together with the trips I've been taking and the home improvement projects I've gotten into this year. So, it's looking like I'll want to sell my Outback to fund the purchase of a 2011-2014 AI with the AMA/AKA kit installed. I'll then pull the AKA/AMA parts from the AI and put them onto the Revo. I may keep the AI as a loaner boat, or perhaps try to resell it if It's still in good enough shape after the part removal.

Has anyone else here made a similar switch? I am hoping somebody can speak to the effectiveness of crabbing from the Revo with AMA/AKA setup, and if there's any reason why I may end up regretting parting with my Outback. It's a great boat for everything I like to do, but its heavy and slow. I hope the Revo Island will allow me to do all of the same things, just in a sleeker, lighter, and faster boat.

Thanks in advance if anyone here can share their own experiences and some pros/cons.

I’ve never owned an Outback, but I do have an AI (or 2….). IMHO, unless you plan to sail, an AI is overkill. You can just add an ama to a Revo 13 and have all of the stability and carrying capacity advantages. Not to mention that if you are concerned about weight, an AI is far from a lightweight.

Love the thought… hope it gels!!! I’d like to pimp my revo similarly!!!

I crabbed for years on mine but an old wrist  injury had me give all my pots/nets away…  but an electric puller would do the trick nicely!

Hope it all works out I’d like to see the solution!!!

GetSome!!!

Got an AI in 2014, and the Outback has sat by the wayside pretty much ever since, relegated to being a loaner.  A smaller RI would be killer, especially if it's modular and easy setup and take down, which to me is crucial. The AI with a single ama is way fast compared to my outback and just feels better out in the choppy SC waters.  With a trampoline my dog loved to ride with me with all the space to lounge while I fished. Crabbing is so super easy I load three hoops and a trap on the trampoline easily and can quickly deploy them in series.

2011-2014 AI, full setup:
- A pain in the butt to assemble, schlep, rinse and put away
- If the wind is favorable and you enjoy (very wet) sailing it’s awesome

One ama setup:
- The best mix of speed and stability you can get in a pedal kayak
- Not as much of a hassle as the full setup

Just the hull:
- Nice fast and minimalist pedal kayak (just a Revo 16)

For all of these:
- The seat is not as nice as newer models
- The hull is very light for a roto-molded pedal kayak (the 2015+ AI is vastly heavier)
- In my experience Hobie hulls have a high rate of cracking below the waterline

I’ve also considered going for the revo conversion, but I am now content with just an AI. I say get the AI, try it out in all its different modes (kayak mode, single ama, double ama, motorized?), and determine from there if you still absolutely need to do a revo conversion. In my opinion a motorized AI for harbor/ramp launching and an Outback for surf launching covers all the bases. Surf launching with amas on can sometimes be cumbersome.

I had a Revo 13 AI conversion. Used 3x I gave up. Too much hassle and work.

I thought about making this conversion as well, but the difference in weight between the Revo 13 and 1st gen AI (16 lbs, will be less if adding parts to the revo to allow it to accept AMAs/Akas) isn't significant enough for me to see a clear benefit.

I thought about making this conversion as well, but the difference in weight between the Revo 13 and 1st gen AI (16 lbs, will be less if adding parts to the revo to allow it to accept AMAs/Akas) isn't significant enough for me to see a clear benefit.

I haven't done a Revo 13 conversion, but I'd think that you just need 1 ama, and it doesn't have to be anything fancy. Actually, the AI amas are my least-favorite part of the entire design, as they weigh at least 2x more than they should. For a Revo 13, I'd use PVC or DIY aluminum tubing for the aka, and make my own ama out of crab pot floats, or something similar (lots of examples of such online). I suspect that the weight savings of that kind of setup, as compared to full AI, would be a lot more than 16 lbs.

I thought about making this conversion as well, but the difference in weight between the Revo 13 and 1st gen AI (16 lbs, will be less if adding parts to the revo to allow it to accept AMAs/Akas) isn't significant enough for me to see a clear benefit.

I haven't done a Revo 13 conversion, but I'd think that you just need 1 ama, and it doesn't have to be anything fancy. Actually, the AI amas are my least-favorite part of the entire design, as they weigh at least 2x more than they should. For a Revo 13, I'd use PVC or DIY aluminum tubing for the aka, and make my own ama out of crab pot floats, or something similar (lots of examples of such online). I suspect that the weight savings of that kind of setup, as compared to full AI, would be a lot more than 16 lbs.

16 lbs is just comparing the hull weights AI vs Revo.  I guess the main reason to use the AI amas is the availability and compatibility to use with your existing AI.  I'm not that concerned with the weight of the ama either since it can be easily removed and carried separately.

16 lbs is just comparing the hull weights AI vs Revo.  I guess the main reason to use the AI amas is the availability and compatibility to use with your existing AI.  I'm not that concerned with the weight of the ama either since it can be easily removed and carried separately.

Yes, but the AI ama/akas won't be an exact match for a Revo 13 conversion. Also, if you don't already have an AI, and you buy those parts from Hobie, they are ridiculously expensive.

What about the AI Akas and Amas don't work for a revo conversion?  I only have ever mused about doing the conversion, never looked into the details.  I hoard AI parts, so no issue there 

What about the AI Akas and Amas don't work for a revo conversion?  I only have ever mused about doing the conversion, never looked into the details.  I hoard AI parts, so no issue there 

The spacing is not the same, so mounting the akas is a bit awkward—based on some that I’ve seen online, as I’ve never attempted it myself.

More importantly, if you ever want to unload some of those AI parts, LMK.

Fellow hoarder here… I’ve got 1 complete AI, another almost complete (just lacking a mast, and I’ve got a windsurfer mast that I’m sure will work, but I need to epoxy the collar onto it), and a Revo 16 that I plan to build into another AI. I plan to customize a bunch of stuff for number 3.

I'll keep you in mind.  I'm not there yet, but I do have moments why I ask myself what the hell I'm doing with all this stuff.....

Grateful for all of the thoughts, experiences, and recommendations. This is giving me plenty to think about.