Moken 10 & Hobie Outback

Load 2 x Mokeni’o and a Hobie Outback into the Swansea Canoes van and board the Pembroke to Rosslare ferry.

Head to Bantry Bay Canoes to say hello and take on provisions (coffee).
Next stop Na hAilichi and the Blue Islands. I’m just 7 hours off the ferry and Mokeni’o is in the water. This is a solo trip so I am limiting where I fish. I am imposing strict limits to ensure my safety.
The Beara Peninsula affords me the luxury of paddling with an onshore wind at all times.
I have a mark that’s a 20-minute paddle from the launch and I can sit the boat where the swells bounce back from the cliff face. This will test Mokeni’s stability.  I am not testing its stability in respect of capsize as I have done this in the Uk and it gets 10 out of 10. It is stable enough to fish whilst flopping about and am I confident to move about the boat.
Results – clapotis – bring it on.
 This is inshore Pollack Heaven (usually).
True to form the Irish Pollack are so easy to please – 30 fish in 2 hours all small but perfecty formed.



 Best fish no more than 5lb but on light gear I was a happy Old Duffer.
Paddling, fishing and taking photos single-handed is demanding – here is a pretty picture of why we fish from kayaks.



Wind 3-4 SW with a short chop and slapping back off the base of the cliffe.
I could have held a dance on Mokeni’o the stability is unreal. Damp paddling into the chop but so easy to turn and track. Drift speed was ideal just enough to let the tool down to do its work.



Mokeni’o is a pocket battleship and everything is where it should be – more on this later.



It was necessary to do “other work” on Friday and Saturday at Bantry Bay Canoes.
Sunday blew a hooly so it was more Pollack from the shore and a few newspapers.

Time to give the Pollack a rest and fish for flatties. Bearhaven is home to Dabs, flonder and ray. Only when the wind lets you fish it. A late start with some date expired mackeral for bait. A hard slog to anchor in the lee of Bear Island – not the spot I wanted to fish but the wind had other ideas.
The dozen or so Dolphins around Colt Rocks were making life misearble for the Mullet.
I’m grinning like a fool now – this is work – its tough but I need to test this boat properly.



Again Mokeni’o paddled well, tracked well and ran back before the wind beutifully.
The dabs were well worth the effort. Thus far I have been able to return every fish I have caught on this trip.



The fishing was slow and I think I am about 2 weeks too early, as the Gannets and Terns are not about in any number. The long cold winter is still playing out its hand.

I have a few lug to drown and the wind is making life difficult.
The outback works as I can peddle and control the boats position whilst fishing.



Slow drifts produce Dabs, Flounders and far too many codling.
The flatties were there if only I could get past the codling.

Mokeni’o Test Report - Part 4

Mokeni’o Techy Stuff

For’s
Length = 2 x half it’s length approx 10ft
Weight = 2 x half it’s weight.
Build quality = like a brick outhouse!
Wheel – ideal on hard flat ground but as useful as a chocolate teapot on the rough.
Saying that I have used the wheel quite a lot this week and it is good, you still need a trolley for the real stuff.
Rod holders are spot on and rod landyards are handy.
Seat tie in points are angled “as they all should be”.
Tackle box/hatch is ideal.
Bow hatch is ideal – site side saddle and access everything with ease.
The boat can’t flood, as the hatch does not open to the hull.
Bow shape cuts thro the chop.
Tri hull – provides enough stability to operate a helicopter but presents a small area to the sea when forward paddling. Look at the new charter and commercial boats – big deck on small twin hulls using less effort to push them thro the water.
Tracking – Mokeni’o tracks like it’s on rails then turns thro 180 degrees with one reverse sweep stroke.
The combination of the two qualities beggars belief.
Running down wind is a doddle.
Dryness – the ride is dry and the bow shape deflects spray when paddling into a short chop.
Leakage – none that I can detect.
Can it catch fish – yes it can!

Agin’s
The seat pad moves – the deluxe seat is grand but the seat pad moves when moving about the deck - NSS.
I am bolting the seat pad next time I’m at Bantry Bay Canoes using kayak cavity bolts with rubber encapsulated nuts (get them from Cornwall Canoes). No leakage and no movement of a seat pad for me. The seat on the Hobie Outback is also fixed so I have been spoilt.

Round hatch is begging for a tackle box insert.

Opinionated stuff by The Old Duffer