Hobie 2019 gear tracks made from plastic?

Have any of you had issues with the gear tracks on your 2019 Hobie Outbacks? I have had two salmon take-downs in the past two weeks that have completely ripped my rod holder out of the gear track.  I am using Scotty rod holders attached to a mighty mount directly screwed into the gear track at two separate points. I have had 3 Outbacks and have been trolling for salmon out of them now for 10 years and never expienced anything like this before. Upon closer examination of the gear track I see now that these tracks actually appear to be made of plastic and are flexing when put under pressure. This pressure is enough to allow the tracks to warp and actually expand by as much as 5/32nds of an inch when pressure is applied.  I am surprised that Hobie engineers would design such a critical piece of equipment with these substandard materials. Salmon are powerful fish but I’m not talking blue fin tuna here. I would not have purchased the 2019 model if I had been aware of this. I am not sure yet what the work-around might be to resolve this. Any similar experience or thoughts on this? So far Next Adventure Paddle seems open and willing to help but I am pretty disappointed with Hobie. Thanks.

well i`ll be damned ,it did happen, i was thinking that would happen when i first saw those when they came out. maybe i ought to be an engineer? thanks for posting. that sucks!!

Yeah, I kind of kick myself for not really evaluating this more completely. It seems pretty obvious that plastic isn’t going to cut it if the material is tested very hard!

Agreed, these things flex too much, I knocked a rod holder off doing self recovery practice and then didn't like the flex in the gear trax plastic when I started trolling for salmon.

I trimmed up a scrap piece of 1/8" aluminum and added it to the front track on the right side, also changed the screws holding that section down to bolts with a nylock nut on the inside.  And to keep the cross kayak rod holder from rotating while trolling, I drilled an angled hole through the lower part of the Scotty mount and through the metal plate, small phillips head screw keeps it locked in place.

I would like to see Hobie make a sturdier version of the gear track pieces available, they would be easy to swap in....

Very nicely done rogerdoger! I don't have the fabrication skills to make the cuts and detailed angles but you have given me good information for a good place to start. Thanks much for your creative ideas here. Appreciated very much. Still confused why Hobie couldn't have seen this one coming. I am sure I am not the first guy to have this problem.

great job roger but ditch the 823`? (single tab mounts)and go with yakattacks mighty mounts 2 of them create base with 2 tabs. was doing same til it broke all of sudden sending rod and rod holder into the drink. light stuff like fish finder  go pro etc ok but people DO NOT use these for rod holders or same may happen to u.  turned out the tab broke off the shank of the bolt.

Very nicely done rogerdoger! I don't have the fabrication skills to make the cuts and detailed angles but you have given me good information for a good place to start. Thanks much for your creative ideas here. Appreciated very much. Still confused why Hobie couldn't have seen this one coming. I am sure I am not the first guy to have this problem.

They were blinded by $$$$ piling up in front of them that’s why they didn’t see it! 

Agreed, these things flex too much, I knocked a rod holder off doing self recovery practice and then didn't like the flex in the gear trax plastic when I started trolling for salmon.

I trimmed up a scrap piece of 1/8" aluminum and added it to the front track on the right side, also changed the screws holding that section down to bolts with a nylock nut on the inside.  And to keep the cross kayak rod holder from rotating while trolling, I drilled an angled hole through the lower part of the Scotty mount and through the metal plate, small phillips head screw keeps it locked in place.

I would like to see Hobie make a sturdier version of the gear track pieces available, they would be easy to swap in....

Hmmmm... that would be easy to do with my CNC machine. I need a template so I can draw it up in Fusion 360.

Craig, I think there would be a number of guys that would be happy to engage you with a project like this. I know I would.

Remember when a lot of Hobie pedal arms were breaking? And a NWKA member produced and sold stronger pedal arms? I bought a pair of those pedal arms.  If Hobie fails to offer Outback owners a stronger replacement track as a warranty replacement, somebody could step into the gap and produce and market metal reinforcing plates for the Outback's inadequate plastic gear tracks, and the longer bolts required to bolt the plates on top of the plastic tracks.

Remember when a lot of Hobie pedal arms were breaking? And a NWKA member produced and sold stronger pedal arms? I bought a pair of those pedal arms.  If Hobie fails to offer Outback owners a stronger replacement track as a warranty replacement, somebody could step into the gap and produce and market metal reinforcing plates for the Outback's inadequate plastic gear tracks, and the longer bolts required to bolt the plates on top of the plastic tracks.

Somebody want to pull there track off and get it to me for a week or two?

Saw this in another FB Page. Its being made by a third party person. It spans across to the metal H Rail.

I agree there is probably a solid market for a stronger reinforced metal solution. I also thought the "straddle" approach (shared by SF Harry)  running from he track to the h-rail has some merit as shown in the photos. I would be willing to get my track unmounted in a week or two when I start winding down fishing for the season. If someone could develop an elegant solution here it could bring lots of benefit to 2019 Outback users that like to troll for salmon and even heavier game fish.

Found a link! Check out the Kayak Accessories tab. $35 for the setup. https://www.snipeairindustries.com

Found a link! Check out the Kayak Accessories tab. $35 for the setup. https://www.snipeairindustries.com

$35 ain’t a bad price. As long as you don’t have so much gear on your tracks that it won’t fit, or want your rod holder outboard just a bit more.