The market for unique personal watercraft has become increasingly diverse, with each new product offering something different. California-based Hobie is one of the longest-standing suppliers of unique watercraft and leisure products, having been in business since 1950. Among their eclectic and fantastic product range, fans of paddle boarding will find something of special interest: the Mirage Eclipse Stand Up Pedalboards.
What is the Hobie Mirage Eclipse Pedalboard?
Available in three distinct models, the Hobie Mirage Eclipse Pedalboard series is one of the most unique new ways to traverse the water. The craft comprises the main durable board with the high-grip EVA Deckpads, adjustable handlebars, a removable kick-up rudder and the innovative MirageDrive unit that provides propulsion.
Starting from shallow water, a dock or at the side of another boat, all the user has to do is stand on the board’s pedals and work them up and down to get the MirageDrive into action. This then propels the board forward, after which the user can simply steer where they want to go using the handlebars. It’s a one-size-fits-all craft, with the handlebars easily adjustable to suit riders of different heights.
One-of-a-kind design for effortless motion
The ingeniously designed components of the Hobie stand up pedalboards, and in particular the intricate MirageDrive technology, are what help give it its much-lauded stability, control and power on the water’s surface. Every part of the board is designed to either make the experience easier to access or more enjoyable to experience.
The pedal action is incredibly simple whether it’s your first time or tenth time using the board. Those looking for a great on-water workout can pump up their legs and build up considerable speed. And those who want a more leisurely “stroll” around the bay or lake can do so taking things at their own pace. The handlebars make for effortless steering. Therefore, unlike some other craft, turns are not reliant on the user leaning and possibly losing their balance.
Furthermore, if you want a more traditional stand-up paddle board experience, you can lock the rudder in place, remove the MirageDrive, and use the board as you would a regular paddle board. That means you’re getting two kinds of crafts in one. There’s even space at the back with Bungee® gear tie-downs. This allows you to transport a cooler or other gear for whatever fun you have planned at the other end of your Pedalboard journey.
Portable, adjustable and with minimal assembly
When you’re ready to get onto the water or head home again, hook up your wheels and grab one of the end handles for easy transport to and from your vehicle. Easily load to the roof of your car by detaching the key components first, no tools are required.
New and existing models in 2021
The current range of Pedalboards features 3 models:
- The Mirage Eclipse Dura Series (10.7’ or 12’)– the flagship, durable existing model; no capacity info
- The Mirage Eclipse ACX (10.6’ or 12’)– the faster, sportier board with more nimble turning ability; max capacity 225lbs
- The Mirage iEclipse (11’) New for 2021 – the inflatable board designed for maximum portability and flexibility; max capacity 300lbs
The Mirage Eclipse stand up pedalboards are available only through partnered retailers. You can enter your city or zip code on the Hobie website to find the nearest dealer to you. Estimated MSRP is approximately $1,900 – it will likely vary from store to store.
Startup
A startup or start-up is a company or project undertaken by an entrepreneur to seek, develop, and validate a scalable business model. While entrepreneurship refers to all new businesses, including self-employment and businesses that never intend to become registered, startups refer to new businesses that intend to grow large beyond the solo founder. At the beginning, startups face high uncertainty and have high rates of failure, but a minority of them do go on to be successful and influential. Some startups become unicorns; that is privately held startup companies valued at over US$1 billion.
Actions
Startups typically begin by a founder (solo-founder) or co-founders who have a way to solve a problem. The founder of a startup will begin market validation by problem interview, solution interview, and building a minimum viable product (MVP), i.e. a prototype, to develop and validate their business models. The startup process can take a long period of time (by some estimates, three years or longer), and hence sustaining effort is required. Over the long term, sustaining effort is especially challenging because of the high failure rates and uncertain outcomes. Having a business plan in place outlines what to do and how to plan and achieve an idea in the future. Typically, these plans outline the first 3 to 5 years of your business strategy.
Design principles
Models behind startups presenting as ventures are usually associated with design science. Design science uses design principles considered to be a coherent set of normative ideas and propositions to design and construct the company's backbone. For example, one of the initial design principles is "affordable loss".
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