PA owners, a little advice please

[raruga]

Hey PA owners, I am looking for some advice on this Kayak
1. PA 12 vs. PA 14, why one vs the other?
Can the 14 be transported in the bed of a truck with a bed extender?
2. Are these kayaks okay to go in the marsh and fish skinny water?
3. Can a trolling motor be mounted to either one?

Any other pros and cons you can think off would be greatly appreciated

[kickingback]

Hi, I can answer a few from my experience in my Hobie PA 14.

1. PA 12 vs. PA 14, why one vs the other?
Can the 14 be transported in the bed of a truck with a bed extender?
I like the 14 better as it has the extra 2 feet. That means more storage for me. I love the stability and ease of use with the mirage drive. I tried the 12 at a trial show once and liked it but when I tried the 14 it just felt better. Like a limousine. The 12 is a bit lighter if need to ground haul it anywhere. The 14 loaded can be a heavy pull through a muddy marsh.
Load mine on a trailer so can't help you with the truck but there are YouTube videos on the PA 14 loading in different vehicles.

2. Are these kayaks okay to go in the marsh and fish skinny water?
Yep. PULL THE DRIVE anywhere near the shallows so that you do not damage the tips of your drive fins. Happens easy in shell. You WILL hit them on bottom at sometime so just go slow so they don't bury in the shell or sand hard. Mine drafts about 5"-6" when I am fully loaded. I can have a draft of 4" most of the time traveling light. It is perfect for standing and sight casting in the marsh. YouTube has many videos of guys and gals fishing in their PA 14's in the marsh. Look them up and it's cool to watch and you may learn some tricks.

3. Can a trolling motor be mounted to either one? I built my own Watersnake 24 TM into a spare mirage drive blank. Have to haul a battery around with it making it heavier but the TM is so small it can be stowed away in transit if using the mirage drive. There are YouTube videos that show you how to make one. About $175 for all the parts and another $100 for a deep cycle 50-100AH battery. I get about 12 hours of off and on use from a 100 AH battery and still have 50% battery left when I return. I could use it full power the whole time but i will only get about 4-6 hours of constant use.

[t.chris]

I'm only a recent PA owner, but I'll see if I can help you with my experience.

1. Choosing 14 vs. 12. I had a hard time with this as well and finally decided that I wanted the added room and storage the 14 would provide. I was okay with the weight of the longer kayak as it is already a very heavy kayak to begin with. I bought mine about a month ago and have been out with it 3 times so far and I'm astounded how great it handles and the stability. I've never stood up in a kayak before and it is no problem in this kayak. I'm sure the 12 is good also, but you are already paying a huge premium for a Hobie and the cost difference between a 12 and 14 is relatively small, so I went bigger.

1.B. Can you haul the PA in your pickup? Yes, I haul my PA 14 in my Chevy quad cab short bed. I bought a bed extender when I bought the kayak, but I actually don't need the bed extender. If you are concerned about summer heat on the yak and you want the support, then the bed extender will be fine, but it isn't necessary.

2. Yes, I researched this pretty heavily as well as I am a marsh fisherman. You will have to pull the drive when you are launching and coming back in and you may run into the shallows from time to time, but it works just fine. I've actually just locked my drive to the position where the fins are flat with the bottom of the kayak and poled when it is really thin. You can also use a technique of not fulling depressing the pedal and just flutter the mirage drive in thin water and that works as well. Overall, you shouldn't have a problem.

3. Trolling motor question. Sorry, I'm only human powered and haven't pursued this, but I have heard it is possible.

Overall assessment. I'm absolutely thrilled with my PA 14 and would buy it again if I had to do it all over again. It is a tremendous fishing platform and is very dynamic.

[TrailChaser]

Not a PA owner, but I wanted to chime in anyway.

If you are looking to fish in the marsh a lot you should look into a paddle kayak. I've fished with a lot of guys who really struggle when they have to stop peddling and start paddling.

[Drifting Yak]

I went from an Outback to a PA-14 and could not be happier. The 14 actually floats in skinnier water than the 12. Sounds backasswords but the 14 has more buoyancy (larger area of displacement) so it floats a little better. I fish marshes all the time and don't have any real issues with getting around. For sure a smaller paddle kayak would allow you to get deeper into the marsh but you can't go wrong with the 12 or the 14. As previously mentioned the stability of the 14 is great - no issues with standing at all. You do have to anticipate the wind a little more with the 14. It is big and the wind can move you around but with a little bit of time on the water you'll learn to anticipate how the wind affects you. It is heavier than the 12 so you have to factor that into the equation when loading and offloading but overall you should be able to manage the 14 very well.
Hope this helps!

[Drifting Yak]

One other thing - not major but worth considering. You did not mention the model year that you are considering. If you are going new then no problem. If you are considering used then would suggest that you stick with the 2015 and newer models. Nothing wrong with the older PA-14's but newer models have the latest technology.

[kickingback]

I have to disagree as I have the 2011 model and the seat is by far more comfortable to be able to throw your legs over the side and fish. I was also able to add lots of mods that I wanted as i worked with a blank canvas. I got it for $1600 less than a new model so I am very happy.
The new models are great with all the new technology but some find the older models and price for used better than new. Just preference.

[mpg2yahoo]

1. PA 12 vs. PA 14, why one vs the other?
Can the 14 be transported in the bed of a truck with a bed extender?
2. Are these kayaks okay to go in the marsh and fish skinny water?
3. Can a trolling motor be mounted to either one?

#1, I would go for 14 again since it has more real state and is faster than the 12.
#2, I seen them on truck beds without extender, but most of the people get a trailer.
#3, Can be paddled or push pole in skinny water, but its a daunting task for long distance. Also, you have to have the correct paddle size. Too short and the paddle bumps on the side and pushes little water.
#4, Trolling motors can be mounted where the drive hole goes. I created a mount for an outboard and works fine for me.

[raruga]

Thank you all for your responses, it has helped me make up my mind. I was leaning towards the PA14 but this definitely helped me decide




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