Hobie Cat Forums

Hello fellow Anglers! I am definitely enjoying my new PA12, aside from a lack of turning radius issue to one side, the rig runs great! The rudder will not rotate as far one direction as the other. If anyone has had the same issue and found a simple fix. Please let me know. I would like to avoid the 52 mile round trip to the dealer if possible.

Thanks, MM

I do not have that problem with my PA12.

Have the PA12 out of the water and resting on something like a milk crate or saw horse so you can fully deploy the rudder. When you turn the rudder control lever to each side does it move the same amount of distance when steering to the left as it does to the right? If not, it must be that the control cables are not evenly wound around the pullys inside the kayak. If the rudder has full swing in both directions there has to be something wrong about the bottom of the kayak. Possible you have the fins of the mirage drive hanging down to act like a rudder and causing the kayak to turn or not turn?

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PA12 Dune
That is why they calling it fishing and not catching.

You just neet to adjust the steering lines. Pull the rudder deployment line so the rudder is in the stowed position. This centers the rudder. Take the rudder contol cover off at the back of the Pro Angler and loosed the screws that connect the control lines to the steering hub. Check to make sure your steering handle is centered. Go back to the steering hub and pull the lines equally snug and then retighten the screws. Before putting the cover back on the rudder control, lower the rudder and test steering to ensure that rudder turns equally in each direction. If that doesn't do it, you may have an issue with the lines inside the hull.

This is really simple process and one that I repeat at the start of each season as the control lines can stretch over time.

Good luck!

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The gods do not subtract from the alloted span of men's lives the hours spent fishing.

Adjust the steering cables so they are equal and should turn the same either way.

After trying TDKs routine and not make any headway, the problem must be internal. So tomorrow off to the dealer we go. Thank you all for the great advice!

MM

I actually found the steering over-responsive until I added a real lever in place of the secondary steering mechanism and added (suicide) knobs to both. Now I "feel" in total control. I suspect your issue is rudder line adjustment, however, as suggested above.

Can you tell me what you mean by suicide knobs added? I have steering handles on both sides oh my PA 12....thanks

Suicide Knobs a/k/a Steering Knob

I soon found that the steering lever hit the left side carry handle on my PA14, limiting the amount of left turn I could achieve. I finally adjusted the lines so that the lever was offset a bit to the right when the rudder is centered. That gave me a bit more lever travel to the left and equalized the turn.

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Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult
Pro Angler-14 owner

Happy to report that after sending some pictures from inside the hull to Hobei, the engineers found that I had some bent parts. They also offered a solution for the short turning radius. All is still under warranty! I'll post the final out come for anyone with the same problem.

I'd like to thank Bob from Southwest Kayaks for making the adjustments that now allow my PA12 to turn on a dime!

What a difference!

MM

Marble Man, did you have those pics you sent to Hobie. My buddy has the same issues.

What was the fix?

Thanks.

Email sent

Did you email me? Never received it.