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 Post subject: Outback vs Pro Angler 12
PostPosted: Tue Apr 08, 2014 1:26 am 
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I'm looking into buying my first Hobie Kayak and I fish out of a Wilderness Ride 115. I was looking for a peddle kayak but I can't decide between the PA or the Outback . I travel and camp so I see a lot of different waterways in a years time . From streams and creeks to oceans and Great Lakes . Any thoughts ?


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PostPosted: Tue Apr 08, 2014 8:48 am 
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I could over simplify it for you since there is a lot of material out there already.

You want to stand and fish, and don't mind a heavy kayak? Pro Angler
You want a nice stable kayak that's easier to car-top or carry single-handedly but don't necessarily need to stand and sight fish? Outback


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PostPosted: Tue Apr 08, 2014 9:46 am 
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Well , with that being said , I do like to stand and fish but I would like to be able to load and unload it out of my camper by myself . Or even car top if need be . Is there any possibility that Hobie would come out with a new or up dated Outback or something in between the two kayaks that I'm looking at ?


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PostPosted: Tue Apr 08, 2014 1:44 pm 
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The Outback was just updated for the 2014 model year to include a transducer receptacle molded into the bottom of the hull. I do not think there will be any updates to that model any time soon. Also, there is no model in between the Outback and the PA12.

You can stand in an Outback, hell my sister even did a few yoga poses on the Outback to prove that, but shes like 90lbs lighter than me :lol: I have stood up in the Outback but felt a bit uneasy to try and cast a lure. It was stable enough for me to wonder about push-poling though. You should try before you buy. you'll then notice that the deck isn't flat and really isn't intended to be stood on like the PA series.

Outback weight: 75lbs
ProAngler 12 weight: 98lbs

Yes, you can car top the PA12. There's a good thread on the Facebook "Hobie Kayak Fishing" group where people were asking the same thing and I saw plenty of examples. Technique helps too, here's one youtube vid I found on the subject: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjDHxgA2BJI

I guess part of my prejudice against the PA kayaks is that I have seen owners wrestle with them at the end of a long day at sea and dragging them on the beach. You will need a heavy duty cart for sure.


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PostPosted: Tue Apr 08, 2014 9:15 pm 
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That's good information . I have heard more people complaining about how much the PA weights , and then going out and buying a trailer to haul it on because they weight so much . That was one reason I was looking into the Outback as good all round fishing platform to work with , but 25lbs don't seem like a lot . That the PA weights more then the Outback .

So what up grades did they change or add to the Outback for 2013?
Do you end up getting a wet ride out of the Outback , like a wet seat where the seat sets lower in the water ?


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 09, 2014 4:47 am 
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I too graduated from a WS 115 to the Hobie line and have found the Outback to be a significant improvement. With the added Hobie inflatable seat cushion, it is a very comfortable seat. I can fish all day with just some occasional switching to side saddle in order to keep my bottom from becoming too tired. With or without the additional cushion, the Outback is a dry seat. On occasion I get some upwelling of water from the drive well but it doesn't make it back to the seat area. My old bones wouldn't let me load a PA and the Outback is just barely manageable for lifting onto my truck bed. For reference, I'm 5' 10"; 200lbs, and older than dirt.

The update was to the 2014 model; I'm not aware of any updates to the 2013 model. As previously mentioned, the 2014 update included a recess in the underside of the hull which is compatible with the Lowrance transducers and perhaps others. I have yet to see the new model but I believe it is also supposed to be more friendly for wiring a fish finder?

Good advice previously offered = Try it before you buy it.


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 09, 2014 6:36 am 
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Location: Columbia, MD
If you really want to stand you could always add training wheels...I mean stabilizers :) to the Outback.

Simplifying even further:

PA = small fishing boat
Outback = mid-sized stable kayak


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 09, 2014 6:41 am 
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I have also kicked around the idea of adding stabilizers to the Outback . Just wasn't to sure how much of PIA they would be fish around .


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 09, 2014 6:49 am 
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Hey Northern Yak Angler Have you ever tried to stand and fish? Or stay seated ? I watch a few videos on you tube with people standing in an Outback a lot people standing in PA . One guy use the stabilizers to help him . I will definitely go and spend some in both kayaks before I spend any money that's for sure .


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 09, 2014 9:29 am 
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Location: Amelia Island, FL
JohnT2240 wrote:
but 25lbs don't seem like a lot .


That is what my first wife kept telling me :mrgreen:


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PostPosted: Thu Apr 10, 2014 2:45 am 
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Ok next thought Pro Angler 12 about 25 lbs lighter than the Pro Angler 14 is it worth it ? I'm still looking to carry my boat inside my camper when I'm traveling . So I will have to wrestle it in and out .


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PostPosted: Thu Apr 10, 2014 5:23 am 
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John,

Never tried to stand in my Outback for fear of getting wet. Stood in my Ride once and that was scary enough. I have a hard enough time standing when I get out of my truck. If you need to stand to fish then an Outback with AMA's or a PA should be investigated. Maybe somebody a little (lot?) younger or more stable on their feet could fish from an Outback without AMA's. I considered both PA's but settled on the Outback based on weight, stability, and transportability. Best of luck to you in your quest.


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PostPosted: Thu Apr 10, 2014 9:09 am 
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Location: Missoula, Montana
Northern Yak Angler wrote:
As previously mentioned, the 2014 update included a recess in the underside of the hull which is compatible with the Lowrance transducers and perhaps others. I have yet to see the new model but I believe it is also supposed to be more friendly for wiring a fish finder?


The covered transducer pocket on the bottom of the 2014 model works very well, and it's easy to install a transducer in it. The kayaks come with a bracket for Lowrance transducers, but if you have a fish finder manufactured by a different manufacturer, Hobie sells brackets for other brands. Models which have a transducer pocket also come with grommets installed for running fish finder wires through the hull. These grommets also work very well and are easy to use. If your kayak doesn't include arrangements for running fish finder wires through the hull, you can buy the Hobie grommets for about $16. Google "Hobie through hull wiring kit."


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PostPosted: Thu Apr 10, 2014 3:51 pm 
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Location: Maryland
I just put an Elite-4 HDI in my new Outback. I'm kind of a perfectionist (read: anal) when it comes to installing things. The RAM base was installed off center intentionally to give more room to tighten the tension nob/wingnut thing...that was difficult on my OCD, but it had to be done. :D

I got a RAM mount and put the base in the port (left) cup holder.

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Marked the first hole, and think about it for a little bit before the drilling the first hole.

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Got the hardware installed for the base. Used 1/4" stainless steel machine screws with blue locktite, of course that also meant enlarging the holes in the RAM base slightly.

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Had to steal the cable passthrough from the starboard side, ordered another one to replace the empty 1" hole on the nekid side. The cables are pretty stiff, but still allows the mount to be moved around and adjust the angles.

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Ready to go; installed the Hobie 12vdc battery holder to the sailing mast post in the front of the hull. I picked up a 7amp hour batter for $25 local. I can adjust the screen so it is pushed back away from the rudder handle. FWIW, the Hobie battery holder and hatch liner don't clear each other to be used together.

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With the head unit removed, the cables tuck into the cup holder and are clear of the top of the hull, so it will be flush for hauling upside down.

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Zip tied the excess transducer cable to the seat scupper tube. I used two zip ties for now, might put a couple more on later...because I figure, "If it's worth doing, it's worth over doing."

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Then coiled the NMEA cable up and secured it to the transducer cable.

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PostPosted: Thu Apr 10, 2014 3:59 pm 
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That a plus in my book . Good way to protect the transducer .


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