Pedal power folks, need help picking a new yak.

The time has come for me to adopt the ways of the pedal power. Over the years I have really enjoyed my OK Trident 13 and my beloved Jackson Cuda 12. But as the years pile on and my back and joints age, I'm having issues on the water reaching things from a seated position.

I've found that my preference is cruising local, Gold Country and mountain lakes, trolling for trouts. A side passion is bass fishing. I have no desire to venture out into the salt - my fear of that big ass body of unrelenting salted water freaks me out, and I know better than to tempt fate - and mostly I just really enjoy inland lakes.
My dream boat appears to be a Hobie PA 12, but that price tag,...I'm not really sure I can get that past the household budget commander, even with selling off my current fleet. Other contenders from my research appear to be the Native Titan 12 and Wilderness System Recon 120 HD. I'm looking for stability, comfort and a good reliable drive system.

I'll be taking a trip up to Kayak City sometime soon to see a bunch of these boats (after watching a video posted by Headwaters,...hella bummed that shop is no longer,...it's where I got my Cuda way back in the days). I was hoping some of you pedal power folks might have some input regarding these 3 boats, or others that I've not keyed in on yet. I know there's a huge demand for new boats now, so time isn't really an issue.

Whatever advice y'all have is greatly appreciated.

Cheers

Coming from a trident 13 myself to a pedal drive i would say the biggest thing for me was the difference in weight. I switched to an outback which is a great boat and i enjoy it without question for stability. On lakes and the sloughs im comfortable standing and stretching and im a fairly large guy. 5'-10" 265 lbs so stability isnt an issue on it. However the boat itself is heavy as shit. I can car top it and its fine but i do find myself going out substantially less since i switched due to the weight of the boat and the hassle of getting it ready. I have loaded a pro angler once and that shit was to heavy to want to use for me. If you are going to trailer it then that alleviates the issue entirely. But i think the outback probably has the stability your looking for and is cheaper than the pro angler. Im located in vacaville and your more than welcome to try mine out some time if you want to. I can meet you on a weekend for some fishing if you bring your boat and we can swap or you can try it out in the pool for self rescue etc. let me know if you want to test it.

My tendonitis and CTS have flared up recently, and paddling a kayak is not consistent with recovery. I lucked out on a great deal on the used 2015 Hobie Revo 13, and I love it. Everything about it is so functional and well-designed, the weight is similar to my Trident 13, and the ability to cruise around at a good clip all day is fantastic. Obviously it's great for trolling, in fact the previous owner set up a cool track-mounted downrigger mount, and another benefit of the pedals is it makes windier days much more fishable for jigging because you can pedal against the drift and keep your line vertical. I've added a sail and the ama kit, which makes getting around fast and fun when there's a little breeze. At first I thought I would go back to "real" kayaking with a paddle when my tendonitis and CTS get better, but now I'm not so sure.

TLDR: I love my Revo.

Not sure if you've looked into the Oldtown lineup. I don't have any experience with them, but people say good things about them

Pro Anglers are a lot heavier than a Trident.  Before you buy a Pro Angler, try lifting one, moving one around, and getting one on top of a vehicle.  If you have already decided to transport your Pro Angler on a trailer, and to launch it only from developed boat ramps, that's fine.  But if you want to be able to carry your kayak on top of your vehicle, and you want to be able to launch it on undeveloped launch sites, a more kayak-sized kayak such as the Outback would be a better choice.

The new Old Town Salty 120 PDL looks pretty good. And it’s the best warranty on the market for a pedal system.

The new Old Town Salty 120 PDL looks pretty good. And it’s the best warranty on the market for a pedal system.

I bought the Old Town Sportsman 120 PDL in August, have had it out a few times and love it.  Warranty and price were a big plus for me. 

I don't have any experience with other 'yaks though, have only pedaled/paddled my Ascend 128T and this new boat.  Both are heavy.  I'm 6' 225lbs and have no problem standing on either.

Thanks all of the input! I've been busy youtubin' various boat reviews and believe I've reached a decision,...Hobie Outback 2019 or 2020. It's the boat that best fits my requirements. I currently use my Tacoma with a bed extender from Harborside, and with the addition of Boonedox landing gear it looks like it will get even easier for my back. I can plop whatever gear I need on the cockpit accessible rails, including my lake troller downrigger. In the future future I might even opt to add a Bixpy type of propulsion unit for big lake accessibility,...though I'm sure the budget office won't bite on that one anytime soon. Will be selling a whole buncha musical equipment I have no need for (cuz covid) to hopefully gain some financial footing on the whole thing. But I think I will keep my old Cuda 12, because we've had too many good times to part ways. Of course, now I'll just need to find a local shop that has one in stock - or wait 'til springtime because from what I'm hearing from shops, others have had the same ideas as me during this shutdown business.

Trolling - yup
Bassin - yup
Riggability - yup
Value over time - yup
Transportability - yup
Cost - oof

Now to just figure out a way to present this to the budget office as a need, rather than a want!

Be sure to point out that with the two kayaks and a little rope, you can cruise side by side all over the lake and she would'nt even need to paddle! Lunch cruse for two My wife loves it because she can paddle around till she gets tired, then hitch hike and be with me on the water. It has been a lot of fun (no, really!) 

Be sure to point out that with the two kayaks and a little rope, you can cruise side by side all over the lake and she would'nt even need to paddle! Lunch cruse for two My wife loves it because she can paddle around till she gets tired, then hitch hike and be with me on the water. It has been a lot of fun (no, really!) 

hahahahahah!!! nice! the budget office doesn't have a taste for the water as I do, but I'll definitely include this in the proposal package! will let you know how that turns out!

Tell her your shoulder hurts now and so you need a pedal style kayak instead. 

I had 2 paddle yaks and 2yrs ago I got my 19 outback and now wondwr why I didn’t get one sooner!
All the bells and whistles built in, I imagine you’ll Love it!
Now you might have to bribe the budget  commander...

Scotty

I have a Big fish 108 peddle drive kayak and it is so dang wide, but heavy, it makes falling out almost impossible.
I had to lean way over for it to dump me and when I had to reenter it was an experience because it sits high in the water. You can still do a side entry if you can pull it down low enough.

As an older kayak angler too, I can't sit all day so I can stand up in this beast and fish that way as I relax. I can reach everything around me and the seat is quite comfortable.

At half the price as a PA, but is also a bear to lug around

Thanks all of the input! I've been busy youtubin' various boat reviews and believe I've reached a decision,...Hobie Outback 2019 or 2020. It's the boat that best fits my requirements. I currently use my Tacoma with a bed extender from Harborside, and with the addition of Boonedox landing gear it looks like it will get even easier for my back. I can plop whatever gear I need on the cockpit accessible rails, including my lake troller downrigger. In the future future I might even opt to add a Bixpy type of propulsion unit for big lake accessibility,...though I'm sure the budget office won't bite on that one anytime soon. Will be selling a whole buncha musical equipment I have no need for (cuz covid) to hopefully gain some financial footing on the whole thing. But I think I will keep my old Cuda 12, because we've had too many good times to part ways. Of course, now I'll just need to find a local shop that has one in stock - or wait 'til springtime because from what I'm hearing from shops, others have had the same ideas as me during this shutdown business.

Trolling - yup
Bassin - yup
Riggability - yup
Value over time - yup
Transportability - yup
Cost - oof

Now to just figure out a way to present this to the budget office as a need, rather than a want!

I think for your fishing environment, I would suggest to get the least heavy pedal kayak you can get. 

https://hurricaneaquasports.com/our-kayaks/sit-on-tops/skimmer-120-propel/

My dad, good friend, and I all recently got hoodoo tempest 120p pedal drive kayaks and love them! The kayaks are $1,200 and easily modifiable as you see fit. They are very stable and we use them in monterey Bay. I would check them out. I was worried the hull would not be super good quality as they are a budget wise brand that uses a common hull produced in China but the hull is actually quite thick and good quality. And they customer service is phenomenal. I replaced a vibe seaghost with the hoodoo and wouldn't go back.