Newbie with a Hobie Pro Angler 17T on the way!

Anxious to receive my new yak (June 26th). I want my first trips to be out of Santa Cruz to drop a couple crab pots and limit on rock cod/lings. Any and all tips welcome. Still shopping for gear--crab traps, fish finder (thinking of a Raymarine Dragonfly 7 but open to input). Very excited to take on this new hobby. Thankful for the forums!

Terel

Self rescue
Be safe!

Welcome.

Haven't heard of anything going on with crabs out of S.C. right now.  Unless you have done so already, don't forget to pay special attention to your safety gear:  Lifejacket, VHF Radio & immersion clothes.  The allure of new electronics & fishing gear often overshadow the necessities.

If you ever want to talk FF/GPS units, I can talk Lowrance/Simrad with you if you have any questions on their line of products.

Welcome to the sport.  Good advice that you'll find here will include:  be a kayaker first and a fisherman next.   I'd advise to envision yourself with a disabled mirage drive while offshore and consider what you'll do then.  Best of luck and enjoy.   

be a kayaker first and a fisherman next

THAT is the best advice you will get!

I'd advise to envision yourself with a disabled mirage drive while offshore and consider what you'll do then.

That would be the beauty of the Pro Angler 17T!!  There are TWO Mirage drives on that hull!!  While it would be slower with only one you would still be able to get back to the shore with it.  I've got a friend on the East Coast that fishes off the beach with a 17T in the solo configuration and he gets it done.

Welcome to the madness Terel 

Thats a big kayak.  You may need to have another kayak that is smaller also.  It's like having a big truck and a prius at home.

Congrats and welcome!  Hopefully you get geared up to drop pots before the season ends... then again, November is waaaaaay better for crab anyway.  See you out there

I hope you have a companion who can go out you regularly.  Thats a 2 person boat.

I think you could put a CVN number on it. By the way a CVN is a Nuclear Aircraft Carrier. Won't be the fastest solo but the job will get it done.

That's great! I don't know how you self rescue in a 250 # boat

That's great! I don't know how you self rescue in a 250 # boat

Capsizing would be the big problem. If there's 2 people that work together well it's totally doable, it would be hard for someone to do it solo. I've had to flip a dragon boat on the water before and it was a difficult task. We had a couple guys get on the hull and rock it back and forth there were about 5 guys in the water with straps from the opposite side of the boat. Once they rocked it enough we all pulled on the straps and were able to flip it. It was a team effort by a group of people that rowed together 4 days a week, it was still really hard. Bailing the water was even worse.

Welcome, Terel. 

How's the 17T working out for you? I'm a newbie and also considering this boat. I want to bring the wife or a buddy along. We're also planning children. I have very fond childhood memories of shrimping and crabbing with my father from a Jon boat back on the inter-coastal in GA. I want my children to get to experience the same love for the ocean.