Hobie Pro Angler 12 or 14 for a little guy

So I'm trying to decide between the 12 or 14 for my upgrade. As of right now I'm strictly a freshwater guy but at some point I'll get out in the salt. I'm really sold on this model because of the mirage drive. So what I'm asking is what would you recommend for someone my size, 5'8" and 145-155lbs? Thanks guys.

Will you ever need to carry that thing down to the water by yourself? Load/unload it from the roof of your car by yourself?

If you answered "yes" to any questions above, I'd seriously recommend an Outback or Revo instead.

Those PAs are REALLY heavy and awkward to carry/load/unload.


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I'd be loading it in the bed of a truck and maybe once a year on the roof of an suv. I'm not against buying a cart if I start fishing places I can't park right next to, but right now I can park on the bank or use the boat ramp.

If the areas you typically fish has an easy access to a ramp/launch, then either should be good.  I have the 12 and car top it and its not too bad, but its not my primary kayak so I only do this a couple times a year.  If I had to do it every time, probably wouldn't be car topping it. 

If you mostly fish freshwater, then you will love this thing.  Maybe not so much with beach launches, but any other place where you can wheel it or drive your truck to launch, you should be fine.  But I agree with Alex, it is a heavy SOB.

Good luck.

     I see an awful lot of used  PA's for sale, especially in Texas.   If you're looking for something more manageable... you're welcome to demo one of our G2's.     This will also accept the Mirage drive and it paddles great, should the Mirage drive fail OTW.
   Something to consider.

... I'd seriously recommend an Outback or Revo instead.

+1

I have the 14. Ended up building a trailer for it. Had the G2 been avaliable I might have gone that route. The primary reason i got this boat was to take my kid out. It is a beast. If your only reason for going PA is the drive you should probably shop around some more. Dont get me wrong. I like mine.  It is a good boat, but it has it's limitations.

PA are heavy, I have an outback and a revo.... Out of all those I prefer the Revo for everything... The outback can sometimes be a pig too especially in the wind.

I have the 14 and LOVE it. It is heavy but if you are primarily hitting spots with ramp access that is not as much of a problem. I also have an older revo 13, and for freshwater I would glady go through the extra 10 to 15min of hassle loading up in exchange for the extra comfort & space otw.
It's also nice now that I have a trailer setup for the pa I can have multiple rods rigged & tackle on the boat and just pull right up to the water put in and go.
 As to the orig post though, at +200lbs I'm much more comfortable on the 14 but I think the 12 would be fine for your needs.

It's just a matter of time before "strictly freshwater" morphs into something bigger. There's just SOOO much more to explore out on the big blue.

I think we were all "strictly freshwater" until we fished the salt.

See you out there!


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I have the PA12 and it is heavy. There is plenty of storage and very stable on the ocean.
Dragging it on the sand is a workout, on the water it is comfortable and the chair is great.
Transporting it is kind of a pain due to the weight and for that I wish I got the Outback.
If you troll the PA 12 does well you can hold 2mph all day long. The Pa 12 is a little slow on rudder response and the wind will blow you around.

If you troll the PA 12 does well you can hold 2mph all day long. The Pa 12 is a little slow on rudder response and the wind will blow you around.

Have you upgraded the rudder yet?  I have to agree that the stock rudder sucks in windy conditions and will spin you around sometimes.  I purchased the rudder upgrade but haven't installed yet, but according to a few that have it, its a major improvement. 

For the OP, if you have any chance of fishing the ocean at some point and can't afford to have 2 different yaks, I'd go for the Outback.  Its not as fast as the Revo, but its stable, has plenty of space and its not too big of a beast to haul around. 

Upgraded rudder is a must and the very first thing I purchased after my first launch with my PA12.

Again, as most have said here you need to analyze the type of fishing you want to do and how comfortable you are with loading. I love my PA12 and have yet to have any real issue about it. I'm on and off the water in minutes. I've taken it out on choppy conditions in the ocean and up and down running rivers.

Try them out, there are plenty of folks here that would let you take them for a spin. Let me know if your ever in the Sacramento area I have both the Outback and PA12 your more than welcome to try.

Upgraded rudder is a must and the very first thing I purchased after my first launch with my PA12.

Again, as most have said here you need to analyze the type of fishing you want to do and how comfortable you are with loading. I love my PA12 and have yet to have any real issue about it. I'm on and off the water in minutes. I've taken it out on choppy conditions in the ocean and up and down running rivers.

Try them out, there are plenty of folks here that would let you take them for a spin. Let me know if your ever in the Sacramento area I have both the Outback and PA12 your more than welcome to try.

This guy was trolling in the ocean last week tugging on salmon from his PA12...

Get the new Predator PDL , better price and easier to paddle than the PA if something goes wrong. Plus I just think this kayak is awesome!