Hobie Mirage Pro Angler 14 with 180 Drive

[FishTank]

So I have made up my mind to order one of these tomorrow.  I have had my current kayak for 5 years and it has been just OK.  I have learned to pretty much paddle and fish at the same time.  This new Hobie will be a huge step up.  I did look around at different kayaks, including the Old Town peddle and autopilot and I also looked at what BPS offers.  The sales guy for Old Town kind of talked me out of the autopilot I was looking at (kind of the opposite of what he was supposed to do).  

 

My only concern for the PA 14 is the price .  The Hobie, I think, is way over priced for what it is but it has everything just the way I want it.  I guess, is there anything I should be aware of before forking over the cash?  Is the 360 drive worth almost $1000 more?  My thought is to save the $1000 and invest into electronics or eventually a trolling motor.  What do you guys think?

 

 

[Dumbbassanglr]

I have an autopilot. Just curious what the guy said to talk you out of it?

 

[FishTank]

On 1/16/2022 at 7:07 PM, Dumbbassanglr said:

I have an autopilot. Just curious what the guy said to talk you out of it?

 

I am still pretty green at things in the kayak world so don't take this like I actually know a what I am talking about but here you go.....

 

He couldn't get the two in their shop to stay connected to the remote. He said they hadn't got the bugs worked out yet and it may have to do with the kill switch.  Also, he mentioned something about the seal on either the motor or the kayak tend to get fowled up especially if you bump into something.  He didn't give much info on this.  The other thing was the foot peddles for steering, and this is more me than the kayak, but I have broke a few on my kayak landing fish.  I was just pushing too hard.  It made me worried that I might do the same thing even though I could steer with the trolling motor.  Last thing, in Indiana if it has a motor, you have to register it as a boat. Not a bid deal but it wasn't something I had thought about. 

 

One thing I didn't consider when I was looking is the placement of a transducer.  How is the Old Town set up?

 

I also noticed at the other shop I went to that has Hobie kayaks, that there were a few 360 drives behind the counter that were either in for repair or warranty.  So that pushed me to the 180 instead but the ones I saw looked abused.  

 

This is what made me look at the Old Town.  I have yet to see one on the water.  Most of the kayaks I have seen have been the traditional kayaks or the peddle ones from various brands but none with the built in trolling motors.  

 

 

[padon]

id put an ultrex on the hobie , stay with the 180 drive . you get all the benefits one the pedal drive plus spot lock etc. if the weather gets crazy torn on the motor and get back to the bank etc. iys alot of money but compared to a fully rigged boat. pretty cheap and alot less maintenance.

[Deleted account]

10 hours ago, FishTank said:

What do you guys think?

Grown men in these things is sad....

[FishTank]

27 minutes ago, Deleted account said:

Grown men in these things is sad....

 

You might be right.

 

 

I always like poking fun at this guy.

[J Francho]

1 hour ago, Deleted account said:

Grown men in these things is sad....

Grown men riding bicycles....

[MN Fisher]

16 minutes ago, J Francho said:

Grown men riding bicycles....

I won't mention skateboards....

[J Francho]

6 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

I won't mention skateboards....

Useless, wooden, toys.

[Deleted account]

31 minutes ago, J Francho said:

Grown men riding bicycles....

In padded lycra shorts, thank you very much....

[J Francho]

He' not nearly a geared out as he should be and he needs at least 10 more "sponsors"

[Darth-Baiter]

I’ll talk.  Inho the PA 14 is the boat to have if:

you have transport figured out. I think it screams “kayak trailer”.  It’s a heavy MOFO.  It feels cumbersome and slow, but to be honest my friend can stay by my side if I don’t sprint.  He has a 12 -360. 
 

when I ride in his, it is the most stable thing ever.  I can face the side standing and pee over the edge. You can almost walk around the deck.  I step forward In front  of the pedal drive easy. 
 

the 14 I would never stand rods behind me. I would love the horizontal rod holders. 
 

I paddled an old version of the 14 and it’s like an island stable.   
 

in the end, I don’t have kayak trailer storage.  The 14 is  too much boat for me.   Helping my friend move his 12 is a chore.  There is a place I like to fish where we have to get kayaks over a cattle fence. I can’t even invite him. 

[FishTank]

3 hours ago, Darth-Baiter said:

I’ll talk.  Inho the PA 14 is the boat to have if:

you have transport figured out. I think it screams “kayak trailer”.  It’s a heavy MOFO.  It feels cumbersome and slow, but to be honest my friend can stay by my side if I don’t sprint.  He has a 12 -360. 
 

when I ride in his, it is the most stable thing ever.  I can face the side standing and pee over the edge. You can almost walk around the deck.  I step forward In front  of the pedal drive easy. 
 

the 14 I would never stand rods behind me. I would love the horizontal rod holders. 
 

I paddled an old version of the 14 and it’s like an island stable.   
 

in the end, I don’t have kayak trailer storage.  The 14 is  too much boat for me.   Helping my friend move his 12 is a chore.  There is a place I like to fish where we have to get kayaks over a cattle fence. I can’t even invite him. 

 

I think it was the horizontal rod storage that sold me.  I go through some off the beaten 

path spots sometimes and rods stored vertically are not possible.  On the other hand, the spot lock and the go to way point option on the Old Town is crazy cool. 

 

As far as the weight goes, I watched 100lb young lady load one in the back of a truck bed.  She made it look easy. I will definitely buy the wheeled cart for it when it becomes available. 

 

I should have it Wednesday.   Bring on the warmer weather. 

[Dumbbassanglr]

19 hours ago, FishTank said:

 

I am still pretty green at things in the kayak world so don't take this like I actually know a what I am talking about but here you go.....

 

He couldn't get the two in their shop to stay connected to the remote. He said they hadn't got the bugs worked out yet and it may have to do with the kill switch.  Also, he mentioned something about the seal on either the motor or the kayak tend to get fowled up especially if you bump into something.  He didn't give much info on this.  The other thing was the foot peddles for steering, and this is more me than the kayak, but I have broke a few on my kayak landing fish.  I was just pushing too hard.  It made me worried that I might do the same thing even though I could steer with the trolling motor.  Last thing, in Indiana if it has a motor, you have to register it as a boat. Not a bid deal but it wasn't something I had thought about. 

 

One thing I didn't consider when I was looking is the placement of a transducer.  How is the Old Town set up?

 

I also noticed at the other shop I went to that has Hobie kayaks, that there were a few 360 drives behind the counter that were either in for repair or warranty.  So that pushed me to the 180 instead but the ones I saw looked abused.  

 

This is what made me look at the Old Town.  I have yet to see one on the water.  Most of the kayaks I have seen have been the traditional kayaks or the peddle ones from various brands but none with the built in trolling motors.  

 

 

 I haven’t had any of those issues. I bought mine because I wanted the closest thing to a bass boat I could get that I could load into the back of my pickup. I only fish standing up and you can’t do that and move around in a pedal kayak but you can in the old town it’s super stable. Also super heavy. Lifetime hull warranty. There is also a spot for the transducer in front of the trolling motor. Plus the guy at dicks sporting goods let me use the 10% off coupon on it plus triple points day so in the end I actually got like $375 off plus a couple hundred in gift cards.

[FishTank]

24 minutes ago, Dumbbassanglr said:

 I haven’t had any of those issues. I bought mine because I wanted the closest thing to a bass boat I could get that I could load into the back of my pickup. I only fish standing up and you can’t do that and move around in a pedal kayak but you can in the old town it’s super stable. Also super heavy. Lifetime hull warranty. There is also a spot for the transducer in front of the trolling motor. Plus the guy at dicks sporting goods let me use the 10% off coupon on it plus triple points day so in the end I actually got like $375 off plus a couple hundred in gift cards.

 

Nice.  I never thought to look DSG.  I know the one near me caries the lower end of the spectrum in kayaks.  It's where I got my current Eagle Talon.  I might have been able to get them to order with a coupon.  They have ordered a few things for myself and others I fish with when they have their community day which is 20% off. I have picked a few Shimano reels and St. Croix rods this way.  I am kind of wishing I would have looked into it.  

 

Enjoy though.  Sounds like you got a good deal. 

 

[Maxbasstn]

21 hours ago, FishTank said:

So I have made up my mind to order one of these tomorrow.  I have had my current kayak for 5 years and it has been just OK.  I have learned to pretty much paddle and fish at the same time.  This new Hobie will be a huge step up.  I did look around at different kayaks, including the Old Town peddle and autopilot and I also looked at what BPS offers.  The sales guy for Old Town kind of talked me out of the autopilot I was looking at (kind of the opposite of what he was supposed to do).  

 

My only concern for the PA 14 is the price .  The Hobie, I think, is way over priced for what it is but it has everything just the way I want it.  I guess, is there anything I should be aware of before forking over the cash?  Is the 360 drive worth almost $1000 more?  My thought is to save the $1000 and invest into electronics or eventually a trolling motor.  What do you guys think?

 

 

Having owned and fished out of both a pedal drive and a kayak with an xi3 gps,  I can tell you hands down the trolling motor option is way better. Having a gps anchor function is such a game changer. I haven’t fished out of a hobie, but the pedal drive I had couldn’t hold itself in place even in slight wind which is what I wanted out of it. 

[flyfisher]

Interesting discussion on here and I'll throw in my .02.  I would rather have a kayak that paddles well with a motor than one that doesn't and has a pedal drive.  This is why I have an ATAK140 and a Newport Vessels NK180s motor mounted on the back paired to 30ah lithium battery.  The last few seasons I have primarily fished rivers and it has been perfect for motoring upstream and floating back.  On lakes I can go 5.5mph at 75% throttle and easily go 10+ miles.  I don't have spot lock which would be nice but I am ok without it for my style of fishing and I am pretty solid in my anchoring technique.  Right now you could get an ATAK 120, I think the 140 is no longer in production, a motor, battery and rigging and still have a ton of money left over for electronics as opposed to the Hobie.  

I won't lie and say that I didn't look at pedal drives when I bought my ATAK 6 years ago but being a cyclist, I could not stand the Hobie pedal motion.  The native was much better for me but I still ended up getting a pedal kayak and motorizing it last spring.  

[dickenscpa]

I was mulling over the last PA 12 360 here at my local shop, brought my best friend down to look at it and help me make my decision. He made a decision and loaded it up and I was without. I did find one in stock an extra 30 miles out and bought one myself. I did however go with the 180 turbo fin with kick up.

 

I like the 360 concept and not poo pooing on it but I've been burned so many times on a first year or two of a new product. There's probably thousands without a problem but I'd be "that" guy that did. The 180 is tried and true and the rest of the boat is perfect for me. My best friend did snap some belt in the interior of his boat that worked with the drive. He doesn't fish tournaments like I do and can be without easier than I can and has better patience.

 

When fishing with my buddy I haven't really seen a whole lot of advantage, we switch up boats occasionally but I can go faster with the 180. He can hold a position marginally better at times but I have a micro anchor.

 

I do have a kayak trailer just because and prefer that method. However, extra set of axles extra set of problems. If I'm 50 miles and in I trailer. When I fish a tournament at Chickamaugua and live in mid TN that's a haul. I have an Avalanche and flip my midgate and keep the bed cover on. I don't have to remove anything from the boat or the bed cover and just slide it in. I strap it in and maybe 2' hangs over the tailgate. Red flag is always on the back anyway and I truck along. Hobie wheels that go into the scupper holes and you're set. I didn't do the cart mod I just lift the back with one arm and slip the wheels in, don't remove anything from the boat and I don't flip it on its side.

 

The Hobie PA is my 3rd kayak and I love it. My boat hasn't gotten wet since I bought my first kayak in Sep 2019.

[dickenscpa]

12 hours ago, flyfisher said:

Interesting discussion on here and I'll throw in my .02.  I would rather have a kayak that paddles well with a motor than one that doesn't and has a pedal drive.  This is why I have an ATAK140 and a Newport Vessels NK180s motor mounted on the back paired to 30ah lithium battery.  The last few seasons I have primarily fished rivers and it has been perfect for motoring upstream and floating back.  On lakes I can go 5.5mph at 75% throttle and easily go 10+ miles.  I don't have spot lock which would be nice but I am ok without it for my style of fishing and I am pretty solid in my anchoring technique.  Right now you could get an ATAK 120, I think the 140 is no longer in production, a motor, battery and rigging and still have a ton of money left over for electronics as opposed to the Hobie.  

I won't lie and say that I didn't look at pedal drives when I bought my ATAK 6 years ago but being a cyclist, I could not stand the Hobie pedal motion.  The native was much better for me but I still ended up getting a pedal kayak and motorizing it last spring.  

I'm a lifelong cyclist and the pedal motion of the Hobie tripped me up at first. I've had my Hobie since 4/30/21 and still getting used to that motion somewhat. I will say with the Hobie you start moving with the first stroke and it's more efficient, but I could go faster with a traditional pedal motion. You will hit a wall with a prop style that no matter how much faster you pedal you won't go faster. But that speed is faster than I've ever gotten in my Hobie.

 

On the flip side if I'm battling wind or current going directly against either or both, much less effort to get out of it whereas I'd have to really crank to get out with a prop. I also enjoy being able to flutter my fins in shallow water and still get somewhere or bring the fins up against the boat to float over an obstacle or lock the pedals so they're flat against the boat in shallow as opposed to hitting the obstacle or having to remove the drive altogether in a prop style.

 

I hit a stump under water with my prop style and had to do a warranty claim, in the Hobie the fins kick up and when I start pedaling again they go back down. So it's six of one half dozen of another for me on type of drive.

 

I don't do a motor for two reasons - 1) Don't want to go thru registering like my boat and 2) Local KBF in TN doesn't allow any type of motor in tournaments at all. Really don't want to fool with pleasure fishing with a motor and taking everything off to fish the tournament.

[FishTank]

21 minutes ago, dickenscpa said:

I'm a lifelong cyclist and the pedal motion of the Hobie tripped me up at first. I've had my Hobie since 4/30/21 and still getting used to that motion somewhat. I will say with the Hobie you start moving with the first stroke and it's more efficient, but I could go faster with a traditional pedal motion. You will hit a wall with a prop style that no matter how much faster you pedal you won't go faster. But that speed is faster than I've ever gotten in my Hobie.

 

On the flip side if I'm battling wind or current going directly against either or both, much less effort to get out of it whereas I'd have to really crank to get out with a prop. I also enjoy being able to flutter my fins in shallow water and still get somewhere or bring the fins up against the boat to float over an obstacle or lock the pedals so they're flat against the boat in shallow as opposed to hitting the obstacle or having to remove the drive altogether in a prop style.

 

I hit a stump under water with my prop style and had to do a warranty claim, in the Hobie the fins kick up and when I start pedaling again they go back down. So it's six of one half dozen of another for me on type of drive.

 

I don't do a motor for two reasons - 1) Don't want to go thru registering like my boat and 2) Local KBF in TN doesn't allow any type of motor in tournaments at all. Really don't want to fool with pleasure fishing with a motor and taking everything off to fish the tournament.

 

I thought about most of what you said as well.  I have gone to one lake in Indiana that is great fishing but goes from deep to shallow,  maybe 15 feet - 2 feet, quickly.  I have seen several props fowled up at this spot.  

 

Also, I am wanting to tournament fish and have heard the same.  Even some of the smaller strip pits have gone to no motor completely. 

 

I still may consider a trolling motor for big lakes.  I saw one put on and taken off and it took less than five minutes once the electric and mounting plate are installed.

[Hawkeye21]

On 1/17/2022 at 7:21 AM, Deleted account said:

Grown men in these things is sad....

Grown men on jet skis are is sad.  Nothing wrong with a guy fishing out of a kayak.

[Deleted account]

1 hour ago, Hawkeye21 said:

Grown men on jet skis are is sad.  Nothing wrong with a guy fishing out of a kayak.

Potato, potado...

[Darth-Baiter]

the back and forth action of a Hobie Mirage drive is like the most natural move in the world. and I ride a man bike all the time.   if I had to pick an advantage of a pedal, it is the instant reverse.  strangely enough I have the movements worked out that I can fish most windy days.  I just aim into the breeze and kick every once in a while.

 

the world today, we can find a kayak that fits anyone's needs. 

[CountryboyinDC]

When I bought my pedal kayak (Old Town Predator PDL), back in the olden days, I could have gotten a Hobie Outback with the 180 drive for the same price.  Of course Hobies have gotten more expensive, and somehow Old Towns cost less than they did 4 years ago, but I digress.  The reason I chose the Predator was watching people shift the Hobie 180 drive back and forth.  Kind of like watching people try to get a column shift manual transmission with a lot of play in the linkage in reverse.  For me, the 360 drive would be totally worth it were I going to get the Pro Angler anyway.  If you're mainly going to use the drive to propel or assist the propulsion of a boat with a spot-lock trolling motor, then the 360 drive wouldn't be useful for anything but stunts.

 

Besides being pretty speedy, the big kayaks are heavy, especially when you rig, and I don't think you realize how hard it will be to move them until you try.  My Predator destroyed the PVC cart I made that worked fine for years with my Wilderness Systems Ride 135 and later Jackson Coosa HD.  Rigged, I have a system to get it to the water, but it isn't something that I want to go 1/2 mile on an incline with, much less off hard surfaces.  Make sure you don't make assumptions on how you'll manage getting all that weight where you want to fish.

[Conclusion]

So I've posted in the autopilot thread because that's the model I was basically sold on. I went to the store yesterday and while there looked at the PA12. The layout of the Hobie is hands down better than the autopilot. I feel like this boat was thought out so much more. My intentions would be to add a trolling motor but also having the peddle as a backup in case the electronics fail is a huge plus as well. I've completely switched and now I'm trying to decide between the PA12 and PA14. Has anyone tried both and is the 14 really that much more stable for standing with the extra 2"? I love standing and that would be how is fish majority of the time. I will be car topping this for now, so I know either way would be a chore.