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No sinking for me!
Topic Started: Aug 26 2014, 08:52 PM (191 Views)
Wookiee
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Finally got to get my new PA 14 wet today for the first time and my i had my first ever hobie session.
It was more of a finding my feet trip today so we headed out with some squid on the brain and maybe a pinky along the rock wall if they were about.

Not a furious session but i managed to land myself a squid about an hour in so the maiden voyage didnt end up a doughnut. Subsequent trolling of the squid produced no love at all. I was hoping we might come across a pinky or 12 but that would have been a fairy tale start and i havent earned that yet.

All up we spend about 6 hours paddling around and i must say i am more than impressed by how stable and nimble the PA 14 is. i was expecting a bit less responsiveness being 195cm and 130kg but she turned sharp and had plenty of speed through the small wind chop we had through the day. We also headed out to the causeway bridge to check out the swell which was coming through at about 2-2.5m. Again the PA was excellent and rode the swell wonderfully. Id have no problem going out in a moderate swell which is exactly the sort of option i wanted to have.

It wasnt a productive today but our goals were met and I learned heaps about my boat and how i want to have it set up. I cant wait to get back out there and really start learning how to get the maximum potential out of my yak and start finding some good fish. So much to learn but a lot of time ahead to get it sorted.

cheers.
Wookiee.
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Carpe Pisces

The walking carpet disaster.
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Spence
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Dhu Executioner

Not being a kayaker, I would say the design and technology in them have gone a long way making them a reliable vessel.
You look poised quite high and would be very comfortable cruising around in throwing a line around.

Looking forward to the future in shore kayak catching posts. Just don't be another death loving twit and join the idiots in Cockburn sound kayaking/jet skiing around D9 in the next month with that great white around.
Just a ticking time bomb....particularly with how many boats get hit.
-Spence



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Dave Bentley
Snapper
Bewdiful, looks good mate. The yak, that is!!!!!
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K1W1
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Black Jew
Good stuff, a good sounder next on the cards?
They say "the early bird gets the worm"... Not a problem, worms all yours birdy. I'll get up around noon and fish a dry fly - Hank Patterson
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Colin Molloy
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Wahoo
AWESOME STUFF Wookiee! Welcome to the PA club, in particular the PA 14 section B-)

Yes, they are an awesome bit of kit aren't they!

Looks like you've got it set up pretty well, good choice of esky (wife uses a similar on on hers (PA12) whereas I've insulated the large PA14 front storage and turned that into a kill tank.

Good choice those environets - small enough to be handy, large enough to be useful, good for the fish and don't tangle / engage your terminal tackle - and easy to use with your free hand when you bring the fish onboard.

BTW, you can get larger rudders now - makes them a bit more responsive.

But, as you say, they are surprisingly efficient through the water and VERY stable.

Now all you have to do is fit a GPS/Sounder combo - if you pick a Lawrence then, as you probably know, they come Lawrence ready, or you can modify the lawrence ready fitting to suit other transducers or, do what I did and have one over the side.

Oh, if I may, don't put too much downward constant and sustained pressure on that stern handle - ok for lifting and handling though :)
Kind Regards

Colin Molloy

SOUTHERN WA OUTDOORS

SOUTHERN WA OUTDOORS - ON FACEBOOK

Proud Owner of an Olive PA 14
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Lefty
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Administrator
Good to know they make yaks for normal sized people.
Lookout YF this year?
Fish, Brag & Post Pics
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Goodie
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Freshwater Fanatic

wikid set up !
Oh its on!
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Wookiee
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cheers guys
I have some plans as to how i want it set up but i really wanted to get out there pretty much vanilla so i could get a feel for where i want my rod holders and sounder etc to go.
Plan is to get the sounder on the right and a couple of scotty rod holders on the front boards also. for now that should set me up nicely and i can do any further tweaking later.

Sounder wise im going for a Lowrance elite 5 HDI. The elite 7 looks like a good upgrade for $150 but im thinking it may be a bit large, and ive already talked the committee up from the elite 4 so i think im doing well. Unless someone can come up with a very good reason for the elite 7...... honest im all ears guys!.... anyone???? haha

After seeing a fully set up and loaded pro angler at a tackle talk in Kelmscott last week im going to steal a couple of his ideas too.

all up its going to be an ongoing process. ill find things i like and dont like as i go along and ill make changes to suit my kind of fishing.

Its also great to have the score board back to zero with a new type of fishing to start racking up some species points with.

and yeah lefty ill be using it for YFW this year too. in the estuary Dave and i will use it as a ferry to get over to a couple of islands that hopefully will be a lot less fished. also early mornings at penguin before the ferry and such.

The possibilities are really broad. its dead easy to unload (although heavy and a bit awkward), cleaning it down takes 5 mins, and theres no rego etc and its going to get me places that some boats just cant go.
only draw back is me. im so damn unfit but that will change soon i hope...
Edited by Wookiee, Aug 27 2014, 03:17 PM.
Carpe Pisces

The walking carpet disaster.
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Moohan
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Wookiee
Aug 27 2014, 03:14 PM


Its also great to have the score board back to zero with a new type of fishing to start racking up some species points with.
Mulloway ;) I'm dead keen to hit "that" spot.
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Wookiee
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Moohan
Aug 27 2014, 03:17 PM
Wookiee
Aug 27 2014, 03:14 PM


Its also great to have the score board back to zero with a new type of fishing to start racking up some species points with.
Mulloway ;) I'm dead keen to hit "that" spot.
hell yes mooh. i think a couple of spots we were talking about yesterday will be an absolute corker to work over.
Carpe Pisces

The walking carpet disaster.
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Moohan
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Couple of extra pics. Yaks ready to roll, Wookie hooked up, Wookie fishing the coathanger. Apologies on the filter, didn't realise my wife had been taking pics on my phone the night before. Bloody hipsters. Days catch for me was a bait sized squid and a few blowies.
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K1W1
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Black Jew
Sounder wise will you be going down the path of sidescan which is very popular for its application in shallow waters?
If you are wanting to then the elite series are not compatible.
They say "the early bird gets the worm"... Not a problem, worms all yours birdy. I'll get up around noon and fish a dry fly - Hank Patterson
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Spence
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Dhu Executioner

Speaking of side scans, if you go Lawrance, with structure scan enabled. You can have my transducer and amplifier for it at a discount rate.
Works well in shallow water, deeper water it doesn't have a place. So I never used it really. Waste of money on my part. Thought it would be good for pinging pinks. Then couldn't be arsed with it.
-Spence



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