Pro Angler 12/14 vs. Outback w/Sidekick AMA?

Hi all,

I'm about to take the plunge and make my first kayak purchase. I'm debating between a Pro Angler or an Outback. I am about 6'2" and 230lbs and I've been known to not have the best balance. I'll be using the kayak for both cruising around lakes, rivers and Puget Sound and then fishing on occasion. I like the idea of the Pro Angler but I also like the idea of the Outback with the Sidekick AMAs installed for great stability (and easier to climb back in when I do fall out).

With the new 2015 Pro Anglers going for over $3k, would it make better sense to get the 2015 Outback and the Sidekick AMA kit instead? I could then later upgrade to the Pro Angler (and give the Outback to my son or wife) when I'm ready? I would save about $700 in the process by going with an Outback too. Finally, I'll be hauling it on top of my 2012 Ford Escape, so I'm leaning towards something that I can load by myself for now.

For either kayak, I'll install a fish finder, some rod holders and perhaps the H-Bar (can that be installed on an Outback)?

I live in the Seattle area and will be fishing mostly for trout, bass and the occasional salmon.

Thanks in advance for your feedback.

You will probably find for a guy your size you will be much more comfortable in a PA compared to the smaller OB. I recommend you demo a PA 12' and 14' and a OB.
The PA's have more room for gear storage too. I thought I saw or read somewhere that someone had the AMA floats on an OB and they found it very difficult or impossible to right a flipped OB with the AMA's installed.

Both are super stable. Get the PA 14 dude. Trailer it. Never look back.

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It's not the heat it's the humility!!!
Hobie Pro Angler

@wolfewiz Can't argue with that. Looks like the PA14 is it.

I did demo the PA12 and OB (2014 models) and was very comfortable in the PA12 and not all that comfortable in the OB (very wobbly).

Thanks for the advice.

PA is way easier to self rescue than an outback. You just pull yourself up via the stern bar and walk to the cockpit. PA no doubt for your size. Im 6' 200 and love my PA. Never look back

I'm 6'2" 225. I have owned 3 outbacks and had one of them with the outrigger setup. Standing was stable with the armada on the outback. I just recently upgraded to a 2014 14' PA. So happy I did! For get the price difference. Get a good deal on a 2014 now that the 2015 models are out. My local dealer took $400 bucks off the price. I payed 2600 for a new 14' PA. I didn't want to be limited to the new rail system on the 2015. So I mounted tracks on The 2014.

The PA is very comfortable a slight pain to launch and recover. I try to limit my distance from truck to launch area. But once your in the water it is a dream. Plenty of room and it's just a fast as the outback with a drier ride

The Outback at 33 inches in width is a very stable boat without the ama's. I did not care for the bow entry lines and all the hull slap going into a chop with the 2014 Outback or the more sluggish acceleration. This may have been corrected in part with the 2015 Outback which I have not tried.

Getting back onto a PA may be easier but that begs the question of flipping a boat one that has turned turtle while floating in the water beside it. If you can't flip it upright there is nothing to get back up on and this is where the 36" width of the PA12 and 38" width of the PA14 along with their weight works against you.

The Outback is at the outer range of what I consider a boat to car top at its 76 bare hull weight. The PA boats with dry hull weights of 98 and 110 pounds are best suited to use on a trailer so that is something I would add the $2,000 trailer cost to the extra $1000 for a PA boats. With the Outback I would spend the $100 for the PA12 rectangular hatch kit, something that Hobie should have incorporated into the stock 2015 Outback.

The PA boats are more than I want to paddle through the surf though others may be more "adventuresome". I have had more than my share of boat mishaps in the surf zone and now avoid pushing my luck as much as possible.

The Outback is designed to support 400 lbs. of weight and figuring 100 lbs. for gear and fish that leaves adequate flotation for a 300 lb. rider.

Thanks to everyone for the help. But I have one more question.

If I am going to transport my new kayak on the roof of my Ford Escape, seems like the 12' PA or the Outback is the better choice. Would I be sacrificing very much stability by going for the 12' kayaks? Is the 12' PA a lot more stable than the Outback or just a bit better? (I know it's subjective, but had to ask).

Thanks

Each has its advantages, For my style of fishing I prefer the PA. I can sit for longer periods of time, stand for long periods without getting off balance. Sonce I drive a truck transportation is not an issue with help of a hitch mounted bed extender.

I would get a trailer if transporting a PA with the Focus. Factory roof racks are not terrific for use carrying a long and heavy load without having the rack mounts loosen up over time. Bow and stern straps help a lot and should be used to keep the boat from porpoising as the cross bars are going to be relatively close to each other.

You are also adding salt water to the top of the car and the rack and its mounts, etc. every time you take the boat out of the water and set it on the rack. I have spent more on body shop repairs for rust from my kayak and scuba activities effects on an SUV and a pickup truck to have covered the cost of a trailer.

With a PA I would want a kayak trailer with submersible wheels like the ones from Malone that I could use to launch the boat directly from the trailer at a boat ramp with everything rigged and ready to go out in the water. Faster for retrieval at the end of the day and being able to quickly get on the road back home.

Demo an Outback and wear a wetsuit and flip the boat and get it upright and get back on board the boat. Do the same with a PA 12 and you will get some seat of the pants perspective as to the degree of difficulty.

For my part the only way I can see flipping an Outback after having been on one is to have it flipped in the surf and in this situation a PA is going to be more difficult to deal with due to its greater size and weight.

Sounds like Wintersun has some valid points from the perspective of salt water and surf landings. For fresh water and non white water rivers the PA is the better choice in my opinion. The car topping would be my only concern. Even with that there are car top systems that have skids and a winch to put the PA on top. I have used both the Outback and both PAs. I currently am fishing from a PA14. In my situation that is the best choice for me.
Jim

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My primary use for the PA 14 is faster rivers and saltwater, although I don't surf launch. Haven't had the time to practice