Trailering with the Hobie Pro Angler 14 cover on the kayak.

I store my PA14 behind the house, but under the deck. It is pretty protected, except from rain thru dripping thru the deck. Anyway, I ordered the Hobie cover for it, and it just showed up today, and I will pick it up from the shop next week. Does anyone leave it on when they transport their boat? I have never considered this with a kayak, but I know that some covers are made to stay on at highway speeds, some are not. Is there room in the fit of the cover to leave the seat and somethings like a Black-pack in the boat with the cover on?

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STLKayak
2020 Pro Angler 14 360
St. Louis, Missouri
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100005695487937

I have the cover, the quality is excellent. I used it to cover my 14 until I had a place to store it. I have a stand up post and it is not cut to fit for that. Yes, it will cover the seat with it in place.

I personally would not use it on the road but that's just me. Hate to see it get destroyed or lost. This is probably of no help to ya.

Be interesting what the official position Hobie takes on this.

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Just a Kid to the End

Matt, if you read this, what is Hobies take on trailering with the cover on? Going to pick mine up from my dealer - Tri State - tomorrow or Tuesday. You have to love this Hobie Dealer of yours in St Louis. They are closed on weekends...because they are out fishing. That I can respect!

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STLKayak
2020 Pro Angler 14 360
St. Louis, Missouri
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100005695487937

The manufacturer claims they are trailerable.

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Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

I have the Hobie cover for my TI. We trailer with it on and did 1600 miles round trip with it last summer. Not a single problem.

Sent from my SPH-L720T using Tapatalk

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2015 Hobie Tandem Island Hibiscus
"Third Normal Form"

• Trampolines
• Hobie cover
• Davis Spar Fly
• Kayakbob's Sprayskirts
• Spine Board Hakas

Good to hear. I have a trip to Kentucky coming up, and I am going to be short on space in my green grocery getter...I am carrying 3 days food for 20+ guys. Was wanting to have my rods and seat in the kayak...maybe my blackpak as well. If I can keep them under the cover, I would feel a lot better heading down the highway and not ending up missing a seat when I get to the lake. Otherwise, I don't plan on leaving it covered for shorter trips, just for storage.

Speaking of, do most of you leave the seat in and lashed down when transporting, or take it out? I have left in for short trips less than 40 miles, but not sure I want to subject the seat to 70mph over longer trips. Same goes for my rods. But it is just so convenient to get to the lake and everything is ready to go. Dump the boat in the water, add the drive, and go.

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STLKayak
2020 Pro Angler 14 360
St. Louis, Missouri
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100005695487937

I have actually thinking more and more lately of buying a cover just for transporting. No problem with storage at the house because it is stored in the garage. The issue is I live on a "gravel" road or more aptly said, I live on a dirt road. Most times by the time I get to the lake everything is coated in dust. Forget it even there is any kind of precipitation. You know its bad when you stop at the car wash on your way to the lake.

One time I went out after a 2 day rain. By the time I got out to the paved road, everything and I mean everything was covered in khaki colored mud. Seat, fishing rods, black pack, decking. You name it, it was plastered.

Jeff
KansasYaker

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Jeff
KansasYaker
2014 - Pro Angler - 14 - Upgraded H-Rail Kit

KansasYaker - That was awesome! My cousin ownes a few car washes. People without pavement have paid for his children's college educations! So you transport with the blackpak and seat in the kayak? Bungee the blackpak down? No issues - minus the mud and dust?

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STLKayak
2020 Pro Angler 14 360
St. Louis, Missouri
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100005695487937

Yep, I trailer mine fully loaded. Granted, I'm only going 13 miles and not on the highway. Of course, there are days when I wish everything had been in the truck. Would have made it easier at the car wash.

Jeff
KansasYaker

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Jeff
KansasYaker
2014 - Pro Angler - 14 - Upgraded H-Rail Kit

I don't have the Hobie covers. I have the ones that Scott Loving Hobie out of Australia sells. I know what you mean about dirt roads. When I fish in the Gulf, a few of the best launches are reached by 5-7 miles of dirt roads. If I'm carrying both PAs on the trailer, the PAs can get covered in dust and be really dirty. Luckily when you launch at first light, there is enough morning moisture here in the southeast to alleviate the dust on the inbound trip.

I have used my covers to keep the PAs protected on long road trips and have almost everything loaded under the covers except for the Mirage Drives and heavy anchors. Those are in the truck. Never taken a PA to a car wash, but I have done my fair share of having to clean them after one of those dirt roads exists.

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Steve Stubbs
USAF (retired)

SeaDek Fishing Team
Unfair Lures Pro Staff
Ziptailz Ambassador

2015 Pro Angler 14 - Papaya
2018 Compass - Sea Grass

I used the Hobie cover for the first time on Friday and today. It is a very well made cover, and fairly easy to put on, though definitely easier with two people. Had the kayak strapped to the trailer, and the Hobie PA14 cover on top. The kayak was fully loaded, and the cover had enough room and then some. There are a couple of tie down/lashimg points I still need to figure out. It was a little - flappy- the first few trips, but I think I can figure out a way to improve that pretty easily. There is also a bungee system on the top, right around the seat area, that I have no idea what purpose it serves. Maybe to take slack out of the canvas so water does not pool on the top?

Overall I give it high marks for quality and fit. I think it is going to work great for its main purpose, covering the PA when I store it under the back deck. But I also think it will work well protecting and covering the kayak for longer trips on the trailer. I don't see myself putting this on every time I trailer the boat. Just between uses - those days when I unfortunately have to work!

I do like the cover that SRAces mentioned from Scott Loving Hobie...I think he has a post in another thread that shows it on his PA. I think I would like that cover a lot better for trailering, as it is a more traditional 'boat' cover, versus the Hobie one which covers virtually the entire kayak. The Scott Loving one looks like you could install or remove very quickly.

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STLKayak
2020 Pro Angler 14 360
St. Louis, Missouri
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100005695487937

Here are the covers mentioned. They are easy to install and remove. They trailer very well. The bag with each cover is attached to the cover. Just stores under the cover on the rear of the PA.

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Steve Stubbs
USAF (retired)

SeaDek Fishing Team
Unfair Lures Pro Staff
Ziptailz Ambassador

2015 Pro Angler 14 - Papaya
2018 Compass - Sea Grass

Oh, I thought you had a different cover. That one is VERY similar in design to the Hobie branded cover I just purchased. These guys make the Covers for Hobie?

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STLKayak
2020 Pro Angler 14 360
St. Louis, Missouri
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100005695487937

Here's my Danuu cover, I just put it on yesterday it seems pretty good, lots of build in tie downs and adjustments. Find out tomorrow how it is on the highway for 10 hours




Brian

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On the bank of the Bow River

No idea? Scott Loving Hobie in Australia might have them made by the same company Hobie uses.

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Steve Stubbs
USAF (retired)

SeaDek Fishing Team
Unfair Lures Pro Staff
Ziptailz Ambassador

2015 Pro Angler 14 - Papaya
2018 Compass - Sea Grass