Well, second trip out in the PA and actually fishing today on Lake Echo (yaaaayyyy!!!).
My earlier complaints about the mobility of the PA on the little inflatable wheels were bang on.
Turns out the PA is MUCH easier to move off road when the cart is installed in the front scupper holes than the rear. The rear aluminum handle is much wider and more confortable than the plastic front one and the kayak "seems" to weigh half as much too.
And as I said before the Eze wheels or whatever they are called are absolute rubbish, at least for anything other than grass or packed beach sand, they pull so hard off road that I didn't even notice one of them had come off part way down the trail
Also, with the fat little donut wheels, the built in rod holders become unuseable when the cart is stowed until you take off the wheels and stow them (P.I.T.A.) I know I know, most of you have Scotty rod mounts, however, I don't yet have that luxury, so I make do using the built in ones for one rod and hand hold the other. I will be buying new wheels first before a rod holder. These things should definately come with better wheels!
I noticed the cutting board/tackle box cover sits extremely tight to the seat making it difficult to secure (perhaps I have the seat installed wrong, although it only seems to go one way?) Anyone else find this??
I had a really hard time installing the Mirage drive for some reason? I never hads that issue with the Outback, perhaps I'm doing something wrong. Appreciate any advise.
I also would recomend removing the central tackle box for transportation if you use the hard bait hanger section, it is a pain picking all the crank baits out of the bottom and rehanging them.....ask me how I know.
Now, all that negativity aside, I can say that the PA is the ULTAMATE FISHING MACHINE! or aleast it will be once I rig it with practical rod holders and a fish finder. This thing is absolutely phenominal
.Stable, comfortable, and suprisingly fast/agile in the water considering what an ox it is on land.
To get on the water faster, I avoided loading on my Subarus Roof racks and threw it in my flatbed trailer instead, loading rear first securing front and rear thru handles. Worked like a charm. Slide back pop in the cart, and away you go.
Once on the water it was Cadilac comfortable and you could move about freely and without worry.
I'm thinking I might put a loop of velcro or a small belt on the steering knob that I could wrap around my L/H upper thigh to steer, seems like it would work, at least until Hobie comes out with mind control steering
Overall, even though it is very early in fishing season and I didn't catch anything, it was a great evening out and I can't wait to get this awesome piece of machinery back on the water, hopefully with fish next time! I highly recomend the PA for fishing, at least from my flatwater poit of view.
