Am i crazy? Trading in PA 12 for Compass?

I have a PA 12' that I've used very little because I just bought it. Maybe 7,8 times. Fished a few tournaments in it. My only gripe with it is how heavy it is. It's not an issue for me to put it in the back of the truck and it's not an issue for me to pull it to the water with the Boonedox Landing Gear on it. My main issue with the weight is I can no longer just launch the kayak off the side of the road (or in an overlooked spot without an obvious launch point) like I used to.

I was considering going to a compass so that if I have to carry the kayak for a little ways, it's do-able. Am I crazy for wanting to go from a pretty rigged out, newer PA 12 to a compass? Let me know your thoughts

The weight difference for a fully fitted PA-12 and Compass is 41#'s according to Hobie's published info. ( 128#'s Vs 87#'s)

With all the stuff you have added to your PA-12, I bet you have an additional 20#'s on top of the 41#'s difference......so closer to 148#'s total.

If you were to add the same additional stuff to the Compass, the weight grows to about 107 #'s total.......still a 41# difference, but definitely easier to handle.

I think it's still a handful, if you want to "carry the Compass" by yourself...the bulk size is a issue and add some wind to the equation, this get worse quickly....I say this because my first Hobie kayak was a 2010 Outback I bought in 2009 and I hand carried it a couple of times....it was not easy and before I injured myself, I abandoned this method.

If the distance is not too far, is it possible that you could use a block and tackle, anchored to your vehicle and slide the kayak down/up the side of the road?
A cheap carpet runner would protect the bottom of the hull.

You already have a significant investment in your PA-12 and it sounds like you are happy with the fishing platform once on the water. I believe you would take a financial hit moving to a Compass.
If it we me, I would try to find a way to launch and recover the PA-12, over the terrain you want to launch from.

I have a PA-14 and transport/store it on a Hobie Trailex trailer......My PA-14 is about 180#'s fully loaded and I had to mount a winch, to help recover the PA where the launch spot is very steep. I recognize that using a trailer limits launch spots and "so it goes"

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Dr.SteelheadCatcher
Warrenton, OR

I just sold my 2018 compass and replaced with a 2018 PA12. Take into consideration I've owned: outback, PA14, compass, now PA12.

I keep the PA pretty bare bones to reduce weight. For my style of fishing, the PA12 is great, it came with boonedox and is easy to load and unload into truck bed. The only place I feel the compass excels over the PA is shallow fishing where one needs to paddle with the drive out. I have a paddle kayak for supershallow fishing, so I use my PA for all other scenarios. Just wasn't enough room on the compass for me.

I have a compass, downsized/upgraded from a WS ATAK 140 since it was too heavy and unwieldy. Hull only is really easy to pick up and carry. If you are trying to drop in on small spots probably would be easy enough to carry hull down and then rig on the shore.