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 Post subject: Navigating Waves?
PostPosted: Thu Jul 29, 2010 10:53 pm 
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Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Sat Jul 24, 2010 8:42 pm
Posts: 21
Hi, i'm just learning to navigate my Pro Angler. How concerned do i need to be if i get turned sideways to the waves? If i get boats/ Jet skis creating huge wakes, will these waves flip me if i get turned sideways to them? Or do i need to just stay centered in my seat and hang on? Your experience & knowledge on this subject will be very helpful to me. Thank You!


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 Post subject: Re: Navigating Waves?
PostPosted: Fri Jul 30, 2010 12:11 pm 
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Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Sat Jul 24, 2010 8:42 pm
Posts: 21
No replies so i'll assume the worst. I'll keep it pointed into the waves if they look bad i guess. I'm so impressed with how well the mirage drive moves the Pro Angler(I actually had people on the shore comment on how fast i was moving).


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 Post subject: Re: Navigating Waves?
PostPosted: Fri Jul 30, 2010 1:14 pm 
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Site Rank - Admiral

Joined: Mon Feb 08, 2010 12:33 pm
Posts: 252
Location: Virginia - Pro Angler 14 owner since Feb 2010
I am most comfortable being perpendicular or at an angle to wakes. That said, with so much boat traffic in some of the areas I fish, I inevitably find myself parallel to an occasional wake, sometimes of pretty good size. Thankfully, I haven't had a real test of whether a boat wake could turn over my PA. I have found that as long as I'm not too close to shore and the wake is mostly a swell and not breaking, the PA is super stable and will ride over without a problem. I"m not necessarily recommending this, but I often stand in my PA and I've been able to ride over many waves without sitting. Of course, I ALWAYS have on my PFD as I know I can lose my balance in an instant, even in a stable craft like the PA

I recommend doing some experimentation. Go out in your PA without all of your fishing gear and try taking wakes from different angles. Of course, make sure you wear your PFD. See how it feels to take a wake sideways or when you are standing and how you can shift your weight for added stability in heavier waves. I've been caught by surprise more than once with my back to a wake, but I've become accustomed to how that feels and how to stabilize myself or get in my seat quickly. I've even thought about flipping my PA in a pool to see what it takes to right the ship if needed. I know others have posted their experiences trying this.

I get comments about the PA every time I'm out. People are amazed at how easily and quickly it gets around and bass boaters look jealous when I venture into thick grassy areas they don't dare to approach. I'm certain I've sold a few boats for my local Hobie dealer as a I'm prone to talk up the PA with anyone who is interested!


Have fun!

TDK

_________________
Anonymous - "The gods do not subtract from the alloted span of men's lives the hours spent fishing."


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 Post subject: Re: Navigating Waves?
PostPosted: Fri Jul 30, 2010 2:37 pm 
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Site Rank - Captain

Joined: Fri Jan 15, 2010 7:18 pm
Posts: 89
Location: Long Island, NY
Generally, hitting waves at a 45' angle is best. The other day I was experimenting with my PA purposely hitting some big wakes that were being amplified by a sharply sloping area of bottom.
The PA does well hitting waves head-on, but it is a wetter way to tackle them. Instead of riding over large waves, it punches through them, shedding the water over the front hatch, into the cockpit, and down into the mirage scupper, where it quickly drains away. The biggest wave I hit sent so much water in that my seat did get a little wet, and the side trays had water pooling in them.
Had I hit that wave at an angle, I think little or no water would have entered the PA.


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 Post subject: Re: Navigating Waves?
PostPosted: Sun Aug 01, 2010 7:25 am 
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Joined: Sun Aug 02, 2009 11:29 am
Posts: 421
I usually try and take the waves dead on and ride them out. I have taken a few waves from the sides, nothing big but it can rock the PA a bit but the PA felt stable and I never felt like I would have been pitched out.
another thing is that I would highly recommend you run some type of flag to make yourself more noticable on the water to power boaters. I use a American flag from yakattack.com


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 Post subject: Re: Navigating Waves?
PostPosted: Sun Aug 01, 2010 7:32 pm 
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Joined: Wed Jun 20, 2007 6:49 am
Posts: 126
Location: garwood, nj
All the replies are right on. One thing to keep in mind, your not going to flip if you take the wave head on or from directly behind; a side wave is more prone to flip you. In the PA however it have to be a huge wave. I've been anchored and taken hard side waves from boats passing mere feet away. You will get rocked like nobodys business, but the craft is very well designed. I will be trying the 45 degree angle next trip out, that ones new to me.


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 Post subject: Re: Navigating Waves?
PostPosted: Fri Aug 06, 2010 9:48 am 
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Site Rank - Captain

Joined: Wed Jun 09, 2010 3:34 pm
Posts: 53
Location: San Diego
I use my PA 99% of the time in the ocean. I have not had any issues with large wakes from power boats.


As far as the ocean, getting out of the surf zone is easy as well. I usually go straight out and punch through the surf. The biggest so far is a 5 ft face. Coming back in is a whole different deal. I use both the mirage drive and the hobie paddle. Pull up your rudder and use the paddle to steer. When a sets come, I back paddle into the wave to keep from getting driven sideways. After using this technic I have not rolled in the surf.


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