Ok. So what makes a guy take a plastic cutting Dremel wheel to a perfectly good $2500 kayak? Innovation of course! Being a born tinkerer/modifyer, I am always striving to make things better (for my uses anyway). I'm sure many of you can tell by the picture what's coming. Here's my issue: Hobie makes a great product. I love my 2012 PA. I love everything I've done to it so far. However, I also love the 2013 PA's flat floor with flush mounted hatch but I hate the new seat. It gets an "A" for coolness but it's not for me. So in my quest to constantly improve an already great thing, I am creating what I believe will be the first Hobie Hybrid 2012/13 PA 14!
Do not panic. This has been carefully thought out and will not end up being some hacked up mess. I've spent many hours pondering this idea and have created a solution. I obtained specs for the 2013 hatch and it can work. It will however take a lot of thought and a significant amount of plastic welding. Luckily I will have plenty of material from what I've removed plus the old lid.
For those of you who have messed around with plastic welding, you know if done properly it can create welds as strong as the original material. The way I have this thought out, my PA will retain its strength and may even be stronger in the floor area than originally.
This is a small sample piece I've welded up (creating an outside corner) to show the type of results you can get, especially when you have the same factory material to use as filler. I hit this piece real quick with a rough sanding disc. My finished welds will get the full treatment.
The easiest install would be to put the hatch in where it opens to the left or right (not near as much welding new pieces in). I would like to mount it width ways as it is on the 2013's.
Stand by! Good things to come!
Carl