PA12 First time user.

General offshore yakking discussion.
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Hvalross
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PA12 First time user.

Post by Hvalross »

First thing I will say is that moving from boat to kayak has taken a VERY big step for me. I only picked up the Yak on Wednesday this week and standing at the parked car at the Ballarat Rowing lake it dawned on me just how much of a step out of my comfort zone it was going to be.

My first observation is that it would be smart to lurk at a venue where seasoned Yakkers are launching to see what and how and what gear is carried as the more I read the posts here the more I dont know yet. So briefly here it is. Purpose of the trip is BASIC get a feel for the beast, so had just the boat as bought, a single 6'6 rod to test casting from seated and standing. Did not plan to anchor or control drift ....yet.

First....put on PFD, pleroids and hat and suitable footwear.

My yak is on a trailer that will double as a multipurpose hauling longer items from Bunnings and the like. So removed the cover and set it up with all the gear I have so far. Did not install the Mirage Drive, decided to paddle out and do that in deeper water. Slid the yak back far enough on the trailer to install the wheels and then pushed it off altogether. It negotiated the kerb easily and I rested it there beside the car. After locking the Car and securing the trailer with a hitch lock it was simply a case of picking up the bow and a short walk to one of the Rower pontoons. The pontoons are new and make things easier........By this time there was a stiff breeze kicking up the odd white cap so I elected to launch on the lee side so that I would be carried away from the pontoon. Simply lifted the yak to allow the wheels to drop out and stowed and secured them..........THIS is a MAJOR game changer as boat stuff is simply slowed in the appropriate locker or rod holder....little chance of tipping ??

I thought about center of gravity and balance so placed one foot just over centre and facing the seat stepped off the pontoon and onto the yak. So far so good, turned and sat down...comfort plus. Picked up a paddle and set to putting some distance from the pontoon. the paddle is good, easy to use from the chair, but as with my only other canoe encounter with a Canadian Canoe it wanders about a bit...... :yahoo:

Ah! lower the skeg and deploy the steering...suddenly much much better (sigh!)

Then kneeled and removed the well scupper plug .......Oh Hell! I have a leak...there is water in there........staying put so its not life or death yet :roll: installed the Mirage Drive and sat back down..........

I had been stood off the pontoon quite a way but by the time the Drive was installed and I was once again seated I was within meters of the damn pontoon! so stepped into the peddles and started the journey. The high seat positions a person very well for the job of propelling the yak and I was soon up on the plane......... :thumbsup: well my yak version of "on the plane" anyhow!!
It did not take long to realise that I am not a peddler and that some sanity and a tad less tesosterone was more in keeping with my planned endeavours if the 'test run' was to last more than five minutes :D All in all I spent around two and a half hours exploring how the Beast functions, at slow speed little or no steering, slight rudder offset to compensate for wind and wave. Adjusted rudder tension and that helps tracking under fishing conditions, dont want a rudder making up its own mind about the direction of travel whilst actively fighting a fish (which I was'nt) so valuable lesson there I think.
With "keep your knees bent" ringing in my ears, I stood up and that went ok.......few wobbles but like riding a bike stability will come with practice, its quite stable enough to feel safe from the get go on this Lake. Will be altogether different elsewhere but that is a lesson for another day.

By this time the wind was a bit more active, to the point where the pontoon was slapping on the waves so I went to windward and uninstalled the Drive and replaced it with the scupper plug...brought up (retracted) the rudder but left the skeg down. Docked facing into the wind using the paddle and held on to the pontoon. Stepping out was a reverse of the boarding and that went without a hitch except left a 'slip-on' shoe aboard when my back foot caught the rail on the yak. Again really different stability scenareo from a boat, but manageable with a bit of planning....in time I am sure that it will be a hop out, no fuss!

Lifted the bow and hoisted the yak aboard the pontoon and then brought the stern on too, easily done. Simply rolled the yak on its side and installed the wheels and back to the car and trailer. Loading was also simply the reverse of unloading.

Conclusions and things to do

:yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo: NO.1 had fun, it is a more "hands on"approach to fishing than powered boating, I like the stealth aspect and what I got MOST was a feeling of being in contact with the fishing, water and elements. Sat down there with your bum at water level one has the feeling of being eye to eye with the fish being brought aboard. Along the way learned a few basics of the game and got a feel for the Beast.......In retrospect think the Pro 14 may have been a better choice as I am using a trailer and not car topping....however, time alone will tell.
Wendouree is about an hour and a half from home I plan a few more trips there before venturing onto the Bay proper. So with a couple more visits here I think I will feel ready to fish rivers and shallow estury waters which is where I had envisaged most of my fishing so a valuable day to get things started.

Lessons learned

Need to get proper clothing sorted sooner rather than later.
Need to catch up with others going out to get some smarts on gear stowing, things like anchor rope paddles and other essential gear.
Need to do regular peddling to get leg strength and endurance up a bit more, hauling the rig over sand may be character building, but pushing against wind, tide and current as well as safely managing the elements on a return to base can be a game changer I am thinking.......knowledge, strength conservation, and training required.

ENOUGH! for now

Cheers,

Andrew
Last edited by Hvalross on 02 Oct 2015, 19:19, edited 1 time in total.
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Seasherpa
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Re: PA12 First time user.

Post by Seasherpa »

Sounds like you had a blast Andrew, well done on a successful first outing! Wendouree is a good little spot for trout and reddies, and being in Woodend, Kirwan's Bridge is about the same travel time as Wendouree and Eppalock is even closer. :thumbsup:
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Kingo
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Re: PA12 First time user.

Post by Kingo »

Sounds like a good first outing dude, when you say "scupper plug" im assuming you mean the cassette plug that goes in the mirage drive well? If so, dont bother using it, it does nothing. The plug is the first thing most people throw in the bin.
The pa12 certainly is a great yak to fish lures from, I fish only fish lures from mine and its a dream.
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laneends
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Re: PA12 First time user.

Post by laneends »

You've also got Cain Curran, and Pikes creek near Ballan is probably your closest.

Most people dont bother with drive plug, its really only so you dont drop stuff down the hole including your foot on a PA when drive is removed.

Drive can be installed while it is on trolley and bungy holds pedals so fins are flat against hull, for launches that are slide ins rather than dropping of pontoon.

Watch your trailer rear overhangs, theres a whole topic on that.
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Hvalross
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Re: PA12 First time user.

Post by Hvalross »

Thanks a lot good information there..........Reason I left the plug in was that Hobie claim it " fairs" the profile of the hull when using paddle power........oh well! another bit of marketing hype to sucker newbies like me :laughing1:

On overhang the trailer is registered at 5.6M which covers overhang for longer timber :thumbsup: anything specific I need to watch ?

Decided to use Wendouree as a starter for ease of launch. Don't have the right gear for wading launch yet, I know the lake well and there are always stacks of folks walking. Had several offers to help move /launch the yak.........I have always found those folks very friendly and helpful.

I am REALLY P'd off with myself. This morning I was unable to find a Plano lure holder with a swag of gear in it all Berkley hard body lures in wrong colours that I pimp myself......all manner of hard to find stuff ........Wasted time , turned the car inside out, went through every nook and cranny....could'nt find it anywhere and I know I had it in the boot. I am suspecting that it is sitting on the side of the road just down the street from AKS. Trailer hitch was very loose so I pulled over and got a toolbox out of the boot....I am suspecting now that the Lure box was siting on top of that and I took BOTH out but only put one back in my haste to get back and have the Dealer use a big screwdriver and spanner to adjust tension on the ball........I am spewing, what a nong! :idiot: :idiot:
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Hvalross
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Re: PA12 First time user.

Post by Hvalross »

In my last post I was chastising myself for losing a Plano with hard to replace lures inside.....

Things just got worse...if thats possible!

Walked into the laundry to wash some clothes used yesterday and reached up for the measure to add liquid soap....Instead of a measure I came up with a Plano tackle box.....the "lost" one... :ugeek: :oops: :oops:
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Hammertime
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Re: PA12 First time user.

Post by Hammertime »

Hvalross wrote:In my last post I was chastising myself for losing a Plano with hard to replace lures inside.....

Things just got worse...if thats possible!

Walked into the laundry to wash some clothes used yesterday and reached up for the measure to add liquid soap....Instead of a measure I came up with a Plano tackle box.....the "lost" one... :ugeek: :oops: :oops:
Isn't that better than worse?


You can launch in shorts by the way. You don't need waders. If you don't know the bottom wear shoes.

I'll be happy for you to join me in ppb one day. Where are you located
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laneends
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Re: PA12 First time user.

Post by laneends »

Hvalross wrote:Thanks a lot good information there..........Reason I left the plug in was that Hobie claim it " fairs" the profile of the hull when using paddle power........oh well! another bit of marketing hype to sucker newbies like me :laughing1:

:
It does but you wont be paddling a PA very far if you can help it.

Essential if paddling an Adventure with the drive out. Otherwise you get a geyser between your legs
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Hvalross
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Re: PA12 First time user.

Post by Hvalross »

laneends wrote:
Hvalross wrote:Thanks a lot good information there..........Reason I left the plug in was that Hobie claim it " fairs" the profile of the hull when using paddle power........oh well! another bit of marketing hype to sucker newbies like me :laughing1:

:
It does but you wont be paddling a PA very far if you can help it.

Essential if paddling an Adventure with the drive out. Otherwise you get a geyser between your legs
The sales guy said it was for fairing when paddling........when I repeated that back to him to confirm his answer was...

Naa! you silly b***er you pull it out to make a hole to piddle in :laughing1:
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Hvalross
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Re: PA12 First time user.

Post by Hvalross »

hammertym wrote:
Hvalross wrote:In my last post I was chastising myself for losing a Plano with hard to replace lures inside.....

Things just got worse...if thats possible!

Walked into the laundry to wash some clothes used yesterday and reached up for the measure to add liquid soap....Instead of a measure I came up with a Plano tackle box.....the "lost" one... :ugeek: :oops: :oops:
Isn't that better than worse?


You can launch in shorts by the way. You don't need waders. If you don't know the bottom wear shoes.

I'll be happy for you to join me in ppb one day. Where are you located
That would be great. Co-ordinating will be a challenge I live in Woodend about an hour and a bit from Williamstown. I work a 4 day week and have Wednesday off. Getting up at 3am is "usual" for me. Free weekends but usually work around the property on week ends to miss the MADNESS, but its doable.

If you look up Gazetted Laws enacted by the Victorian Parliament in about 1973 you will see that there was a special session at which all Parties voted to make it illegal for me to be seen in daylight, in public with one or both legs uncovered..... :thumbsup:

The upside is they both reach the ground, and if I am quick around the vegie patch no-one tries to tie bean or peas to them :lol: :lol: :lol:

Cheers

Andrew
When all else fails........read the instructions!
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