Quote:
Originally Posted by makobob
So with the length to width ratio it should be faster than the PA14 with one person, AND much faster with two. Still might be tuff in the surf zone, but pratice would make it better. The younger crowd, under 50, should have a ball with this, AND what a BAJA machine it would make!!!!!
|
Dream on. There is this thing called displacment and effort/energy is required to overcome it. This is going to be a 180 lb. boat in the water designed to support 800 lbs. or more. The advantage will be with two independent pedalers on the boat driving it forward. The trick will be using the paddles effectively when the Mirage drive is out of the boat.
As for trailering all the Pro Angler boats are best trailered unless you have a pickup truck and don't mind having all your gear in the cab and go from home to water and back again with no stops where anything not locked down will get stolen.
Hobie has gone outside the box with its TI and PA boats and not been bound by how much weight a person can lift over their head or carry down to the water. That market for boats weighing under 75 lbs. is where 99% of the other manufacturers compete and Hobie wisely created their own market where they really do not have any competition at all, much like with the Hobie Cat sailboats.
The PA17 is for protected waters. I cannot imaging two guys in the ocean with the boat turtled being able to right it again and make it back to shore. It is an alternative to a bass boats and skiffs out on lakes and inland waters. The PA17 with its trailer will cost less than the outboard motor alone on a fishing boat.
Put it on a Hobie trailer and it can be pulled along and launched with a Subaru station wagon or even a Honda Fit. Lighter boats can be carried on much lighter trailers. The PA17 with its trailer will weigh half of what the trailer alone weighed that I used with my 17' Boston Whaler.