Hobie PA 12 vs 14

[Deverall]

Newbie here on site......

I'm on the fence with Hobie PA 12 vs 14. Looking to see others opinions on what you ended up going with during your search. I've test driven both and like both of them and the $100 price tag difference makes it hard for me to decide. I get that the 14 is wider, heavier, and longer and probably harder to maneuver in tight space vs the 12.

Any feedback is appreciated.

Thanks,
Lloyd

[bruce19365]

If you will attempt car top or truck bed then the 12. With only $100 difference it's a no brainer for me, I'd get a trailer and buy the 14. I have two PA-14's and trailer, there is no way I would consider the 12 for the fishing I do. I started in an
Outback, used it 4 months and could not wait to move up to the PA, that's me and I understand opinions differ depending on needs & budget. Again the $100 difference removes any choice from the equation for me.

[FL Boy]

I too wanted to get the PA 14, I was pretty much set on it because like you $100 was not much more to pay for more room. So I went to back yard boats and tried them both out then went home and did some research then went back and tried them again. I finally decided to go with the 12. The resin I decided to go with the 12 is because I'm not very tall (5'6") so when I was in the low seating position and the pedals where adjusted to the one position It felt like it was a bit of a stretch for me, in the 12 I actually have some adjustability with the pedals. The other is I drive a truck with a short bed and I would have had to buy a bed extender for the 14 which would have been another 100+ dollars. Second is the 14 is a big boat and it would have been a struggle for me to load and unload by myself. Even though I had my heart set on the 14 and I went with the 12 I have no regrets. I have plenty of room on it I put a crate and a cooler on the back and still have room. The front hatch is a little smaller but fits everything I need to take with me. It's also a super stable platform I stand in it all the time and turn around on it to face backwards. I was even sitting on the front hatch last time I went fishing facing backwards. Another time I had to climb over the seat onto the back area to unhook a lure plenty stable. Ultimately its up to you. I have a thread in the dry dock section of how I have rigged up too if you want to take look for ideas.