Pro Angler 17T Surf Launching and Landing
 

I know you guys at la Jolla have videos on this: (especially the tour guides)


When you have a chance, please post them up.


Would like to see your technique.

Going to be trying my hand at Blue Fin again this weekend. Heard they are on the chew!

Frank, if you catch a tuna, any tuna, on your trip. I'm going to make a hobie kayak out of pool noodles and fly an okfd flag every time I go out. But if you have an I almost died story, your buying a boat, a nice one, long range boat nice.

You might want to return some of those pool noodles and hook up with these guys,

https://www.seatow.com

You also might want to check the wind forecast......

Ive never launched a PA, let alone the PA 17t, thru the surf. But I have surf launch small skiffs. There may be similarities.

You might try getting in to knee-waist deep water. Get the front guy in with drive deployed n ready while the guy in back keeps the boat perpendicular to the waves. The back guy then pushes hard n drives the boat forward while front guy peddles. When the water gets deep enough where the back guys leg drive fails he jumps in and starts peddling. You should have plenty of speed and momentum to sprint/crash your way out.

Its not quite the same but the guides in LJ launch the rental paddlers similarly.

Landings are always tougher than launches. Try to time a lull n sprint for the beach. When you get in to waist deep water the back guy, or both guys, jump out and grab the back of the yak to keep it perpendicular to the beach n guide the yak in.

Landing backwards could work well for the PA 17. I've done this on paddle yaks n it works. But my attitude about surf launch n landing is to get thru the surf ASAP. The longer you're in the surf zone the greater the chances are of some thinf going wrong. Line up, time it as best you can, commit n go 100%.

Just launch normally about knee high and paddle out, (former PA14 owner), get past the surf zone and throw in your mirage drive and drop the rudder. Going in, I never actually peddle all way to the sand, I'd jump out at about waist deep and guide the kayak in. Normally I'd prep the gears and tied down, pull the mirage drive and the rudder up before paddling in. Just spend some time gauging the wave and race your way in, jump out, guide it. I think that's safer. I seen someone with the PA17 launch and land similar way.

With the wind and surf this weekend......good luck. I'll look at channel 5 to see if you're on there. And considering you bring everything but the kitchen sink, I'll call the city to clean up the beach after you spill.

That kayak was NOT ever intended for surf launching, or the ocean in my opinion. That would be a great boat for small rivers with no boat launch access. My uncle has a few canoes, and an aluminum boat he rows down the river that's less than 50 yards away from his backyard. The PA17 would be perfect for that situation.

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I would agree with the beach launch assessment, but it is definitely good on the ocean.

I just don't think I could justify spending $5-6k for a kayak that size for the ocean. You can get a nice little skiff (17') for that price and have WAY more range and speed. It just takes the simplicity out of kayak fishing, but hey, to each his own.

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I agree, paying $6k for a kayak that will get you the same experience as a kayak that cost about 1/3 the price doesn't make sense and Let's not forget the extras.

If I had $6k I'd rather dump it into a boat or a smaller kayak and save the balance for a rainy day but like you said, to each his own.

I can't imagine having two guys on that thing in rough seas and I also would assume that the end result would not be good if both riders are not fully coordinated

I turned back a mile out today on my 17ft cc. Waiting to hear how it went...

If I was taking a big hobie tandem offshore to hunt tuna, I would go from Dana Landing.

But, then again, I'm probably pulling the plug on my planned offshore kayak trip tomorrow on account of not wanting to get blown to smithereens.