Hobie dealer & Cart damage

I have questions about cart caused scupper damage. This week I was fishing with a friend and his new ( about 2 month old) Outback started to take on water. Luckly we were near the beach and found large hole in the scupper. He took it to the dealer and photo sent to Hobie and they will replace, but with $200 shipping fee.
1) Is the shipping fee normal for this, and is the fee to Hobie or the dealer?

2) The cart (hobie-but old) main cause hard to pull thru sand (plastic wheels). Is Hobie replacing or upgrading cart. I see on expert area on the forum a warring about carts, but no e-mail or letter from Hobie ( both my Kayaks are register).

3) Can the wheels on the old cart be changed? I live in florida and have been told that the balloon tires get enlarged if in hot car.

I believe the Hobie warranty normally covers materials and workmanship. Proper use of the proper cart is the responsibility of the user. The older carts have shorter legs and do not always extend all the way through the scupper tubes on some of the newer boats. This is what tears the scuppers up. If Hobie is replacing the hull on this for only the shipping charge, IMO, your friend got a very nice early Christmas present from Hobie!

Your friend will put a hole in his new boat also if he doesn't get a longer legged cart or at least extend the legs on his old one with PVC or something comparable. Here's an old cart, for example with extensions and eyebolts that can handle any Hobie hardshell kayak. The eyebolts are used to lock the cart in position on the boat if desired.


All new carts all have sufficiently long legs to handle all the boats, and include a locking pin and domed tops for safe retention and easy insertion. Wheels are not necessarily interchangeable. You and your friend should both use the cart that meets your launch conditions.

Hiyas 'Cartaginians'

I have the same strap-on cart today as I used 5 years ago with a 21 foot double 'sit inside' fiberglass kayak on my 2011 AI. I bought the scupper mounted heavy duty cart as suggested by my dealer. As I have a heavily pebbled ( 2 to 6 inch rock) beach before I get to the sand and the North Pacific I think I have reached better conclusions.

I would rather use the strap on cart as it puts less stress on my scuppers. (This was after one retrieval attempt to use the scupper mounted cart and heard 'groaning' sounds from the hull)....

The strap on also allows me to balance the AI exactly to where I want it and not stress the rear part of the hull. To mount this cart I simply pull the AI back into the water and slide it onto the cart sideways before strapping it down.

The product is sold worldwide and has stood up to huge abuse on my part in the last 5 years:

http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_deta ... 4442630046

(On the other hand, you could put a harness on your dog and have him (her) help you pull it up the beach, lol)

Trinomite

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Always looking for ways to make good things 'Gooder'