Hobie Cat Trax for a Hobie 16 to get my boat off the beach

I have a Hobie 16 on the beach in Margate, NJ and I want to get it off before Hurricane / Tropical Storm Earl hits on Friday. My trailer is out of commission and I was wondering if anyone had Hobie Cat Trax I could buy or borrow to use to get my boat the 3-4 blocks from the beach to my house.

Thanks in advance for any info or help!

Bloome

You could borrow mine but its a long drive to Florida. Seriously, am I the only one that thinks that the guy who invented Cat Trax should get a Nobel Prize? What else can you buy for less than $500 that works so well and lasts so long in the harshest environment in the world (salt)? Mine are 25+ years old and work great. I just recently replaced the ORIGINAL tires last week because of dry rot (they sat unused in the sand dunes, salt, and sun for 5 years). I drag my H16 up and down the beach by myself through 75 yards of soft sand. Yes the initial cost seems high but think of the lifetime and convenience you get. Two thumbs way up.

Anyone have a video clip of one of these in use? How easy are they to use alone? in mucky water? I'm thinking of ordering onoe, but I'd really hate to spend the 450.00 to find they don't work well for my needs.

I was surprised not to find a demo video clip at all on youtube.

Hey Rojoyinc, they are AWESOME.

Nothing short of a small miracle for beach cats. Time and time again I've read how much folks value them. I've had a set for ~2 years and they absolutely save me and my aching back. Not to mention my wife's when I get her help. Whenever a neighbor or beach comber walks by and spies me using them I always get the "gee, those sure are neat, sure do make it easy sonnyboy" type comments.

You can definitely use them alone. I do all the time to get my boat from it's resting place ~50 yards from the water and back again, and then ~100 yards to the house for cleaning and maintenance or to put it on the trailer.

That last benefit was an unknown until I tried it and it's great b/c you can roll your boat right up onto and off of your trailer (using stern pads, of course) with the trax. Nice. You gotta ask yourself how you're going to get her to the drink when you go to a nice new spot without a ramp. And think about how many more sailing opportunities that opens up.

Here are mine being trailered:
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak- ... 1325_n.jpg

They will also last and last. One post I read was from a guy in southern Florida who claims to have left his in the dunes for something like 20+ years, using them often and in the salt water and never rinsing them, and only recently had to replace the tires because they finally dry rotted and gave out.

The up front investment is a difficult pill for everyone to swallow but I have yet to come across anyone who says it wasn't worth it. Much to the contrary in fact, most say it's one of the best investments they've made due to the sheer ease with which they make portages, the longevity of their solid performance, and the protection they bring to your boat while moving her. A truly high value when the cost is spread over their long lifetime.

Do yourself a favor.....

_________________
'81 H16

If it ain't a blowin', I ain't a goin'