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Cat Trax - make your own?
http://www.hobie.com/au/en/forums/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=66533		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  LaFlamaBlanca [ Sun May 17, 2020 5:46 am ]
Post subject:  Cat Trax - make your own?
After months of scouring Craigs List I have not found anyone willing to separate from their cat trax. Paying $850 for new trax (includes shipping and cradles) from Murray's does not seem reasonable since its not much more than an aluminum axle with 2 beach tires and plastic roller bearings.

Would anyone who has made their own trax for a Hobie 16 be willing to share some tips on how they did it?
Or maybe some one knows a guy trying to offload one? I'm in Boston and willing to drive for pick up.

Also, I already got 2 beauty 16s so not buying another boat just for the cat trax - tempting but no.


Fly the Hull,
La Flama Blanca
Author:  dorienc [ Mon May 18, 2020 12:50 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Cat Trax - make your own?
I made a set of beach wheels.
I ordered Otter dock wheels from Mill's Fleet Farm. They are 24" diameter, 9" wide with a 2" axle hole. $86 for 2 including shipping. SKU # is 006364657.
Used 4 aluminum 2" shaft clamps from McMaster Carr, $56 plus shipping.
Axle is an 8' length of 2" OD aluminum tube with .25" wall thickness from Onlinemetals.com for $107 including shipping.
I put foam pipe insulation over the piping and wrapped it with duct tape, and put a rope through the pipe, going through a tennis ball at each end of the pipe. I figure the total cost was about $250. Also got 3/4" plastic plugs from Home Depot, drilled the drain holes in the wheels to 3/4", and sealed the caps in with silicone sealant to prevent water intrusion into the wheels.

Photos:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/100085529@ ... 017809482/
Author:  Bill 404 [ Tue May 19, 2020 12:37 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Cat Trax - make your own?
I have used my Cat Trax since new in '89.....well worth the cost. One flat tire repair in 31 years...... :D
Author:  Tim H16 [ Tue May 19, 2020 8:50 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Cat Trax - make your own?
I have tried putting my H16 on cat trax (with and without hull cradles) and it is a lot easier to do solo in the water with the cradles.

I want to add hull cradles to my Florida Sailcraft Cat Trax .

Unfortunately, a pair of new hull cradles are pretty expensive (more than twice what I paid for my used Cat Trax).

Does anyone have any other cheaper alternatives (including homemade)?
Author:  SlowSL [ Tue May 26, 2020 6:39 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Cat Trax - make your own?
dorienc wrote:
I made a set of beach wheels.
I ordered Otter dock wheels from Mill's Fleet Farm. They are 24" diameter, 9" wide with a 2" axle hole. $86 for 2 including shipping. SKU # is 006364657.
Used 4 aluminum 2" shaft clamps from McMaster Carr, $56 plus shipping.
Axle is an 8' length of 2" OD aluminum tube with .25" wall thickness from Onlinemetals.com for $107 including shipping.
I put foam pipe insulation over the piping and wrapped it with duct tape, and put a rope through the pipe, going through a tennis ball at each end of the pipe. I figure the total cost was about $250. Also got 3/4" plastic plugs from Home Depot, drilled the drain holes in the wheels to 3/4", and sealed the caps in with silicone sealant to prevent water intrusion into the wheels.

Photos:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/100085529@ ... 017809482/


I think I'm going to go this route for mine. Menards has 23.5"x9" dock wheels for $34 ea. So on your design, the plastic wheels just spin around the tube without any kind of bearing or anything, and they work fine? I was concerned that the inside of the plastic wheel would get all chewed up or worn down.
Author:  dorienc [ Tue May 26, 2020 9:58 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Cat Trax - make your own?
SlowSL wrote:
So on your design, the plastic wheels just spin around the tube without any kind of bearing or anything, and they work fine? I was concerned that the inside of the plastic wheel would get all chewed up or worn down.

I expect it would if I used it a lot. But I've only used it once. It's mostly in case I have to bail and beach away from the boat ramp, and have to transport the boat to the trailer.
Author:  SlowSL [ Tue May 26, 2020 10:26 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Cat Trax - make your own?
dorienc wrote:
SlowSL wrote:
So on your design, the plastic wheels just spin around the tube without any kind of bearing or anything, and they work fine? I was concerned that the inside of the plastic wheel would get all chewed up or worn down.

I expect it would if I used it a lot. But I've only used it once. It's mostly in case I have to bail and beach away from the boat ramp, and have to transport the boat to the trailer.


Okay, was thinking of getting a slightly smaller diameter pipe/tube and just cutting out some UHMW sleeves, making it press fit into the wheel, and ride a little loose on the tube. It'd take forever for the UHMW to wear away as long as the tube was nice and smooth.
Author:  HobieMarty [ Tue May 26, 2020 11:07 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Cat Trax - make your own?
Hey, if you go on over to Beachcats.com in the "Good Deals" forum, there is a set of Cat Trax for sale for like really cheap.
Just thought I'd mention it. :D

Well, this may be all for naught anyway, I couldn't find them again so they may already be gone, they were on Facebook marketplace.
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