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Cat Trax http://www.hobie.com/au/en/forums/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=23557	Page 1 of 2

Author:	msp1957 [ Mon Apr 19, 2010 11:40 am ]
Post subject:	Cat Trax
I am going to be ordering a Cat Trax for my wave. Is it a good idea to get the cradle modification (extra $100)? Also, the guy at Cat Sailor told me to purchase the handle ($135 seems like a lot for a handle). Could you "jury rig" a handle for the Cat Trax? Thanks. MP

Author:	mmiller [ Mon Apr 19, 2010 3:31 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Cat Trax
You don't need the handle or the cradles for the Wave.

Author:	msp1957 [ Tue Apr 20, 2010 6:05 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Cat Trax
Thanks for the info. MP

Author:	JJ [ Tue Apr 20, 2010 10:09 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Cat Trax
If you watch this video, at one point you'll see what the cradles and handle can do. They are not necessary but if you are doing a lot of solo moving, they balance things and make life so much easier. Got the cradles. Didn't get the handles myself.

Author:	IndyWave [ Tue Apr 20, 2010 10:48 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Cat Trax
I've used trax with and without both. I'll agree with Matt and JJ; you don't need them, but they are nice. If I had to chose one, I would probably go with the handle, because it helps with positioning the trax and maneuvering the boat solo. You could certainly jury rig something with pipes and hose clamps, but by the time you work it all out, you probably wouldn't be that far ahead for your troubles. But I'm cheap, that's why I use PVC pipes laid on the ground.

Author:	msp1957 [ Wed Apr 21, 2010 7:55 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Cat Trax
Think I am going to order the Trax with a handle, no cradle. Thanks for all the imput. MP

Author:	msp1957 [ Sat May 01, 2010 10:41 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Cat Trax
Got my Cat Trax from Sunjammers ( no handle or cradle). Works great. How does everyone transport them on their trailers? MP

Author:	oerterch [ Mon May 03, 2010 12:04 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Cat Trax
Indy, I gotta ask how you're doing this with PVC pipes. What size pipes and how far apart. I have this image of all these pipes laying up the beach. Charlie

Author:	IndyWave [ Mon May 03, 2010 1:00 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Cat Trax
I've got three 8' pipes (2.5" will work, 3" is better), and place them about 5' or 6' apart parallel to the shore between the water and my "parking place." The number of pipes and spacing depends on the lake level, plus they'll roll a bit, so placement is really not critical. If you have a long way to go, you could use more pipes or leap-frog them, move each to the front after you clear it in the back (maybe a good job for the kids). To make it a little easier to drag it up the beach, I took Corey's suggestion and used a 4' piece of plastic conduit, put a rope through it, with a hook on each end to attach to the bow-eyes. That makes a good handle (like a bow-speader bar) to lift and pull by.

Author:	buffalojoe [ Mon May 03, 2010 4:53 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Cat Trax
I also use pvc pipes to pull my boat onto the beach. It's a very inexpensive solution that works surprisingly well. Since I store my boat on the beach I only need two pipes to get it far enough out of the water. If I need to go farther I just leapfrog the pipes. I find that pulling it up backwards by lifting on the rear cross beam works best. I also temporarily remove the tiller crossbar so it's not in my way.

Author:	oerterch [ Tue May 04, 2010 10:07 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Cat Trax
I live on a Canal about 300 ft away from the lake I sail on. My situation is that when the lake/canal is full, the water level is right up to my lawn and I have no problem pulling the boat on to the grass and then using Cat Trax to move the boat up to the house. However when the canal is low (dry season and prior to hurricanes) There is about a 12' step between the lawn and a rock ledge below. So to launch the boat I keep it on the Cat Trax and let it ride down the step and over the edge to the water. On pulling it out of the water I try the reverse and don't have the strength to pull the Cat Trax back over the step. I thought about building a ramp, but can't leave it there because the town gets pissy. Now I'm thinking about putting a pipe right at the edge of the grass so I can pull the boat over the "step" easier. Charlie

Author:	IndyWave [ Tue May 04, 2010 10:22 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Cat Trax
I'd say go for it! The Wave really does slide like it's on ice. When I'm pulling mine up, if I let go, it will slide back into the lake (or off to the side) before I can stop it! Maybe you could make a "ladder" of pipes that you throw over the edge, then pull back up. That could protect your boat from the rocks and make it slide easier too. When we were re-building the beach at my club, I thought about terracing the sand with pipes. I may still do it, as the waves are already starting to erode the sand again.

Author:	oerterch [ Tue May 04, 2010 3:36 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Cat Trax
Indy, There's the 12" drop from my lawn to the ledge, the ledge extends about 2', then drops off into about 5' of water. So I was thinking of 2 pipes about 2' apart. One would be at the edge of the grass, the other at the edge (or slightly in from) of the rocks. So it would be a big one piece rectangle. This is sounding good. Charlie

Author:	oerterch [ Sat May 08, 2010 6:31 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Cat Trax
Just before going to pick up some pipes, I remembered I had some PVC lattice left over from a fence I put up some time ago. Found 2 pieces that were 1.5' wide and 8' long. Laid them down (spaced so each hull rode on 1) over the edge and the boat went in/out of the water and over the "step" real easy. Don't know why I didn't think of this earlier. Charlie

Author:	IndyWave [ Sat May 08, 2010 7:15 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Cat Trax
Good thinking! Lattice would distribute the weight more too. This could be an even better solution. Is it expensive?

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