Picked up a new Wave

My friend and I just picked up a new Wave and took it down to Mexico (Puerto Penasco, Rocky Point... 4 hr drive from Phoenix, AZ where my friend just built a house close to the beach).

It was a last minute decision and it was hard to find one in stock. We ended up buying it from Mariner Sails in Dallas who was nice enough to ship it in a hurry to Phoenix -- just in time for our arrival from Canada within 2 days of our purchase. We had to rent a truck from Home Depot to go get it from the trucking terminal to bring it back to our house down there (SAIA Motor Trucking - they were fabulous and very helpful); After that we unpacked the boxes (great packaging btw) and loaded the vehilces (we put one hull on each roof rack) and headed to Mexico.

Once there, we assembled the boat, which took us a few hours as we took our time doing it. The hardest part was installing the trampoline and tying the laces... we're glad we brought with us a pair of locking pliers to help us pull tight on the lines... the rest was easy... except carrying the base to the beach a few hundred yards away from the garage... boy that thing was HEAVY!

Given that it was all done at the last minute, we didn't have much time to plan on buying a trailer or a Cat Trax to move the Cat but as you will see from the pictures, it is an absolute must to get one for our next trip. On this trip we were lucky to find a number of Mexican workers help us carry the boat back to the house on our last day... During the week we left the boat (without the sail) on the beach.

The Sea of Cortez was quite wavy and windy on our first day, and it was a bit of a struggle for us (beginers!) to launch the boat... but we did it and it was truely a BLAST. At one time, all four of us were on the boat and even then this thing was moving pretty fast.

Next, I want to discuss options for a dolly system and some questions from people who have used them...

You're welcome to view pictures of our first experience on Picasa:

http://picasaweb.google.ca/Tchairdjian/HobieCatWaveClub

DHT

Ok. If you viewed the pictures, you'll know that our beach is quite sandy and the water is quite far at low tide. A trailer at this time would probably be unneccessary as we'll probably never have to move the boat too far, except to take it to the beach... the roads in the community are all sand.

I've seen pictures of the Cat Trax and it seems like the perfect solution for us. What I can't figure out is

a) whether we need the inflatable one or the one w/solid wheels?
b) how would one lift the Wave SOLO onto the axle... without any help from others. That thing is quite heavy (250 lbs).

Also, are we going to need the cradles, the t-bar, etc to pull it -- or is it easy to move it around without all that?

Finally, are there any other solutions?

Thanks in advance.

I've just got a new Wave myself with the Tiger Trax (solid wheels). On land, getting the boat on the wheels is no problem with one person. Getting the boat off the wheels into the water also easy. It's a bit trickier in the water getting the boat on the wheels but not much.

Hey DHT,

Glad the boat made it safely to you and that you didn't have too much trouble getting it together. We always worry when we ship a boat out unbuilt.

As for the Trax.... Unless the sand is really loose, the hard wheels will work. The soft wheels are nice, but not necessary unless you're trying to get across really soft sand or rough terrain.

You don't need cradles. The hulls are tough enough to hand sitting on the axle.

The T-handle could be nice, but the front crossbar is close enough to the bows that it may not help enough to justify the extra cost.

The trick with the using Trax solo is initial set up. If I can put a Getaway on a trailer by myself, you can get a Wave on Trax. Using the lines that stick out the end of the Trax axle keeps the boat on the Trax. It's not tough. Just takes a bit of practice.

Hope that helps.

Cheers!
Brian C

I find it easiest to get the wave up on my Cat Trax from the rear with the rudders either off or elevated.

The extreme rear portion of the hulls will sit nicely on the axle even when the keel is grounded. Then from the centre by the rear crossbar, I push the axle forward and down with my foot while lifting the rear crossbar. Once the axle clears the rear point of the skeg keel, it's just a matter of adjustment.

I sail a Wave when I'm in Florida and use Tiger Trax to get it across the beach, maybe 200 feet. It's easy to roll down to the water, but sometimes it takes two to roll back up, if the rise is steep.

To put it on solo, I set the Trax in front of the bows, push up on the bridle shackle to raise the bows, then kick the Trax back under the boat. Move back to the front crossbar and lift again, then kick the Trax back to the shrouds, and lower the boat onto the axle. Go around to each side and tie the rope in a simple half-bow to the chain plate. Go back and lift the rear cross bar, and push forward. The boat will tend to balance on the axle.

I did use Cat Trax with the T-handle once, and it did seem easier to move, but I'm not sure why.

_________________
What - Me Worry?


2006 Hobie Wave 7358
"Ish Kabibble"

Thank you all for your thoughtful response.

Brian from Mariner: Thank you (and to Aris) for all your help in getting the boat out to us in such a hurry. We were a bit worried too, but as you can see, at the end it was pretty easy to put it all together.

Norm742 & Indywave: Thank you too for your input. The sand on the beach at Playa la Jolla is pretty soft at some places (especially at the top) and hard at others (near the water when the tide is out). I think it may be easier if we get the Cat Trax with inflatable tires for 2 reasons: it may be a lot easier for one man to pull the boat out of the water and uphill over the dunes to get it to the road; and in case we need to transport the Cat without a trailer, it may be easier to let the air out of the tires to get them to fit somewhere inside or on top of the car. Like you said, we probably won't go for the t-bar and the crades -- (that should save us a few $$).

I built my own beach wheels with wood, stainless steel bolts as axles, carpet padding and lawnmower wheels. If you go this route, get the widest wheels that you can to distribute the load across the sand. Mine dig in in soft sand, but I'm a manly man and can handle it

Here's a cool trick: Get yourself a couple of S hooks, some rope and a small diameter (say 1") PVC pipe about (3) or (4) feet long.

Run the rope through the inside of the PVC pipe, tie the rope on both ends to the S hooks, crimp the S hooks down so the rope won't slip off. The contraption should be sized to span the (2) forward mounts that you clip the forestays to. VOILA! A nice, comfortable towing bar that clips on and off super easy breezy for when you're rolling your WAVE up and down the beach.

One of my friends saw me pulling my WAVE down to the water this way and called me IRON MAN. Little does he need to know that it's darn near effortless if the wheels are placed so the boat is balanced.

Yep, and I lift my WAVE in and out of these homemade wheels every weekend, no problem.

Corey, I like the idea of the pull handle! Now I know what to do with the leftover piece of PVC from my tiller extension project.

But we need photos of your beach wheels. You left a little too much to the imagination. Did you just make two little "cars", one for each side? Like the Cat Trax cradles, without the Cat Trax, each with their own little wheels?

_________________
What - Me Worry?


2006 Hobie Wave 7358
"Ish Kabibble"

We were looking for a way to get the Wave into the water, and my wife came up with a Great Idea! We bought some (about 5) ten foot PVC pipes, and laid them at intervals on the beach, perpendicular to the hulls. Then we simply drag the Wave across the pipes and into the water.
There is hardly any friction, and this would work if you don't have very far to get to the water. I realize that being so far from the water, it is probably impractical in your case. But, for some of you it may do the trick.
- P Baker

<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/corey.comstock/Hobie_wave/photo#5215649607081831698"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/corey.comstock/SGG1rxcErRI/AAAAAAAAADw/BuVhfwMjuUU/s400/dolly.jpg" /></a>

Here's the day my friend called me Iron Man (I obviously like that )

You can see the tow bar that I mentioned.

http://lh6.ggpht.com/corey.comstock/SGG ... wheels.jpg

Here is a pic of top and bottom of the beach wheels. Notice the eye hooks to hitch a rope (with S hooks) around hull to keep the hull from sliding off the wheel)


Speaking of "rowing a WAVE". Saturday the wind totally died. I was about 3 miles offshore and had to paddle back.

http://lh4.ggpht.com/corey.comstock/SGG ... o_wind.jpg

Sitting this far up on the bow of the hull turned out to be a ggod place to paddle.