Hobie Cart confusion

I'm hoping someone out there can shed some light for me....

I have a 2012 Pro Angler....Love it (even though I broke me seat hinge - story for another thread)

When I purchased the PA, I also purchased a cart. I believe at the time my choices were less than they are now. I have a standard cart with plastic wheels. I don't use the cart on anything other than hard surfaces. About 11 months after purchasing the cart, the welds failed. My dealer swapped it under warranty. Early this season, the wheels for the cart broke. (I wasn't surprised when they did, they are the light duty wheels). A buddy had a set of wheels he wasn't using and I used them on the cart for a few trips.

Yesterday, the weld broke AGAIN on the cart. I know there were weld problems in the past but I've read plenty of times that this has been solved in manufacturing for new carts.

So now I need a new cart. I'm not thrilled about that! Which do I purchase? I see on the Hobie website there are 3 choices.

Heavy duty, Standard and Trax 2. The trax 2 is out for me as I don't use the boat at the beach.

The big question is this: Is the frame on the Standard Cart the same as the frame on the Heavy Duty or are the wheels the only difference?

This page on Hobie's site says nothing about the cart's capacity.

http://www.hobiecat.com/accessories/carts/

Matt Miller! Help me out, is the Cart weld issue fixed?

We have a 2012 TI and have used several carts (heavy duty and trax 2), most of the time we launch and retrieve at city island park in Sarasota, where the sand is hard packed for about ten ft then grass. We find the HD cart to be the most durable and trouble free. However the TI is a very heavy boat when all the gear and AMA's are installed (too heavy for me too move around). When we have our trailer we back the trailer to the waters edge, and slide the boat onto the pvc bunks, then walk the boat/trailer back up to the parking lot when we are done. With the big trailer tires (with bearing wheels), this seems easiest for us when we can't back the car to the beach. (Tip... It works best to have the boat slid back a little on the trailer so the boat is balanced on the axles (way easier to walk the trailer).
When we are car topping, we always load an unload the entire boat all the gear and the AMA's at the waters edge (takes several trips to and from the parking lot). Once the hull is empty it's easy to flip on it's side slip the HD cart in the scupper holes, then walk the empty boat hull up to the parking lot (with no AMA's). We also drain any water out ( if any) before walking.
Where we launch, there are quite a few fishing kayaks that launch (all brands), I notice that the only guys that bother with scupper carts at all, are the Hobies, nobody else uses them, they just drag or carry the empty hull up to their car or truck across the grass (usually a couple hundred feet) up to the parking lot (just my observation watching fishermen at the launch).
We used to have an Oasis tandem, the empty TI hull is no more difficult to transport on a scupper cart than the Oasis was. Of course both are bigger and heavier than singles, but we feel it's easier for us to load just one boat rather than two complete boats. My wifes and my physical abilities are quite different, and when we had singles, I would typically need to tow her 5 miles back to launch because she was exhausted. I feel the coolest features on tandem hobies is even with two passengers, only one needs to do all the work so we can take turns pedaling (a really big deal to us).
Not sure any of this applies to a PA, but all this works well for us, we have been doing this for quite a few years now, out most weekends (way more than most lol).
We use the heck out of our Hobies, and yes the bottoms get scratched, if I'm pulling across soft sand or grass, I typically leave the cart out until I get to the blacktop or gravel (just sayin), much easier to drag.
FE

I believe you need the Heavy Duty cart for the PA. I think the descriptions state the weight capacities.

The older carts were tack welded in spots. The new ones are welded all the way around so they don't brake easily like the old ones.

Cart weld issues have been addressed by Wheeleez quite some time ago now. Not an issue anymore.

You might consider having the broken frame welded? Be sure they use stainless.

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

Not an issue anymore? ....... Except for this guy .........

Matt, how can you say it's not a problem anymore when this guy just had 2 of them break on him ........ And to suggest to him that he have it welded is the most insulting example of Hobie's lack of customer concern and customer service

As the head of accessories, You've gotta be kidding ........ But unfortunately you aren't ......... Same with your attitude about the covers and the live wells and most of the PA accessories. You continue to produce over priced substandard untested accessories that continue to fail and you expect the customer to fix at their expense as you did here. Your responses continue to be absolutely unbelievable.

You're right ....... The Hobie Website gives you very little information. I think it use to give you some specs but I don't see any now.

I found the information on the ACK website for the HD Cart. It says it has a capacity of over 200 lbs. Since the PA 14 weighs 140 lbs without all of your tackle, you probably need the HD Cart. Just sayin

You got your first cart in 2012, then the replacement frame 11 months later (in 2013). I'm pretty sure the weld problem had not been corrected yet when you got the replacement frame.

I had a cart frame break in 2011, another in early 2013, then another in 2014. Each time I took them to the dealer and they were exchanged for new ones. The only cart with the improved weld was the last one I recieved in 2014, (way better weld, and very strong). I'm pretty certain it will never break again ( thank you Economy Tackle in Sarasota,fl you guys rock).
Bob

What is shown on the website is more accessory concept-oriented. We don't have a consumer parts sales site. Details or our parts and accessories are in the catalog. Page 14-15 of the current one: http://cdn.hobiecat.com/digital_assets/87367027-international-kayaking-parts-catalog.pdf

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

The essential questions are:

Is there any difference between the cart frames for the Standard and Heavy Duty cart?

Do the wheels alone determine a cart's weight capacity?

Has anyone used the Hobie Universal Cart with their Pro Angler?

Same frame: 80045011 HOBIE FRAME STD/HVY CART

Wheels determine capacity of HD vs Standard carts.

Universal carts... I don't like them really. Harder to load the boat on them and maintain the cart in position. Originally designed for kayaks without appropriate scuppers.

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

Well luckily I have a friend that can weld. Wheels are now repaired. I will now add heavy duty wheels from harbor freight or some other low cost option. I'm glad I didn't waste money on a new frame.

I have to say I'm more than a bit disappointed. I love my hobie but the wheels need a redesign (and lower price). I know hobie can come up with something better and more durable. I won't hold my breath for a drop in price.

I have many "hobie friends". None of us are happy with the wheels and all have had issues.

Come on Hobie! Get it right!

Must repeat:

Years ago now. We are still suffering the fallout.

We have been looking at our own cart solution for years. Not that easy to do better or cheaper.

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

Matt, have you checked out the cart the fellows in Australia use? It seems to have more strength, and it can be disassembled to fit into the forward hatch.

I'm very happy with the revised HD cart for my TI that I got (I think in early 2014). It has gone thru the ringer of use and keeps on going where all my older carts would have broken by now. You can spot the newer carts easily by the weld on the axle (welded all the way around (looks like it's tig welded)). Also the Tuff foam filled tires hold up over time very well.
Bob

Hobie Cat Australasia sells the same carts we do. If from another supplier, let them (HCA) know and we can look at them.

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)