Questions about beach launching

I'm new to hobie cats, but not new to sailing. I want to beach launch, and I had a few questions.

If I launch from Galveston Island (e.g. way out on Jamaica beach or thereabouts) where I can just drive on the beach, is there any issue with just putting the trailer wheels right at the water's edge? I just can't see paying $500+ for beach wheels. That's more than the cost of the boat at this point. I actually don't even need to back the car. The trailer is easy to push by hand, and Galveston sand is firm. I realize this may look stupid, but no less than the ancient boat, I'm sure.

On the other hand, I have a Parker 470, and I use kayak wheels on that to trundle it to the water. Since the Hobie Cat is roughly the same weight, I wonder if I couldn't just buy another set of those and strap one to each hull. Maybe brace between them. They're $30 each, which is a lot less than $500. I get that the Cat Trax are the Bee's Knees and all that, but I don't really want to invest in them just yet.

Which Hobie Cat do you have? A 16 might be able to be pulled over dry sand, but once you get to the wet stuff then the sand begins to grip the hulls and it can be difficult. Also consider landing. Dragging a boat through shallows isn't much fun. If you have four moderately strong people then the boat may be carried in and out of the water. How's your back?

Try the wheels you have and let us know how they work.

I'm a little concerned that the boat is valued less than $500. Are you sure it is sea-worthy? Imagine a dismast or broken hull and trying to get back to shore through shallows and surf.

I went over the boat before I bought it. It's been in covered storage for some time, but all the parts are there and functioning. No real soft spots. It's a 1975 Hobie 16. The previous owner was meticulous, and kept records going back to the beginning. Even has the original manual. It needs a few things here and there, but it's solid and all the functional pieces work. Could eventually use a new trampoline and probably a new mainsail, but for now, the existing one is still supple.

If I were to theorize why this boat went for as little as it did, I think the owner poisoned the well a bit by offering it at too low a price in an attempt to unload it (originally listed at $800). I expected far more to be wrong with it, but it was in surprisingly good shape.