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I am actually working on a portable beach wench that I can use to haul the boat up the incline of the beach.

Hobie Nick wrote:

I am actually working on a portable beach wench that I can use to haul the boat up the incline of the beach.

Wish I could find a beach wench to haul my boat up the beach.....but if she was strong enough to do that, she could probably kick my butt!

Just a bump to see what the latest on Cat-Trax technology is these days....

One of my Cat-Trax tires went permanently T.U. on me here on the beach in Puerto Penasco..... Even Slime didn't work on it =(

Happy Cinco everybody!

I just built a set using the 1.75 PVC with a 1.5 aluminum tube insert. Still bows the wheels with 16 on it but it does work. May redo with 1.75 aluminum tube with thicker wall ( Green tape holding carpet while adhesive dries!)

Update! The aluminum tube was to thin walled and the bend remained. I had a piece of galvanized fence post (also 1.5) and tried that. Worked much better but the 1.75 pvc wouldn't fit over so I'm off to Depot for 2" PVC. Tried moving the boat and it was fine!

Author:	oahu16 [ Tue Apr 24, 2007 2:34 pm ]
Post subject:	Thanks Tom
Appreciate the input. John

Author:	borgsted99 [ Thu Oct 21, 2010 10:17 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Cat Trax
I found these. Google: Taylor dock wheels 18" for 2" axle. Haven't ordered yet, but they look hopeful. Just looking to contribute. http://www.westmarine.com/1/1/97475-doc ... nt-18.html One could order the replacement wheel and rig their own axle, or order with the dock mount and modify. I'll probably go for just the wheels and noodle something together. It's october 21st and I think last sunday was the last day I'll trick my girlfriend into going out, new O'neil booties or not. And that leaves me plenty of cold nights to smoke cigarettes and think/design/order/construct etc. I just finished my mast step winch setup (electric, saves my energy) and am looking for a new pile of parts to angrily shake my fist at, kick, think about in bed, develop new ideas for, and noodle with. I need a new design to obsess over on my commute and while I lie in bed. Or when my girlfriend is telling me about how the one girl at work.....something something. What's that babe? Sorry, I was envisioning homemade cradles. No, for the boat. What were you saying?

Author:	Lone Palm [ Sat May 05, 2012 8:49 am ]
Post subject:	Re:
Hobie Nick wrote: I am actually working on a portable beach wench that I can use to haul the boat up the incline of the beach. Wish I could find a beach wench to haul my boat up the beach.....but if she was strong enough to do that, she could probably kick my butt! Just a bump to see what the latest on Cat-Trax technology is these days.... One of my Cat-Trax tires went permanently T.U. on me here on the beach in Puerto Penasco..... Even Slime didn't work on it =( Happy Cinco everybody!

Author:	RockyPointRookie [ Sun May 06, 2012 11:02 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Re:
Lone Palm wrote: Hobie Nick wrote: I am actually working on a portable beach wench that I can use to haul the boat up the incline of the beach. Wish I could find a beach wench to haul my boat up the beach.....but if she was strong enough to do that, she could probably kick my butt! Just a bump to see what the latest on Cat-Trax technology is these days.... One of my Cat-Trax tires went permanently T.U. on me here on the beach in Puerto Penasco..... Even Slime didn't work on it =( Happy Cinco everybody! You'd be better off getting a beach wench, she could go T.U. on you at the beach and at night too! LOOOOL! Where is a good place to perhaps find a used set of Cat Trax?

Author:	RockyPointRookie [ Sun May 06, 2012 11:40 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Cat Trax
I was thinking about making myself a set os these immitation Cat Trax and was thinking about using aircraft wheels, does anyone have any opinion?

Hobie Forums http://www.hobie.com/forums/

Cat Trax http://www.hobie.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=2426	Page 3 of 4

Author:	dorienc [ Sun Feb 10, 2013 11:14 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Cat Trax
I'm thinking dock wheels and conduit. Price at Fleet Farm is under $35 each and 1 -1/2" conduit isn't expensive. Maybe $100 all in? I build one years ago using a single 30 gallon plastic barrel as a roller under the middle of the boat. Worked OK. I bolted on wooden ends for the conduit to ride on.

Author:	grizzou [ Sat Aug 03, 2013 6:03 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Cat Trax
Some years later, for the ones who like me whant to find a copy of the article DougHobie17 is talking about, an article that exist no more on the official web, here is a copy made by the Internet Archive initiative... http://web.archive.org/web/20090831014012/http://geocities.com/mec_coleman/tip13.htm Thanks to them for saving the Web a page at the time...

Author:	dorienc [ Mon Aug 12, 2013 5:03 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Cat Trax
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, and 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. Here's a link to a couple photos on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/100085529@N02/sets/72157635017809482/ It's funny, since I bought most of the options and toys for my Get: Spinnaker, wings, trap lines, marine radio, toy box, Torqeedo motor, Cheeta motor mount...but it rankled to spend $500 for Cat Trax. Although my home made ones aren't pneumatic.

Author:	Kernel_Panic [ Wed Jan 21, 2015 5:31 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Cat Trax
I made one from the following parts list for less than $150. 2) used golf cart wheels and tires $40 (Craigslist) 6) 1-1/2" schedule 80 pvc pipe flanges $68.46 (Grainger) 1) 1-1/2" x 10' schedule 80 pvc pipe $20.94 (Grainger) 1/2" x 2-1/2" Hex Bolts, Nuts, Cut Washers, Lock Washers $15 (Home Depot) Pictures at: https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/106762135861927301326/albums/6106948507821485057 You can get these flanges and pipe cheaper, but I liked the help at Grainger, you can do store pickup there. The 1-1/2" flanges are on a 4" bolt circle and fit the wheel lugs perfectly. Used golf cart wheels and tires can be bough for $5 but these are 10.5" wide. The 10' pipe allows me to support a wider beam catamaran. The whole thing breaks down without tools for hauling on the cat trailer. I used a rotary rasp in a 3/8" drill to take the shoulder off the inside of the flanges and rounded them out with a rolled up 80 grit sander belt so they free spin on the pipe, the only other tool needed was a 3/4 " socket to bolt the flanges and hubs together. Just wiggle them around on the axle so they free spin well when you tighten the flanges. The 1/2" bolts are overkill but they fit snug and keep everything alighed well. You could probably use nylon 1/2" bolts just as well to save weight, but the entire assembly is not that heavy. The only flaw is the flex in the span between the wheels causing an arch in the axle with load on the outside of the wheels; but If I keep the wheels close to the inboard of the hulls it should be fine, if not I can add stiffness inside of the axle with a 1-1/2" wooden dowel. I havent tried it with a catameran yet but I plan on testing it as soon as I get my hobie out of storage. I'll let you know how it turns out!

Author:	buxton [ Thu Feb 19, 2015 4:08 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Cat Trax
I use the rear end out of lawn tractors with 18" x 8" tires on 8" rims (Up to 21" x 10"), put a 24v scooter motor, speed controller and battery. I built a frame to bolt to the rear end that holds a 8' piece of supper strut for a cross bar in front of the tires and made a handle like a wheelbarrow. I will pull the boat on from the rear until the rear crossbar sits on the handle. We can get 4-5 18's and 16's across a span of 75-100' of sand at lake Erie on one battery charge. One person can move a boat with no problem. I was going to make them to sell but I need to get $700-800 to make it worth it and most people don't want to spend that amount of money.

Author:	SnSBuck [ Thu Apr 02, 2015 1:31 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Cat Trax
Pics ? Better yet, video ?

Author:	harddock [ Fri Jul 03, 2015 12:09 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Cat Trax
I just built a set using the 1.75 PVC with a 1.5 aluminum tube insert. Still bows the wheels with 16 on it but it does work. May redo with 1.75 aluminum tube with thicker wall ( Green tape holding carpet while adhesive dries!) Update! The aluminum tube was to thin walled and the bend remained. I had a piece of galvanized fence post (also 1.5) and tried that. Worked much better but the 1.75 pvc wouldn't fit over so I'm off to Depot for 2" PVC. Tried moving the boat and it was fine!

Author:	buxton [ Fri Jul 03, 2015 3:54 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Cat Trax
I've been busy with a illness in the family but will post some photos of my power trax within the week. I don't plan to patten it like my pivoting camera mount so anyone can copy it.

Author:	sxrracer [ Sun Aug 16, 2015 7:40 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Cat Trax
harddock wrote: I just built a set using the 1.75 PVC with a 1.5 aluminum tube insert. Still bows the wheels with 16 on it but it does work. May redo with 1.75 aluminum tube with thicker wall ( Green tape holding carpet while adhesive dries!) Update! The aluminum tube was to thin walled and the bend remained. I had a piece of galvanized fence post (also 1.5) and tried that. Worked much better but the 1.75 pvc wouldn't fit over so I'm off to Depot for 2" PVC. Tried moving the boat and it was fine! Where did you get the wheels

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Author:	PJW [ Sat Aug 13, 2016 8:42 am ]
Post subject:	Poor mans beach dolly
I made a beach dolly for my Hobie Getaway. I used mainly wood instead of metal to keep the cost down. I used 2" perforated square tube for the wheels which allowed easy clamping to some 2x4's. In total there are 17 clamps and cost me about $150. See attached pictures.