Like a pig on ice!

I am talking about me, the Wave, and the Trax beach wheels slipping around.

Anyone got any Mother Earth News type solutions for using beach wheels and not cussing?

Here's what I have been doing --

From the Carnai trailer that the Wave is on, I push the boat back until it is almost at the tipping point. Then I position the wheels under the rear crossbeam. Then I lift the bow off the trailer and push the boat back onto the beach wheels and then rest the bows on the ground.

Then I start repositioning the beach wheels and that's when the fun starts!

The wheels scoot left, the boat scoots right. I pull the boat along, the wheels hit a bump and jump around cockeyed. On more uneven ground, it gets even worse.

The trax instructions say to have two people slide the trax under from the bow and then tie the ropes that extend out of the end caps to the shroud adjusters.

* I don't like the fact that the beach wheel ropes extend out of the beveled end caps and as a result put pressure on the plastic bevels. The end caps don't seem strong enough to take much abuse before they'd break.

* I don't like putting that kind of pressure on the shroud adjusters, they are not, in my opinion, made for that. I started tying rope on the wheel axle and then to the front crossbeam.

* I don't like the fact that the boat has to go from trailer to ground and then onto beach wheels.

It would be nice if there were a way to attach the beach wheels to the boat and then just gently ease the boat off the trailer onto the wheels -- but there appears to be no practical method for that.

The other alternative is to go from trailer to some type of cradles or cushioning on the ground and then onto the beach wheels, but that is just one more thing to lug around... although cradles that go between beach/ground are often used.

Does anyone have a quick and easy and efficient design for cradles that go between beach/ground and boat?

(No, flotation vests aren't made for that.)

I will post a pic of Trax later, but they are the ones in the catalog -- in all cat catalogs.

It seems that there are more troubles with boats on land -- rigging, trailering, beach wheels -- then there are troubles on the water...

When I've used Tiger Trax with a Wave, I really haven't had any of the problems you describe.

Are the Trax significantly wider than the boat? The ones I have used were about the same width, so the rope went straight up, with no particular pressure on the end cap.

The chain plates for the shroud adjusters are very tough. The strain of the wind on the sail is much more than you could put on the Trax rope.

Not knowing your trailer configuration, does the Wave sit about as high as the Trax axle? It would seem you should be able to put the Trax just behind the trailer, then slide the Wave back to being nearly balanced on the axle, but still slightly on the trailer; then tie the ropes onto the chainplates. Once secured, you roll the Wave back off the trailer and snug up the ropes if necessary.

For putting boat back on the Trax by myself, I lay them in front of the bows and push up on the bridle shackle, to lift the bows, then kick the Trax underneath. I move back and lift the crossbar, then kick them back farther. Then I run around and tie the ropes, aiming to keep the axle under the chainplates. (I know some people start from the back, but this has always worked for me.)

Does any of this help?

_________________
What - Me Worry?


2006 Hobie Wave 7358
"Ish Kabibble"

Yes, Indy, that helps some. However, I could counter, saying that damaged chain plates are the price of a new hull and the clearance of trailer axles are more than Trax axles...

Probably cradles for the Trax are my answer.

No racking back and forth once the boat is on the Trax that way.

Notice there are some in the catalog but specs aren't clear...

...but, in addition to ease of use, I am trying to protect the hulls. (Yes, I know rotomolded is tough tough tough.)

Subconsciously, I must be preparing for a Tiger!

? I don't quite follow you there...

Actually, I don't own any Trax myself; my boat spends most of the time on a dirt/sand shore, and I just drag it in and out.

But the FL condo I go to each February has had a pair of Waves for about 7 years, and they use the blue Tiger Trax nearly every day to get them across a wide beach to the gulf. Tying to the chainplates is standard procedure, and they're still in great shape, despite a lot of disrespectful users.

I will say the Cat Trax with cradles and T-handle (seen in the photo on the other post, behind my boat on the trailer) did make the task much easier, when I took my boat to the spring regatta. They lined up well to slide the boat off and back onto the trailer.

_________________
What - Me Worry?


2006 Hobie Wave 7358
"Ish Kabibble"

The trax should have a rubber hose on the axel? Black high pressure hose. That keeps the boat from sliding like ice, but still maybe... like a greased pig.

The trax end caps have been the same for decades.

The chain plate is at (or near) the perfect balance point, so that is where you need to tie off the trax. We have been doing that for many, many years without problem.

Use the generic cradles # 1624 "all others". These fit a cat trax axel. You still need to tie off at the chain plate for balance.

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

http://www.intl-fiberglass.com/rigging_parts.html

I just saw this.

Click on the slide show for "Trailer with Dolly Built-In"

Is that overkill? Or just a way to launch carefully?

I have no specifics/details on it. Looks intriguing.

I checked into orders the cradles today, Matt.

The trailer/dolly looks like a great idea to me too. Doesn't look too expensive to fabricate either.

I'm thinking maybe just getting the T-handle for your Tiger Trax might solve most of your problems. The handle is about 6 or 7 feet long, and securely attaches to the middle of the axle, so you can guide the trax under the boat from either end. Once it's on, you then have nice hand grips to hold and steer it as you roll it to the water. There's even a bungee to hold the crossbar onto the handle.

I've helped Skip load and unload his fleet of Waves for regattas, and those delux Cat Trax made the job pretty easy.

_________________
What - Me Worry?


2006 Hobie Wave 7358
"Ish Kabibble"

Here's a dolly with t-bar pic from a post at catsailor:



Modified t-bar obviously. But very stable, also obviously.

I think that cradles are going to stop most of my problem with the Wave.

However, you asked before Indy:



I think what you have asked is: Is the keel of the Wave when it is on the trailer the same height as the bar on Trax when the Trax is on the ground. If so, the answer is no.

On the trailer, the Wave's skegs are approx between knee and waist level up. The Trax axle is 6" to 8" above the ground.

So, the boat would have to be 1.) shoved off the trailer to 2.) the point -- still on the trailer -- where the Trax can be attached under the crossbar (with the mast up too, btw) and 3.) then pushed off directly onto the Trax.

For safety sake, tipping the boat off the trailer with mast up is a weird juggle that has potential for damage to boat and/or persons if not done carefully. This is not something I have wanted to attempt yet.

This is probably all a matter of technique which I haven't worked out yet...

However, it looks like to me that I might need some "keel shoes" that will protect the keel as the boat angles off the trailer to the point that I am off the trailer and can get the Trax attached.

Either that or a large piece of carpet to flop the boat onto!

The boat in the pic above is an A cat. I assume this launching off trailer to beach wheels is a common operation not just for Waves but for all cats that have to trailered.

Of course, a lot depends on the conditions where you launch.

I understand your problem now, with the height of the keel being so far above the trax axle. I guess the trailers I've seen haven't been quite that tall. Would it help to tip the trailer up, lowering the back? A lot of trailers have a hinge in the tongue, or just unhook it?

On the Hobie kayak forum, someone suggested carpenter's knee pads for skeg protectors, replacing the leg strap with an appropriate bungee. The Wave's a lot heavier than a kayak, but they might work.

The beach wheels I've used don't have the extra bend in the front of the T-handle, just a straight pipe to the axle. Then it can be used in front or back; in back was actually easier.

_________________
What - Me Worry?


2006 Hobie Wave 7358
"Ish Kabibble"

Still looking for chock material if anyone has any clues...

Like this would be great:



Joke is, in the distant past, I have thrown into the trashcan this kind of flotation material. Now it is rare!

Did find a cheaper version of this and use the blocks for the Wave:

http://www.rei.com/product/662054

Fits on the keel fin like guards on ice skates.

Uh huh: Yes, I know the Wave's hull is not round.

I think I found my dream bottom chocks/fenders!