Return to Hobie.com
Hobie Forums
It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 2:14 pm

All times are UTC - 8 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 10 posts ] 
Author Message
PostPosted: Fri Mar 27, 2015 9:09 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Mon Aug 05, 2013 10:55 am
Posts: 5
I currently have a H14 and H16. I am considering buying a Tiger or WildCat. I have an opportunity to buy a used set of 8' cat trax. My question is, can I use the 8' trax with a WildCat (should I decided to get one) or should I just buy a new set of 8.5' trax?. And, if I get the 8.5' trax can I use them with the H14 and H16 as is without the wheels rubbing? What is the difference in the wheel separation between the 8' and 8.5' (or do they just add 3" to each end)? I know it is easy to drill a new hole and move the wheels but I anticipate having all three on the beach at once and would prefer not to adjust every time I launch.

Thanks,
-John


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Fri Mar 27, 2015 10:30 am 
Offline
Site Admin

Joined: Tue May 27, 2003 12:44 pm
Posts: 15027
Location: Oceanside, California
You will need the 8.5 foot bar. You can carry a Hobie 16 or even 14 on the cradles for an 8.5 foot boat as I recall. The 14 and 16 keels are pretty wide and would be near the inner width of the wider boats.

Worst case you move the tires in a little.

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


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Fri Mar 27, 2015 5:45 pm 
Online
Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Mon May 09, 2005 10:25 am
Posts: 4176
Location: Jersey Shore
Buy the 8 foot wide trax and extend them if you get an F18. Extending the trax is easy. Murrays used to sell a kit that allowed you to extend the 8 foot axle for use on larger boats, but you can easily make your own if you're reasonably handy.

The axle on the Trax is 2" OD tubing (double check that). Get a piece of aluminum tubing with approximately a 2.125" ID and at least a .125" wall that is about 1.5 feet long to act as a sleeve. Drill a 1/4" hole 3" from one end of the sleeve, another hole at 9" and a third hole at 15". Cut the axle. Drill a 1/4" diameter hole 3" in from the cut on each axle half. One side of the sleeve gets permanently thru-bolted to one of the axle halves with a 1/4" diameter bolt and nyloc nut. For the other side, use a 1/4" diameter clevis pin (the pin can be fashioned from a hex bolt, just drill a hole in the end of the bolt for a split ring). When you want to use the wheels with your H16, use them in the closed position. When you want to use them with the F18, extend them to the wide position.

We did this when we had both a H18 and a H20 and it worked just fine.

sm


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed Apr 15, 2015 9:29 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Mon Aug 05, 2013 10:55 am
Posts: 5
Thanks for all the advice. I went ahead and ordered the 8.5' from my Hobie dealer but when they arrive they did not have the end caps or black end sock. I called Florida Sailcraft and they said most 8.5' are ordered with cradles but the dealer or Hobie should caught that. They said one or another they would make it right but haven't heard back yet. I also talked to my dealer and they are working on it.

-John


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed Apr 15, 2015 1:12 pm 
Offline
Site Admin

Joined: Tue May 27, 2003 12:44 pm
Posts: 15027
Location: Oceanside, California
Yes, the 8.5 foot version requires additional cradles ordered separately. It says that right in the catalog.

Hobie could not have "caught" that... Order entry staff have no idea what the use is when in a dealer orders. It is just another part number to us at that point.

You would need cradles for the wild cat, so that is what you order for all uses. Order #1624 Cradles (CAT CRADLES, FITS ALL BOATS, CAT TRAX, TRAILERS
INCLUDES HARDWARE).

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


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed Apr 15, 2015 7:35 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Mon Aug 05, 2013 10:55 am
Posts: 5
As I mentioned in an earlier post, I want to use the trax with my h14 and h16 now with the option to use them with a wildcat should I get one. I do not need cradles today. I assumed the trax would come with the end caps and axel pads like the picture. I would hate to return the 8.5' and reorder the 8' just to get the end caps. I see that there is a separate part number for replacement end caps (1620) for $25 each but that is pretty outrageous after paying around $500 (trax and shipping) for what I thought was a complete set.

-John


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Thu Apr 16, 2015 1:42 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Mon Aug 05, 2013 10:55 am
Posts: 5
Hi Matt,
I would like you to respond to this before I make a formal complaint with Hobie (It will probably go to you anyway I assume). I ordered what I thought was a 6" longer version of the your 8' Cat Trax product (1621). The picture in the catalog clearly shows the product with end caps and axel pads. I paid the same price for the 8.5' version (1622) as I would have paid for the 8' product. What I received did not include the end caps or axel pads. The catalog does have a comment next to the 8' version saying that end caps and axel pads are included. The 8.5' version does say that cradles are require for the H20 (4801001) and H21SC (1624) but I assumed that cradles and axel pads were included as with the 8' version due to the price and picture (ambiguous at best and works out to around a $60 difference with the ends caps (1620) being $25 each and axel pads $11 a set not including shipping for 6"s of aluminum tubing).

My dealer contacted hobie (or the distributor) and they basically said what you wrote in your previous post "you got what you ordered". My argument is that what I got was not what I thought I ordered based on catalog advertisement. I tried to do my homework before ordering by contacting this forum and talking to my dealer. At no time did anyone say that the product would not include the above mentioned items (you did refer to cradles for F18 in your previous post but not that they were mutually exclusive) nor does the catalog say that end cap/axel pad are not include (like the picture). My options seem to be return everything and reorder (paying for shipping .. again) or buy the needed parts. My dealer said they would sell me the end caps and pads at cost so it is basically a wash in terms of money plus the hassle.

I am a life long Hobie advocate and have spend A LOT of money on Hobie products. I am starting to feel 'nickeled and dimmed' by a company that was founded on community and support. I hope you will consider making this right by providing the missing items at no cost and changing the catalog to explicitly say 'items not included' or give the option of ordering with or with out at the same price.

Best regards,
-John


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Thu Apr 16, 2015 3:36 pm 
Offline
Site Admin

Joined: Tue May 27, 2003 12:44 pm
Posts: 15027
Location: Oceanside, California
Sorry for confusing you.

My exact quote (answer to the quote from you)
Quote:
I am considering buying a Tiger or WildCat


Quote:
You will need the 8.5 foot bar. You can carry a Hobie 16 or even 14 on the cradles for an 8.5 foot boat as I recall. The 14 and 16 keels are pretty wide and would be near the inner width of the wider boats.


The catalog states that cradles are required for that version and that the other two have the rubber hoses and end caps. I think it is pretty clear.

Image

Fyi... we don't charge more for the 8' 6"... we charge a flat price for all three offered based on what Cat Trax makes and sells these for. They are not made by Hobie Cat and we don't set pricing.

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


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Thu Apr 16, 2015 8:33 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Mon Aug 05, 2013 10:55 am
Posts: 5
The image in the catalog shows ends on them. It is misleading.

My point is that

Quote:
I paid the same price for the 8.5' version (1622) as I would have paid for the 8' product.


so why aren't the ends included and why do I have to pay extra for them now.

This is no longer productive and I will just deal with it.

-John


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sun Aug 16, 2015 7:54 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Fri Apr 13, 2012 7:35 pm
Posts: 626
Location: Tuscaloosa, AL
As mentioned before the cradles are needed for the wildcat and mentioned the the are seperate.


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 10 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 8 hours [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 0 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Jump to:  
© Hobie Cat Company. All rights reserved.
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group