I just got my shiny new Cat Trax beach wheels, and I'm pondering how to transport them while the cat is on the trailer. Threading them under the tramp and laying them longwise on the trailer is obvious, but I can't help thinking that's a hull scratching, head bashing, temper flaring kind of thing to do after a long day on the water, especially solo.
So, does anyone have any great ideas about secure ways to transport beach wheels in a way that's super-easy to load and unload?
We put those on top of the hulls. On beach wheels there's soft patches that touch the hulls from the bottom when the cat is on top of the beach wheels. Just turn the beach wheels so that those to point downward and put it on top of the cat (and then use rope or something to secure it...)
I have Cat Trax beach wheels also. They fit nicely inside the frame of my boat's EZ-LOADER trailer under the trampoline. Bungee cords keep them in place.
I just lay them on the tramp and tie to the mast.
I load them forward of the front beam on top of the hulls. Old carpet patch to keep them from rubbing my tramp and under the axle of the wheels to keep them from damaging the hulls. Strap them down with bungees
Mine are upside down on the hulls just forward of the main beam. Then I use a ratchet strap to pull them down. This also helps keep the boat in place.
I like the front hulls idea, but i do have a front tramp that gets in the way. It's triangular, so i could put the wheels a bit further forward if i can figure out a way to tie them down. Today I solved the problem by towing with the F350 and tossing them in the back 🙂
Maybe it's just me but, I wouldn't want something riding around on top of my shiny fiberglass hulls, vibrations, pot holes, bouncing around.... etc. Mine ride just fine in the frame of the trailer and are safe and out of the way.
My CatTrax actually rest on a hydroturf pad on the top of the hull, so not much of an issue. The trax themselves also have padding on the cradles. It would be pretty difficult imagining them doing any damage to the hulls. But if you just have the bars I guess it could happen.
I use several locations on my 6.0
my trax have cradles: typically they are just sitting on the top of the hulls behind the rear beam. I use the ropes that are attached to the cattrax to tie them to the rear beam (I actually loop them under the hulls and then through the beam so they can't bounce up or slide)
Occasionally (If I am driving more than a few miles to my beach) I will tie them the same exact way but hang them under my sterns for better road visibility
thirdly I have a removable cradle that I made. It fits snuggly on my trailer and it hold the cat trax in place at the "Y" of the trailer (forward by the lounge)
On my 5.5 I lost my pvc mast cradle that I put on my front beam so I now put my wheels on my front bows, and rest the mast on it while trailering
It can be a little bit of a pita since I have a spin and the spin bridal gets in the way a little but it's manageable
Edited by MN3 on Jul 18, 2016 - 09:35 AM.
MN3
It's definitely awkward on mine to put them on the bow. I think I'm going to work on a way to thread them onto the trailer from behind without having to clamber underneath.
It's definitely awkward on mine to put them on the bow. I think I'm going to work on a way to thread them onto the trailer from behind without having to clamber underneath.
A friend with a gcat made a simple cradle to hold his wheels on his trailer at the Y
he took some marine grade wood (pvc probably) and mounted 2 bow stops to hold the cattrax bar/axel
this set up is then secured on the trailer
there are a few straps to secure the cattrax to the setup
MN3
I used 2 bow stops bolted to the trailer. Mine fit perfectly on the trailex trailer but I'm sure the same concept can be done on mostly any trailer. Just need two bow stops.
Not meaning to hijack or anything but I really like your hull covers. I have a full cover but it is not meant for traveling. Also, where do you get the treaded tires? Mine are smooth.
martyr wrote: Not meaning to hijack or anything but I really like your hull covers. I have a full cover but it is not meant for traveling. Also, where do you get the treaded tires? Mine are smooth.
The hull covers are from rooke sails out of Memphis.
Those treated tires are very old. They have since been swapped out to the normal smooth tires.
I'm also not far from you. You should come down to Juana's in september
What exactly is "Juana's" ? Is that in Navarre?
Sjbrit, do you have pics of your triangular tramp on the front of your boat that you can send me or post on here? Where did you get it?
davidjones.monavie@gmail.com
Thanks, David
Sjbrit, do you have pics of your triangular tramp on the front of your boat that you can send me or post on here? Where did you get it?
I have a front tramp on both of my cats
one is made of tramp material (made at sunrise yacht)
the other is hand woven net
both are visible here
http://www.thebeachcats.com/index.php?module=forums&func=viewtopic&topic=16057
MN3
MN3, tell me that is not you in your Avatar picture!?!?
And if so, is that the mainsheet wrapped around your ankle?
Wow.
That is not me in my avatar picture
MN3, tell me that is not you in your Avatar picture!?!?
MN3
I just throw them over the hulls about in line with the front crossbar if the trailer and bungee them to said crossbar. The pad I made from walmart camp pads cut layers and glued and attached with bungies. (they need to be remade, getting old) They also make pretty good hull cradles and make it possible to get the boat on wheels by yourself if you need to.
Dustin
Magna, UT
Prindle 18
Late to this, but after a lot of versions I now put the wheels in front of the trailer axel under the hulls. I used to carry them lengthwise under the tramp like ConnorG showed, but it's awkward to get them out while the boat is still on the trailer. And I never like letting the wheels ride on top of the hulls, but I routinely trailer 400+ miles to regattas and it's amazing what damage a little chafe can do at 75 mph.
I made an album in Technical if anyone else wants to share pictures of their setup.
http://www.thebeachcats.com/pictures?g2_itemId=124259&g2_highlightId=124261
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Damon Linkous
DamonLinkous wrote: Late to this, but after a lot of versions I now put the wheels in front of the trailer axel under the hulls. I used to carry them lengthwise under the tramp like ConnorG showed, but it's awkward to get them out while the boat is still on the trailer.
I like that. Lengthwise is easy but, as you say, awkward. I'm going to have a look at mine tomorrow to see if I can wedge them up under the front like that. Seems very secure and easy.