Homemade Beach Dolly?

I have never been someone who takes the easy route. Be a man/tough it out blah blah. We always dragged, pushed and grunted our cats to and from the shore, because we were men! Then I got a chance to help out at the "Dash" race held here at Surfside Beach. HOLY CRAP was it easy to move a boat with these things!

Soooo, after reading all this and pricing things on my own, I just bought a new set of cat-trax.

I was gonna park them under the boat, with the axle aligned with the hulls, on a couple of cedar 2x4's split just wide enough so the tires wouldn't bounce out. But even before I put the boards on, the tires won't go under the crossbeam. Now what do I do? Where do you guys store your beach wheels? I want them on the trailer as the last thing I need is something else in the garage. Thanks in advance for any ideas.

On top of the hulls in front of the main beam.

Where do you guys store your beach wheels?

On the beach next to the boat 😀

But seriously they are a pain to deal with on a trailer. On top of the hulls in front of the beam is also where I transported mine some. Also sometimes under the boat parallel with the hulls, but they were a pain to get in and out. I would load from the front of the boat.

I just got a prindle 18-2 that was sitting on the trailer for a while. THe rear rollers left a pretty deep dent in the bottoms of both hulls. Luckty I have cradles up front and they did no damage. I don't know how long the boat was on the trailer or how tight it was strapped down but the dents perfectly match the rollers so I am guessing they aer to blame

i used to store my wheels under my cat, parallel to the trailer... i now place them on top of my hulls behind the rear cross beam (as my spin pole and spin bridal make it to hard to store in front).

I too am thinking about takint the plunge to buy a set of cat trax. I just refurbished the bottoms of my boat nad dragging it 2 feet up on the shore is no longer an option. thank you everyone for alll your input.

I'm not sure of your location, but there is a set of cat trax on the okaloosa craigslist(between destin/panama city FL)

get the cat trax with the cradles...i have the old one and the wheels can rub on the inside of the hulls and gouge them up...

dewy2437 wrote: I too am thinking about takint the plunge to buy a set of cat trax. I just refurbished the bottoms of my boat nad dragging it 2 feet up on the shore is no longer an option. thank you everyone for alll your input.

If you REALLY love your boat and bottoms... .you can make craddles out of "noodles" and bungie to slip on the bottoms of your hulls (4) to protect them while on the beach for rigging / de-rigging

Yakster is dedicated to producing inflatable kayak products of the utmost quality. We take great satisfaction in meticulously crafting premium inflatable kayaks designed for long-lasting performance.

https://yaksterusa.com/product/beach-kayak-cart/

Edited by yaksterusa on Nov 15, 2023 - 01:40 AM.

I know it’s an old thread, but it was interesting read. I’m in the camp that real Cattrax cannot be beat. I picked up a set years ago, for $100 CDN, THATS ABOUT $65 USD. I move a Hobie 18 with wings, Nacra 5.7 & 5.0 solo with them.
Here is how they are built, the issues trying to replicate for cheap. Click on photos for full size.
https://www.thebeachcats.com/pictures?g2_itemId=119871&g2_GALLERYSID=3ed6b445e9c799b739c6745ba81919ee

Edited by Edchris177 on Nov 15, 2023 - 11:08 PM.

I tried to re-create them, and you can get most of the parts, EXCEPT those rims which are the key to the whole thing. And, by the time you spend all your time and effort doing that, you could have bought a set new or used and been sailing for a couple of weeks.

Maybe someone can find the hard plastic tires used for floating docks and o the same??? I dunno - but I transport the big 'ol pig across soft sand and nothing beats those inflatable slick Nanking's.

For short trips, I flip them over on the hulls. If I'm traveling 2+ hours, I will place them under the hulls and on top of the trailer, forward of the front beam. Mainly to reduce travel windage. 90% of the time, I am ramp launching Franken and store the wheels on the Tornado trailer. Luckily, I can use the same set of wheels for both boats.

You will never appreciate having real CatTrax more than after trying to build and use a home made version.
Look for a used set and be prepared to drive to get them, or save up and spring for a new set.
None of the praise for CatTrax in this thread is exaggerated.

klozhald wrote: You will never appreciate having real CatTrax more than after trying to build and use a home made version.
Look for a used set and be prepared to drive to get them, or save up and spring for a new set.
None of the praise for CatTrax in this thread is exaggerated.

very good advice... my first boat had some homemade wheels and I hated them. Tires were 3-4" wide and really sucked in soft sand.