Hi
Can you recommend beach wheels for a very heavy nacra 5.8 loaded with diving and fishing gear?
I'd be keen to build a custom set up if required.
I am looking at going through a couple of 100m of dry sand, and it’s an epic workout with my current yellow hard beach wheels.
Beach wheels for very heavy Nacra 5.8 300 m dry sand dune crossing
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Posted: Nov 01, 2020 - 06:20 PM
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Posted: Nov 02, 2020 - 01:23 AM
aussailfish, welcome to TheBeachcats.com!
Wow, that would be a workout, no matter the wheels, the 5.8 isn't a lightweight and loaded with gear! Are you doing this alone? Even if the ground is hard and flat that would be a feat.
We've been through the "try to build better beach wheels" hundreds of times in the history of this site. In some cases for very specific uses some home builders have been successful, but most have not.
The proven and very best wheels for moving beachcats are still the actual Cat Trax. Yes, they are expensive, but they work wonders, and they last forever. So recommend skipping to the end of the line, just bite the bullet and buy some. https://floridasailcraft.…/catamaran-beach-wheels/
And get them with cradles, makes all the difference, especially alone.
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Damon Linkous
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Posted: Nov 02, 2020 - 08:48 AM
I would 2nd the recommendation for the Cat Trax. With two adults i've been able to move my H21sc around the beach. A third person is needed in really soft sand but i'm also pushing the limits at nearly 700lbs+ for a fully loaded boat. It's one of those things that you may not use regularly but worth every penny when you need it. Plus the comments about it's design are 100% correct. Besides having to potentially replace the tires every 10-15 years, the only thing i've found that needs maintenance are the valve stems which are $5. It really is a product that will last you forever. -
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Posted: Nov 02, 2020 - 09:33 AM
Ditto - tires can be had at wally world on-line for about $30 each - the axle can be replaced with 1 and 7/8" O.D. 6061 T-6 PIPE (not tube) instead of the supplied 2" O.D. tube for a little more strength. I bowed my original one with my 21SE, fully loaded (600+ pounds). The pipe has a way thicker wall and is much, much cheaper. The 1/8 smaller diameter doesn't bother the "needle bearings" (round HDPE rods). The only thing you truly can't find are those rims - they are unique and special to the success of getting the big, balloon tires to work. BTW, hard plastic is only good for hard surfaces. Once you go to good balloon tires and balance the boat well, a couple of moderately strong people can move it without too much incline.
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Chuck C
NACRA 500 Mk2
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Posted: Nov 02, 2020 - 11:05 AM
OP screenname and use of metric system makes me think they may not be in the CONUS (us)
EuroTrax may be the better option (as shipping from florida to the other side of the world may cost more than the boat) -
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Posted: Nov 04, 2020 - 05:28 PM
Diving gear, as in tanks?
Maybe two sets of cat trax...?
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Posted: Nov 13, 2020 - 07:41 PM
+1 to the thicker tube, if you want to store it on wheels. I have a length and it’s incredibly strong. Not much heavier to move around. Just harder to cut and drill.
Yes- Cradles are a must. But I would add the optional handle/bar to a normal cattrax and install a third wheel on it. Like a trike.
Using 2 sets of cattrax is another way to go but might be awkward to deal with in the water, and cost more.
Whichever you get, make sure ALL the delrin rollers are installed and keep the tire pressures at the high end of the range. Those 2 items make a huge difference.
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Prindle 18
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Posted: Nov 16, 2020 - 08:52 AM
+1 on the Delrin needle bearings. Even one missing has a difference, but still usable. Problem is, there's no excuse to not have them. The dang stuff is cheap:
https://www.mcmaster.com/acetal/wear-resistant-easy-to-machine-delrin-acetal-resin-rods-and-discs/
Yeah, it says "not for outdoors" (not UV stabilized, I guess), but the bearings aren't exposed to sunlight, so they should last just fine. Guessing mine are original and they have worn a bit from sand and are discolored. And I'm moving about 550-600# around on them, not too difficult. A third wheel would be great, but can't figure that geometry out...
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Chuck C
NACRA 500 Mk2
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Posted: Nov 16, 2020 - 07:36 PM
I bought the Cat Trax with cradles about 5 years ago for my '84 NACRA 5.7. The Trax allow me to pull the boat single handed from the water to the dry over a rocky/sandy incline. I used to use blocks and tackle to haul it, and that was obviously damaging to the hulls. I refinished the boat a few years ago and the Cat Trax were an essential part of renewing the boat and allowing me to handle it on land and loading on the trailer as I got older. I though the Delrin bearings were standard on the Cat Trax brand?
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Tom
NACRA 5.7 (1984 Sail 181)
Pennsylvania
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Posted: Nov 16, 2020 - 08:11 PM
They are, but they age and get lost sometimes. Not that I have lost one from each side or something...
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Chuck C
NACRA 500 Mk2
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Posted: Nov 16, 2020 - 09:15 PM
They are standard, & are available from Florida Sailcraft. If you’re in a bind, they can be made, they are simply 5” pieces of 3/8” delrin rod.
https://www.thebeachcats.…604f58c2a29c322e7225ae06
Edited by Edchris177 on Nov 17, 2020 - 06:13 AM.
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