The beach has gotten very steep this year. It would be great to have powered cat trax.
Assumptions, it won't go in water
Smooth tires will grip in sand
Maybe driven with a Dewalt portable drill and timing belt.
This may become a huge project t fast. I have access to a machine shop and welder.
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John
Nacra 5.0
CT
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Motori,ed Cat Trax?
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Posted: Sep 04, 2023 - 07:44 AM
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Posted: Sep 04, 2023 - 11:25 AM
It's an interesting idea, but Cat Trax are a fixed axle with free-rotating wheels on delrin bearing rods. There is no place for a drive mechanism. I have used block and tackle, and could see a winch being used to move Cat Trax a short distance up steep beach. I'm in the same situation this year as the beach has eroded out enough that when I try to muscle the cat up, the wheels get caught on the face of the cut. That's not too bad, but it would be nice to get some mechanical assist.
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Tom
NACRA 5.7 (1984 Sail 181)
Pennsylvania
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Posted: Sep 04, 2023 - 12:26 PM
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Posted: Sep 04, 2023 - 08:23 PM
If the embankment has fallen away, can you keep a couple of 2x10s on the beach to put out as a ramp? -
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Posted: Sep 04, 2023 - 11:19 PM
Aluminium A frame that clamps to the Cat Trax axel with a couple of large hose clamps, the pointy end hitching on to a unit like this, I like it.
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1335 XTSea Nacra 5.8 NA
605 Nacra 4.5
Cleveland Yacht Club
Brisbane, AU
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Posted: Sep 05, 2023 - 09:43 AM
I have a worm drive come-along (a very rare find) that I converted to use a battery drill and 3mm dyneema. Spools up 100ft of line. I hook to the mast base, run the drill with one hand and attempt to do pitch control with the other. The free end of the line is to a danforth in the sand. Handy in a pinch but not a speedy way to move a boat.
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FYC, Nacra 5.2 "Chris's Flyer" & Nacra Playcat & Farrier Tramp
Previously owned: Trac 14, H14, H16, H18, N5.0, G-cat 5.0
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Posted: Sep 05, 2023 - 10:57 AM
Pease share a picture!
I would not recommend the mast base, i had a very dangerous incident long time ago: was pulling the boat out of the water from the mast base and the mast base came off the mast. Fortunately I got help and lowered the mast safely, but it was very close to disaster. It was a project boat and there were “design” flaws that that I hadn’t seen, but still, it may be potentially very dangerous. -
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Posted: Sep 05, 2023 - 11:38 AM
Consider tying a bridle to the rear beam and pulling the boat up backwards. Plenty strong.
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Bill Townsend
G-Cat 5.0
Sarasota
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Posted: Sep 05, 2023 - 07:08 PM
the ol' atv winch with a remote may be the solution. put the wheels under the cat, hook a line from the cat (make a bridal for the bows or sterns) and walk with the boat (to keep it level) and with the wireless remote .... winch away
winch can be on your vehicle or create a portable system by mounting it on a base and use some type of anchors to keep it in place
Dave farmer used to do this and somewhere on this site is his setup
Edit:
https://www.thebeachcats.…ictures?g2_itemId=113087
Edited by MN3 on Sep 05, 2023 - 07:10 PM. -
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Posted: Sep 06, 2023 - 05:13 AM
Great ideas, thanks. The worm drive winch and anchor is a simple solution. This one is $100 DUTTON LAISON WG1500 WORM GEAR WINCH 1500lb
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John
Nacra 5.0
CT
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Posted: Sep 06, 2023 - 10:18 AM
My battery drill winch. The black tape is to cover the greased bronze bearing.
Do the math on the winch speed for this or an ATV winch. Typically it is painfully slow. If you make the drum fatter you can pickup some speed. Also a 1:2 ratio setup (an anchor in the sand by your boat and a block on the winch line) will double the pull speed.
Edited by rch701 on Sep 06, 2023 - 10:22 AM.
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FYC, Nacra 5.2 "Chris's Flyer" & Nacra Playcat & Farrier Tramp
Previously owned: Trac 14, H14, H16, H18, N5.0, G-cat 5.0
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