Wheel Carts for AIT

Greeting from sunny Florida. This is my first post in the Forum, hello everyone .

I ordered my AIT in August and according to my dealer it should be arriving soon. I'm very excited and can't wait! Selling my ‘04 Mirage Tandem to help $ for the new boat was an easy decision. I've already built the Trailex Trailer SUT 350-S. Just waiting now for my boat to get here.
[img][img]http://c.imagehost.org/0822/DSC04263.jpg[/img][/img]

My question is this: For transporting a AIT over soft beach sand is anyone using the "Plug-In Hobie Trax2" Wheel Carts but with larger 30cm Wheeleez Polyurethane Beach Wheels? http://www.wheeleez.com/beach-wheels-polyurethane.php

Did the stem of the axle allow for a larger tire? If not, I don't mind building a plug-in type cart that will accommodate a bigger tire and possibly even using a 42cm wheel that will have a greater payload capacity. The problem I've seen with the 24cm wheels is that a AIT is difficult to maneuver because of it's weight.

When you pick up the bow to pull a AIT, the balance is mostly in the back. Wouldn't having a wheel cart placed in the rear scupper holes with sponge rubber balls or Hobie's "Post Collar Clamps" to support the hull, and large enough wheels to handle the weight of a AIT be the way to roll over soft sand?

I understand that Wheel Carts are subjective due to individual's needs, hull shapes and the specific terrains. We have a lot of great beaches to launch from where I live in Florida but with lots of soft sand to get thru. I'm 58 years old and I don't want to hurt my back.

Thank you to everyone for their great posts in this Forum.
sun E sailor

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Sun E Sailor
Ezra Appel
Palm City, Florida
2014 Tandem Island

Is the AIT the same as a TI (Tandem Island)? If it is I have one and also have the plug in cart with the large soft tires.

If you plug the cart into the holes toward the back of the boat you end up carrying a lot of weight. It seems to work better in the forward set. I have not tried pulling it over soft sand yet.

What part of sunny Florida are you in? I'm just south of Jacksonville and if you're close by you can try my cart to see how it works yourself.

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Jerry D.
St. Johns, Florida
2010 TI
2008 AI

dosjers,
The AIT is not the same as a AI. The Tandem weighs in at 190lbs (and that's without any extra gear on it!) It's also longer than an AI.

The times that I'de not be launching off the trailer down a ramp I'll be trying to go thru soft sand on to a beach. That's why I was curious about the idea of building a wheel cart with larger wheels.

I'm in Palm City, on the East Coast about 1 hour north of West Palm Beach.

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Sun E Sailor
Ezra Appel
Palm City, Florida
2014 Tandem Island

To clarify...

AI is Adventure Island

TI is Tandem Island

We didn't include "Adventure" in our descriptive name of the TI as the name started getting a bit long...

"Hobie Mirage Tandem Adventure Island" ... is a mouthful!

... so Tandem Island it is ... or TI for short.

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

Or .... "Hobie Mirage, Super Fast, Super Fun, Tandem, Most Excellent Adventure Island"... the covert name that was tabled just at the last minute.

I just call mine "Bertha" for short.

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2010 Papaya Oasis
2010 Hibiscus TI
A wallet with a hole in it!

sun E sailor,

I asked if the AIT was the same as a TI. I have both the AI and TI.

Next time I'm around soft sand I'll try the cart out as long as there is a tow truck nearby. The specs say the TI is 190 lbs but when you're pulling it around it feels heavier. The good news is that it sails like a rocket.

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Jerry D.
St. Johns, Florida
2010 TI
2008 AI

dosjers,

Yes you are correct, my mistake in the abbreviation department. I'll get this sorted out eventually.

I'll try the wheels in the forward scuppers and with your advice, have a tow truck near by. . But seriously, has anyone tried to build a plug-in type cart utilizing any of the larger Wheeleez balloon type tires with any success?

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Sun E Sailor
Ezra Appel
Palm City, Florida
2014 Tandem Island

I have the fat wheel cart for my TI and not sure its going to work out. The demo boat I used seemed to be fine with the cart with amas tucked back and the cart in the rear set of scupper holes. It is heavy but for a few dozen yards no big deal. With the boat I bought things are different. My amas have the newer or different rear droop look and do not clear the ground and the wheels of the wheelez cart when tucked in. I have to drop them off to use the cart . You may want a taller narrower ride.

Have you tried folding them forward rather than aft?

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The Wind Is Your Friend...

I use the the Wheelez 30cm tire with a KFS plug in cart similar to the Hobie trac cart. The bigger the tire the closer to the bottom of the TI hull it will be, when I changed to the bigger tire I had to add some cutoff noddles on the posts and the frame to keep the hull off the tires. I use the center plugs which balances the kayak nicely. I do break down the TI on the beach, roll it to the side and plug in the cart, turn it on it's wheels and stack the ama's, aka's, seats, pedals, sail and the other gear on the hull, throw a strap around the whole thing and drag it up the beach to wash it off and put it away. The tires are rated for 121lbs so they are over loaded but holding up so far. It is a fairly heavy pull uphill on sand but it works out but I'm only 30 ft to the sandy beach.

Aren't the tires rated at 121 lbs each? That would mean two could carry 242 lbs.

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Jerry D.
St. Johns, Florida
2010 TI
2008 AI

Now that makes since, know wonder they are holding up so well!!!!

I read somewhere that the 24cm wheels can deflate if the weight shifts to one wheel. Being that there's so little air pressure in these tires to begin with, I would assume it's probably better to have a bigger wheel.

With further research I'm beginning to see that I'm not the only one who has tried to come up with a wheel cart that can traverse soft beach sand. and now especially for an IT.

Although the following link is from several years ago, I found it most helpful in providing good information (and pic) on the use of Wheeleez wheels; particularly the 42cm wheels.
http://www.stripersonline.com/surftalk/ ... 419&page=3

Obviously I'll have to design and build my cart with stainless steel pipe not pvc.

In the Hobie Forum there's an old post: 11/18/08 from a "theo61" entitled "Plug in wheels exploded under AI weight". I tried to go to his link but was unable to view the pictures of the cart he has built. But the more interesting thing is how he talks about... "pulling the cart and not the yak". (I think then this would have less strain on the scuppers). Like I said, there's a lot of info out there. I'll be sure to post my finished project once I have everything working.

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Sun E Sailor
Ezra Appel
Palm City, Florida
2014 Tandem Island

Today I found the most information to date by doing a Forum search: "Wheel Cart" in the "Adventure and Tandem Island" section. (I wish I had started here first).

Over 79 matches came up! I've about run out of printer ink and my eyes are blurry from reading so much! A ton of really great information posted by folks with a lot more hands on experience than I have right now.

I've got a lot of studying up to do. Perhaps a year from now there will be a easy answer as to which cart works best for an IT in soft sand conditions. Thanks though to everyone who responded to my original question. I hope my new boat arrives soon; the weather in S. Florida is becoming beautiful.

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Sun E Sailor
Ezra Appel
Palm City, Florida
2014 Tandem Island