Hobie Cat Forums

The evening before I sailed my AI for the first time, I wanted to set it all up and get a feel for how everything worked, particularly the furling lines and main sheet. So I put the ass end of the boat on one of the several kayak carts I have. This one has tall pneumatic wheels/tires. Then I set the front on a custom cart I had made for another boat some time ago. It also has tall pneumatic wheels/tires. Narrow. It moves very easily on hard surfaces.

Once outside the building, I set the mast in and unfurled the sail. No amas. Sat in the boat and practiced furling and unfurling a few times. Just to get the gist of how it’s made to operate. Leaving the sail unfurled, I went back inside to get something.

That particular day the wind was drifting in and out. Gusts of maybe 15 MPH were coming through. Not a big deal, after all the boat is on dry ground. Of course, it’s also sitting on two very easy to move carts.

In effect, the direction of the wind put the boat on a perfect reach. I came walking back out of the building to find my boat heading across my parking lot and out towards the road. Not a bad clip either. I had to trot over to catch it and pull it back.

Two things immediately occurred to me - first, don’t leave the boat on the carts, with the sail up, outdoors on a windy day. Second but more importantly, if a person was to construct a tri-wheel cart, with the rear steerable, the AI could be sailed on dry land. Our local mall has all but closed, leaving several acres of open, smooth asphalt available for sailing in the cool summer evenings.

I checked today. There are several notices banning skateboarding from the lot, but nothing about a ban on sailing. Looks like I’ve just taken on a new project.

Hysterical! I actally made a comment to the fraulein about putting wheels on the rig and doing some land yachting....but sorry you accomplished this by accident!

And... no leaks.

I would be more worried about the excessive strain applied to the hull and scuppers, as it is not designed to have more than the weight of the kayak itself on the cart(s)

These carts are designed to carry much more weight than that - 400 pounds each. And they are not common scupper carts. They greatly distribute the weight of the hull over a large area.

While we're on the subject - scupper carts are idiotic. They are the epitome of poor design. Every single one of them on the market is made "upside down." They should install from the top, not the bottom. Mine do. There is no reason to ever have to tip a boat over to install such a cart. The whole design is backwards.

Why have a boat at all? Mount the mast on a go cart or an iceboat on wheels...

J

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2011 Golden Papaya TI with a 250 square foot spinnaker!
also a more manageable 100 square foot spinny...
&
the TI3 rear ama mod

I've thought about that too. A lot of things went through my head as my boat was heading for the road.

Ok ... you got me thinking. The only way I can envision a cart that is installed from the top and have wheels on the bottom would be to have arms that wrap around the sides of the Yak and pivot underneth... or am I missing something ?

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Alan W.
'07 Hobie Adventure Island #1
'07 Hobie Adventure Island #2 Golden Papaya AI LadyJane
... both in Golden Papaya
'06? Hobie Outback SUV

Yes, although I should have worded it a bit differently. The trouble with common scupper carts is that in order to get the post uprights into the scupper holes you have to raise the kayak to an absurd height (hard to do particularly if you have gear inside) or roll the kayak over and insert the cart from the side (if gear is inside, it spills out). This just doesn't make good sense.

Coming back from a trip one day and having just wrestled with my Outback for the reasons listed above, I came to the conclusion that it would be much easier to lift the boat just a few inches, straight up, and set it down on a cart with wheels set outside the hull. The scupper posts would then be dropped down from the top, through the boat and then through the cart. So that's what I built.

My cart has hull "locaters" which allow me to slide or drop the boat onboard - at almost any angle, and then with a kick to the hull the boat will self-center. I drop the scupper posts (U-shape) in from the top which locks the boat in place on the cart. Takes about 10 seconds start to finish and I never have to lift the boat more than maybe 6 inches, straight up. And, there is far less stress on the hull than with any of the common scupper carts that have to be mounted from below.

I would love to see a pic of those wheels as it's driving me nuts getting the wheels on/off the PA?!?

Next time I have my camera out on the PA, or any of the others, I'll take a shot of it. All kayak carts should be built this way.

I can just picture you sailing an AI in a mall parking lot Tom. I think it's a great idea as long as it's not me doing it . Make sure you have someone taking video. The only downside I can think of is having to tack while mall security is chasing you.

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Jim

I figure I can get away with it, once.

And then, whenever somebody sees the security signs which say:

"No cycling, skateboarding, or sailing allowed" I can just smile and know it was me that got the last one added.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhJoEFO68c4 france ....................

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&featu ... pBQC2ODNO0
italy ..............................

on ice .... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjZMj3F0 ... _embedded#!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJLFQ-1nGz0&feature=plcp



On the morning of March 26th, on the dry Lake Ivanpah, The Ecotricity Greenbird driven by British engineer, Richard Jenkins smashed the world land speed record for wind powered vehicles. The Greenbird clocked 126.1 mph (202.9 km/h) , eclipsing the old, American held, record of 116 mph , set by Bob Schumacher in the Iron Duck in March 1999 at the same location.