Occasionally an ingeniously simple machine comes along which becomes instantly indispensable. Welcome the Maredo STrac 700, a pedestrian power unit which supports four different groundcare operations – scarifying, aeration, seeding and fraise mowing with more to come.
The ‘access-all-areas’ STrac 700 is light, fast and versatile. Suddenly, even on difficult undulations, there is scope to provide uniformity of care and presentation across a whole site. It can be used on all turf surfaces from bowling greens to full size pitches and for challenging areas like the collars of a golf course, or, where a tractor is too heavy.
Brought to you via your local Wiedenmann UK dealer, the STrac 700 has easy controls on the guiding handle and a set of inter-changeable heads. A very short turning radius means the rear wheels can adopt a variety of operating positions, while the tools connect effortlessly, cassette style.
Maredo offers four tool types each purchased separately with working widths of 65 cm:
- The ST200 Flex-Verticutter scarifies to 25 mm using carbide tipped blades with tool free adjustment. The blades counter rotate against the direction of travel so material is lifted tidily out the way rather than dragged into the slits.
- To relieve compaction down to 60 mm in stressed turf, the ST210 Vibe-Spike Aerator allows for expert following of undulations or making curves as required. Unlike conventional spike aerators, the spike tools vibrate to crack the soil, punching holes to let air and nutrients through.
- The ST170 FlexFrase-Mower targets problem areas by stripping off the top layer of turf to a maximum depth of 20 mm, leaving a perfectly flat and smooth surface ready to overseed. It is also ideal for removing bumps and undulations on goal mouths, tee boxes and gardens.
- Finally, the ST418 VibeDisc-Seeder head uses unique technology to plant the seed right where it should be and protect it against all kinds of outside influences. This is a slit seeder which can dose seed from 0 to -15 mm at as low as 2 g/m ² to 15 g / m². The seed box contains up to 6 kg of seed with disc seeder slit spacings at 42 mm. Coming soon is a new dimple seeder head which will create a pattern of dimples where the seeds will be placed.
Rob Hogarth, former Course Manager of Remedy Oak, the England top 100 club in Dorset, and now Regional Sales Manager of Fairways GM, has demonstrated the STrac units extensively since they arrived in the UK.
He said: “The STrac 700 is revolutionary. When I think back on worrying about transitions and worn collars, I would have traded my left arm for the scarifier and seeder cartridges. The YouTube videos of the STrac in action don’t do it justice.
“The wheel positions are insanely good. Literally, you put the rear wheels where they do their best work, so put them beside the pull along handle, at the back or a combination. It just means you guide and pivot the STrac into virtually any position, so up close to edges, on changing levels, really, anywhere… Right now, clubs across the country are in the middle of renovations. The beauty of the STrac set up to fraise mow, is how it goes around sprinkler heads. I don’t think I’ve seen a neater job.
“In the US, these are painted orange as a Wiedenmann machine, while over here they still have the Maredo label. You just need to go through your Wiedenmann UK dealer to see them.
“Maredo has really thought these out. Hydrostatic front wheel drive and 9 Hp mean they are manoeuvrable and fast. Whatever head you choose is mechanically PTO driven and hydraulically lifted. They go forward at a decent walking speed of 6 km/hr and 4 km/hr if you go backwards. The factory has more heads for more operations in development. The versatile size and carbide blades make the STrac 700 unlike anything else.”
