pic7.piczo.com/Popeyethewelder/
This guy builds world class kite buggies, and lives someplace in the UK. I have sent him e-mails, and he does respond; You might get info on where to buy quality wheels, and he might even sell them
Not spent much time on the landyacht recently but found some thick gas pipe to use as an interface for the mast step, the mast fits perfectly inside the yellow pipe and its very strong stuff!I will brace the yellow pipe from about half way up it down to the main chasis spine. Iv also found 2 wheels which I think will be fine they are steel but a good size I think 4.80/4.00 overall diameter with tyre is 42 cm.
jskdof
Those are the same sized wheels as is in general use here. You will of course have to spend a little time on maintaining against rust but will give you a lot of fun while they last.
Sorry but I still have serious doubts about that Mast Step but it is your build.
Go for it.
Ron
Do you think its too weak?Im going to brace it from where the yelow pipe bolt on down to the main chasis spine, do you think this will help?
I am trying to keep this a fully bolt together design iv been drilling the connections out to take 16mm bolts and the scaff pipes but its bloody tough stuff!It does feel very strong when you put the bolts in but I guess only the test sail will tell but thats a while away yet!
jskdog,
Well if it fails it will more than likely be at the mast step of the Axle T Give it a go, nothing ventured nothing gained. I may be being over cautious. Repairing and reinforcing will be fairly simple. Keep us all posted and enjoy the experience.
Ron
the centres of those wheels look like they will carry pretty hopeless bearings, or even just bushes, could you do a better photo of them please
Yeah the wheels are on bushes but im going to make a slid axle to attach to them the have the bearings on the frame. Ill post some photo's when iv worked out how best to do it. Another pic of the build so far. The front section is not on straight as that was my first attempt at drilling the holes through the scaff pipe. I have plenty to play with so ill cut and drill another piece to square it all up.
Solid i meant to say in the last post. The weight as it is there with half the mast and wheels is 23kg but still have steering to add, rigging and the rest so don
think this will be a light weight build!Not sure if I should take a bit off the length of the axle's?
A bit more work done this week, need to get hold of a seat I have a rough idea how im going to do it. The front end is off an old bike given to me b a neighbour and the wheel is a 20" but going to replace this with a 10" or 12" when i find a suitable one.
Hi jskdog,
The Front end will probably work but not as efficiently as it should.. Just get this first build out of your way and sailing and you will begin to see what we mean about "having the patch" correctly placed in relationship to the Fork angle etc. nothing dangerous unless you are doing a ton and need to turn real quick. But you should have a bunch of fun and Start really learning towards your next build and there will be more than one. It tends to be like Tobacco ------ Adictive!
Ron
PS; Have a look at the front end of my Schrodinger's Cat, it seems to function nicely..
Its getting there, not pretty and wont be efficient but still going with building it from thigs lying about. Like I said so far its cost me £1!I'll definately build a LLF mini later on but just want to see this through and more importantly see if it will work?!!
Hence you are going through a Learning Curve. That in itself is a great thing.. You will begin to understand the Wheres and Whyfores of a LLF Mini build and the importance of layout. Great stuff, I did similar with my Schrodinger's Cat in the beginning and had a few good runs before the Mast Step and Spine failed and it wasn't a big thing to fix the problems.. Keep going for it and have fun.
Ron
PS; At the moment it' not unlike a LLF Mini
it will be interesting
, it will workthere will be some lessons learnt, your having fun, I think we will all be suprised by your GPS results
@ jskdog
In your original posts you were saying you wanted to have a mainly "bolt together" yacht and so far that concept is coming together really well.
I am sure there are more than a few of us who are wondering how well your set up so far is going to handle the torsional loads on the spine tube and from it onto the rear cross member. These loads will be quite substantial I can assure you.
It may be that you will have to fit side struts like the blokart has in the photo.
You are going so well with the nuts and bolts concept so far that I am sure fitting of side struts will not be a big problem for you.
Just a hint for you. With what you have done so far there is not much scope for weight saving. With whatever you add to the yacht from here on, be very conscious of weight.
The seat or cockpit is where you might make the best weight saving. Have a look at Gizmo's cardboard seat. Cheers Cisco.
Thanks for the replies guys, I have thought about the struts like the blo kart and have seen a few designs with them but weight is definately going to be an issue. Cant wait to get it built up, iv mainly being doing bits and bobs at work when i have time but need to sort the boom and rigging out so it will be coming home with me for that, dont think i can get away with setting it all up at work without drawing any attention!
Tried my boom and mast, unfortunately the 2 peice mast is just slightly too short, shame as its much easier to transport then the 1 peice. Iv installed the bearings but putting another one on each side as the bearings swivel in the bearing holder but we have plenty of these so its not a problem. Iv got some pulleys to go on the boom need some rope then its time for the first test sail!!!
You can extend the mast by jamming a vacuum cleaner pipe on the top- depending on the make and type you can gain between 1 and 3 feet, plastic or metal both work- but the usual warning applies,dont use your wifes or mums vacuum pipe!! as it can get real noisy at home.
try and find a way of making sure your feet wont slip off the bars,- it can get bumpy when sailing, if your feet slip off it will most likely hurt
either fit a light weight corflute plastic floor and cable tie or tape it on
(my corflute plastic is recycled from brewery advertising signs from the pub)
or you might be able to put foot loops on the bars to secure your feet a bit better,
the other blokes on the forum might have some more pointers for you,
dont forget a seatbelt and helmet!!
Iv got an arai motorbike helmet i will definately be wearing and still need to source a seat belt from the local scrap yard, thankyou for the hoover tip, ill give it a go!
Iv added the other bearings on the wheels now and they are solid, oh and its completely adjustable wheel geometery now!
Been thinking about a floor for it, got horrible images of feet coming off the bars and broken legs!One to ponder over a cuppa.
my first yacht had industrial bin wheels , so your set up is an improvement on that .
great imaginative solution
Thanks Landyacht, if it works well I can use the tubes as a template and weld together a better chasis but as a quick bolt together chasis its very simple. Might be able to get a test sail next weekend.
Just a quick photo of some mods iv made, I decided on the struts like the blo kart. Iv changed the front end slightly so it will take a 26" mtb wheel that way I can also fit brakes, I need to tidy it all up and fit some different handlebars, i have some that drop insted of go out straight so it will fit a lot better and give me full range of steering the ones in the photo were just to see how it will feel when sat in it.
Gidday J,
As far as front brakes go- dont rely on them, they will just skid and do nothing, at the most they will only be good as a park brake,
The best (and safest) way to slow down is to turn directly into the wind
jskdog,
If it is wanting to learn something then Take it out in a light breeze to sail and if something goes wrong (Unlikely) "DON'T PANIC" (Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy).
The last thing you do in a predicament is panic, there is always time for that once you have corrected the situation. Get it locked into your Tiny Little Pea Sized as a first reaction "Turn Out of and Upwind" With such a low center of gravity your machine should Break Out and Slide. If it starts to Cock a Wheel up then let out the Sheet. Once you get used to a wheel being lifted and get to know your machines behavior under these conditions then you can work at having fun with those actions too..
"DON"T PANIC"
Ron
Hi jskdog,
Welcome to the Landyacht fraternity, it's nice to see a fellow UK builder. I hope you have found this site full of useful information and friendly folk as I did. Watch that Nikrum character he can bite you know. Check this website out for wheel options for future builds.
www.allterraintyres.co.uk/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1093
They are a bit pricey but great wheels. Watch the weight thing too, my yacht is a bit beefy and if my bantam weight daughter jumps on with me I just grind to a hault, that said I have had a solo run up to 61kph!
The guys are right though, it's addictive, I now have 2 complete and another two for the kids on the go! Hope your maiden voyage is a success.
Yeah! Skids I gotta admit I can get a bit agro at times, mostly watching a species with so much potential do so many Stupid Things. Anyway that is another matter. If they would like to think their God is a hard taskmaster they don't want me in charge.
I have been having a chat with a fella name of Chris at the below Address,
The Buggy Kite Shop Team,
Chris
www.buggykiteshop.com
+33 6 62 03 28 57
They are in France I think and have been most helpful with me. Paul seem to have doubts about these Rims and tire fit. I found the standard round cross section Ribbed Barrow tire fits very snugly and unlikely to move once inflated, in actuality I had to inflate it to 60psi to get the bead to Pop into place Thankfully the Gut didn't get caught nor any loose dangling bits of skin
Enjoy yourself.
Ron
PS, Skids, there are the normal signs, when I start to curl my upper left lip.
