Kids, if you don't stop fighting you will have to go to your room without supper.
My plan was to have a larger sail. Given my size and the usual lack of wind in our area I thought a larger sail would be best. When I windsurf, I will normally use an 11 meter sail when everyone else is using an 8. I use an 8 when the usual sail size is a 6. Will using a larger sail negatively affect my sailing in a landyacht? I think the sail I cut will be about 5 square meters.
Brian
If you are much over 100kg I think you will appreciate a 5m sail.
Blokarts now have a 5.5m sail and I think the heavier guys are really appreciating them. I believe they have to use a full carbon fibre mast with them though.
I concur. At least a 5 sq mtr sail and you can always put in some extra eyelets to reef it if you need it in windy coditions. Depending on where your first batten is, you could put your reef point just under it.
You guys just don't have a sense of humour or imagination.. I was having fun Jousting with TPI across these pages. Seeing to Stick Figures using Pins as Swords clashing together Lunging and parrying, entertaining the Great Unwashed majority.
PARTY POOPERS! Kill Joys!. I shall now return to Nikrum's Page and Sulk.[}:)]
Ron
I just spent a couple of nights fixing my fiberglass. When I tightend the nuts I got some cracking. Opps. I had glass over my metal bars and the compression caused the fractures. Easy to fix, but a pain in the butt.
I put a brake in place. I will be sailing in parking lots, and everyone here has absolutely no experience. I need something to prevent slow speed collisions with parked cars. With even a scratch costing over $2000 to fix ....
I am using a drag brake that goes near the center. I have attached a chunk of old tire to act as a brake pad. The brake lever gives me a 3:1 mechnical advantage. I looks like it will work. Do you think the lever position will be a problem?
Again, thanks for your help.
Next question:
I am now ready to make my boom. I have a aluminum pipe 34mm in diameter and 4mm thick. It seems pretty stiff, I cannot get it to flex when I try. Will this be okay for a boom, or should I use an old windsurfing mast? If I use the mast, do you use the skinny end or the wide end? Skinny forward or back?
Thanks for your help.
Brian
WHOA! Dude! You taking a bath?? That does look good. Shoot it doesn't take you long to do 5 minutes work, do it??
I have been thinking about your Logo idea. being as Paul doesn't want his name on it you could change it a "A Sabydent Build" or Just have "Lake Lefroy Mini" But what ever it certainly looks the Part.
I am using the top section of an Ignition Mast and it is fine. Depending on your Sail Foot length you may have to take some off the Head End.
Ron
1 problem with your brake. At present you have three points of steerable contact on the ground. If you apply that brake with any force you will lift at least 1 wheel off the ground and the brake will then possibly become a pivot point.
A bar brake onto at least 1 wheel would be more effective, using the traction you already have with the wheels.
that brake will be brilliant, just remember to replace the worn pads regularly.
The reefing that TP1 was refering to is built into the sail by having the mast pocket stop higher than the bottom of the sail, then eyelets andare added front and back allowing the foot of the sail to be rolled up and tied off then the boom reattached to the shorter sail , which has been lowered down the mast
you can just make it out in this image. last easter when the big boys were cracking 76kph , I was in my yacht with a sail reefed to 3m and making66kph.
often in a good wind , you dont need all that sail area, it is just part of a sense of Macho-ism that the lads think make them look good
It can lead to shiny sailing gear too so be aware of the hazards
In my experience the best "brake" for a speeding land yacht is to steer it suddenly into the wind.
However that is dependant on the surface on which it is being sailed and the area available.
That is a radical adjustment to the dynamic and may result in unexpected motion.
I did it once in a blokart when I had cranked it up to about 50 kmh headed for a solid fence. This is the location.
The result was that I washed off a third of the speed and reversed the facing direction with the yacht passing backwards through one of the gaps in the fence in the pic and my head bouncing off the end of one of the horizontal components of the fence.
As my head was not protected by a helmet, I did see some stars, but managed to maintain my consciousness and composure even though there was some letting of blood.
For a fun yacht I do not see much advantage with the fitting of a brake. Independent rear wheel brakes can provide an advantage to racing yachts when rounding a mark.
Each to his or her own but certainly where you have fitted the brake and where it has an effect is quite brilliant sabydent.
I do think your brake is better than having a brake on the front wheel. Well done mate.
I appreiciate the feedback on the brake. It should work, I want it for slow speed stopping and holding. It is kind of 'idiot insurance' since my teenage kids and their friends will be sailing as well.
Thank you for your explanation of reefing. I understand the concept, however, I am still fuzzy on the application. Does the sail get shortened by moving the eyelet up, thereby pulling the sail top down, or does the sail get narrower, moving the eyelet back thereby pulling the clew forward?
Brian
Sabydent
That is shortening the height of the sail by raising the foot. Fold/Reef the bottom of the sail against the boom and Tie it off through the eyelets. Talk to your Sail Maker he'll know exactly what is being said.
Ron
Okay I get reefing. Now, about the mast. Is the 34mm tube with 4mm walls okay?
Brian
Somewhere in these pages there is a formula for Mast Construction and I believe it is best to stick to that or see if you can dig up a disused Mast as I did. you'd be surprised at what people have stashed away in their sheds.
If you can't find it then I will have to dig up a copy of the layout and send it to you.
Ron
I have both the aluminum and an old mast. I think the aluminum would look better (and give me a chance to try aluminum welding) but I will use the one that will work best. All things being equal I will use the aluminum. If I use aluminum, can I use it instead of plastic where it meets the mast, or is it still too hard?
Brian
Now there is a Q I can't really help you with. I don't understand the last part of the Q but generally speaking common sense should prevail. If you are lucky Paul might step in a give you more. Keep in mind that I am using 100% DF Masts. I don't think there was any Welding on the Mast construction just various lengths of different Calibers of Ali Tube.
Did you find the MAst Construction Pages??
Ron
sorry that photo of josephine wasnt as good as i expected, but you can just see the rolled up leading edge(pink colour at the front of the sail.
once rolled up the sail is lowered down the mast.
heres a better shot
is the 34x4 ally for mast or boom
if for the boom, it would be fine , but heavy. you will know about it if it hits you on the head( noggin for nickrum). not sure about welding the ally on a mast .
weld =bend in my experience, but ok on the boom.
the mast step was designed for old glass sailboard masts though.
That is a strange looking sail Paul, how does it go.
How about some pics of the new mini
Cheers
Vic
The aluminum is for the boom. I have a 1 inch round piece of aluminum to make the thing that goes around the mast. I was going to cut it to shape and weld it to the boom. I was going to weld attachments for my pulleys.
I have a carbon fiber two piece mast.
Brian
Brian,
Go with the Carbon Mast. You will find it more than satisfactory.. Mine is a 5.4Mtr Ignition made for an 11mtr sail. It is great on Occum's Razor and handles a 5mtr sail well, so your little Bathtub shouldn't have any trouble with it.[}:)]
Ron
Racing Harleyd to completion. My mini is at the auto body shop for clear coat. The owner of the shop offered to do this for me when he heard I was going to spray it in my garage (apparently not a good idea). After getting over the fear of the pros lookin over my amature hour airbrushing I swallowed my pride and took it in. Better than blowing up my house. Really a no brainer, especially when he offered to do it for free. Will be done on Wed.
This weekend I will pick up some rope and pulleys and make the boom. I have decided to go with the 34mm 4mm thick aluminum pipe. I could not find a plastic oar lock so I am going to try my hand at turning aluminum. I have a piece of aluminum 4in in diameter, 1in thick. It will be milled to fit the mast and have a Teflon insert. Nice to have friends with cool shop toys.
Now my question: to attach the pulleys to the boom, would rivets be strong enough, or should I weld aluminum bars to the mast and drill holes?
Again, thanks for your help.
Brian
Better start sewing harleyd.
Go back to the LLF mini build thread All your boom questions are answered
there with pictures as posted by the Guru himself
"Go back to the LLF mini build thread All your boom questions are answered
there with pictures as posted by the Guru himself"
Make sure you read the plans too.
I cut slots for the blocks to go into in windsurfer booms and it weakened them and had to sleeve them again. When I read the plans it was for mast booms.
Okay Harleyd:
My paint is done except for the wheels, just have to make the boom, which is happening tonight. Busy until the weekend... finished photos to be posted on Saturday or Sunday.
Brian
Further to Plastic Rowlocks, they aren't totally necessary. I am using Wind Surfer Sail Cams. They are great and do the job nicely. If you are interested they're pictured in Just Working Out a Build.
Incidentally what is a Sabydent, is it related to Pepsodent??
Ron
