Starting from the scratch - hints needed

Newcomer:

If you have not done much land sailing, and this is your first build, I would strongly suggest you follow the plans for the Lake Lefroy Mini. It was relatively easy build even for a novice builder like myself. I think it is the best place to start...there is no need to re-invent the wheel. Once you are done, you can add a side seat for your kids. If you start to make it too complicated, you will have problems.

I am working out how to put skis on my mini so I can use it on the frozen lake this winter.

The ski axles work fine I have two minis with them now Well tested
I use two, one on top of the other One ski is a bit soft
Just make sure the binding screw holes dont coincide with a high stress point
[outer edge of frame]
I use two 10mm bolts to hold each side on

Here is one of the ski axle minis


The underside exploded view The seat back is also supported by an old ski
The axles are held to the frame by two 10mm bolts welded to frame and flange nuts The channel cross member was cut from 75x50x 3mm box section
The spine is 52x2mm exhaust tube




Wheel attachment The stubs are bolted to the ski axles with 5 degrees of layover
The flex in the skis gives a few more degrees

I thought so - just that these are sturdy and cheap. I thought about using them in the rear. Anyways, replacing the tire would cost almost as much as the wheel, I've realized.

For now, I have found 40cm wheelbarrow wheels running on industrial bearings that I want to put in the rear.

I plan to put a bmx bike fork to the front - I recon it will be the simplest way to install a brake too.

I want to use the rear axles made of skis - I can ride either on concrete or on grass and on grass the suspension may be useful I guess?

I'm still searching for a suitable mast and boom.



So right

Mike 612
Yes there is some working there as you would expect with the load coming on and off the seat but its fine no issues with that
The 52x 2 MM exhaust tube is as light as I have heard anyone use but again have had no issues with it and it has been used by some large people
I have not put a strap under the mast step either but would if I built another one just as an extra
I used the exhaust tube as it was readily available to me from the local exhaust shop
Some people have used tubes from old trampolines not sure of those sizes
Similarly the skis are readily available here on the second hand market at giveaway prices
14 guage ? I have long stopped using all those medieval measurements and adopted the metric system but lets see 1/14 of 25.4 = 1.81MM Am I right?
I think 14 guage would be too light but if the tube was bigger in diameter it might be OK but wouldnt be as easy to weld. These yachts are supposed to be home builds but anything goes as long as its fun

the first landyacht in the plans used a special high quality type of 2" tube used in the mineral exploration industry, it is a hollow drill rod used in "diamond drilling" this is the method of drilling used for obtaining core samples.
The pipe has a hollow, diamond dust coated drill bit screwed onto one end, and while spinning at high rotation with water being pumped through it is forced into the ground.
If there is any mining exploration in your area you might be able to trade a carton of beer for a couple of 3m lengths.

the second landyacht used standard steel tube- as used here for road signs, fencing and general engineering works.
A similar type should be available worldwide.
Its a bit bigger in diameter, a bit thinner in the wall, but easy to work with, and most importantly- easy to find.

I just straighten out old windsurfer booms.
The red bits in the vice are medium wall water pipe split length ways.
They are painted red so I can find them in all my junk.
Mark a texta line full length (this one only has 2 blue marks and I found full length gives you a better idea how much to bend it, so you only have to go along it once) along the top of the boom rail while it is lying flat on your bench and bend in 25mm increments till this texta line is straight.
I found it best to leave the foam on until it's straight and then I use a hot air gun to soften the foam and peel it off with a knife. A clean with thinners and you have an anodised boom.

Brakes on the front wheel of landyachts might be common on commercially available landyachts- but as there is not much weight on the front wheel- they will not work well. Usually locking up and skidding.

The best way to stop a landyacht is to let the sheet rope out and turn directly into the wind.

Brakes on landyachts are best only used as parking brakes or at very low speed.

The lake lefroy mini landyachts have a hand operated brake lever mounted on the right hand axle which just drags on the ground. Sometimes it might even slow you down!
(Its really only a parking brake- and so you can tell any curious observers it has brakes to keep them happy)

My Lefroy mini's both have brakes fitted- but they dont get used as they either tear up the lake bed, tear up the grass oval, or lift the right hand wheel if I am on a hard surface.

One of the blokes on this forum built a Lefroy mini- but altered the hand operated brake so that it had a piece of rubber being pushed onto the ground- under the centre of the landyacht- I dont know how well it worked- but it looked good!
I am not sure who it belonged to- but I am sure someone else will point us in the right direction before long.

Club 88 landyachts as used by the Sandgropers landyacht club have a simple lever each side of their landyacht which rubs on each rear tyre - they dont want to damage the soft limestone floor of their sailing ground.
This type of brake can also be used to help with turning. It is also most likely the more effective type of brake system as you are slowing both rear wheels- and they have much more traction than the single front wheel.

Stephen.

The post by SN is I think the best I have seen on landyacht brakes
perhaps it should be made into a sticky
A lot of us [me included ]start off with brakes any future yachts we dont bother

gotta agree hiko, saved us both some typing, and reminded me id better make a brake for next month

Thank you for your hints guys and I wish you Merry Christmas - I woun't be around for a few days.

Just another idea for parking brake(s)... The seat tub on the Mojave Magic is too tall for me to put my foot on the ground when I'm laying in it, so I added these clamp on brakes to help hold, park, etc the beastie at slow/stopped speeds.





Pretty basic tire rubbing, but easy to reach with whichever hand is available...

Happy building, and Merry Christmas to all !!!!

I hope not, been just over freezing here.......

Brass monkey(made of brass) made to hold iron cannon balls. brass shrinks more in cold weather. not enough room for iron balls ergo they fall off