Why do I describe it as a modern fossil? Because at the time it was built it was already 30 years out of date 
I dont actually have a name for it.
It was our first yacht. Back when all i knew about them was they had 3 wheels and a few design tips I picked up from a website. Anyway, here are some pics. Any and all questions are welcome.
A Paper Tiger sail!! Had one of them for many a year. I remember making a landyacht out of 2x4 hardwood and we stuck a Flying Ant rig on it. Hmmm good 30 plus years back!!
I was checking out the rust myself and almost decided not to post. Then I thought what the hell, not everything these days has to be nice, sleek and shiny
Now that I think of it, the yacht may be older than I thought. I 100% rebuilt the steering, lengthened the frame, replaced the wheelbarrow wheels with datto ones and something else around 2003.
Top speed measured so far is 40kmh although Ive done a hell of a lot quicker. I didn't think the mass would allow this but sometimes Ive been on a speed run and had the rear wheels sliding out. I can't wait to build another this size with a sportier physique.
I remember one day with the paper tiger sail, but two hulls and a lot of water beneath me , on a shy reach heading for the start line. I was sittin on the rear(behind) the crossbeam of the windward hull going so scary fast (prob 15 kts or somethin) wondering how was I going to pull up? All I could see ahead of me was Port Phillip Heads!!
Got the nerve, and rounded up.
Having seen the photos and tech specs of this latest yacht I hereby award you with a Masters Degree with Honours for that effort. very nice indeed
Good to see someone with a sense of homour Landyacht.
I spent ages researching the net for info on design, there was very little tech info (for steel yachts) on the web except that rc landyacht website. There was virtually no info on landyacht construction either. Anyway, I guessed where the centre of effort of the sail was, the C of G was roughly found post construction and the lateral resistance was done by dragging it with a rope.
I believe the sail is too far aft, the last thing I wanted was the loss of steering. From memory this reduces performance a lot though. As a matter of interest the addition of the car wheels, hubs and axles made little change to the performance of the yacht, at speed I'd say it went far better over the paddock surface.
Anyone know of any technical info available on the web regarding full size landyacht design?
EDIT: Other than this place of course
I think you've captured the epitome of Aussie Landsailing in those photos, they're great!!
Not bad looking yacht too 
Just before I head off to sleep. A couple of action shots, I loved getting this thing up on two wheels.
Jeez, I apologise to anyone if Im annoying. Seems as though Im hogging the forums, hope Im entertaining. Maybe i should limit my landsailing exposure to once a day 
I think it needs a name!! The Iron Duck is taken, how about the Iron Chook to capture that farm image
Iron Chook sounds interesting, it definately doesn't fly similar to a chook Here are a couple of new pics with the mast up to show the dimensions a little better.
now i remember we use to have forward intermediate stays which were adjustable on these, the sail is designed for them. It would pull the middle of the mast forward and flatten the sail, let em off down wind and power up and flyyyyyyyy!
Thats a cool idea Arjay. The forward intermediate stay is missing in these pics, actually we have sailed it without. We've got to get it back on there I think because cause a leeward 180 degree turn can cause some fairly severe whip in the mast. Ideally I'd like a mast with a considerably larger, stronger profile.
Do you remember much about the adjustable stay/sail feature? Any known info regarding the subject (I dont know the yachting lingo to search efectively)?
Actually, does anyone know of resources with older (1960's - 1980's) landsailing info or pictures? Dare I ask about the 'Wind Raiders of the Sahara' doco? Been looking for a copy of that for years!
try this site www.papertigercatamaran.org/ Basically 2.6m up the mast if it is the paper tiger mast. I think i had a 6 to 1 system on it. But there is plenty of info there.
That thing is awesome Gizmo! Seatbelts are for wimps. Good to see he has a helmet on. Thats exactly the sort of picture I love, its really interesting to see the evolution of things from their beginning to present. Well, I find it interesting.
Actually, looking at that machine I feel a bit better, mine doesn't seem that heavy now Thanks for sharing that one Gizmo.
Here are some pictures of "The Jolly Green Giant" a landyacht sailing in SA in the early-mid 1980's.
Built from steel electrical conduit and owned by Martin Bell.
The reason it was painted green... the only color that would match the lawn (problems with paint over spray).
Ray Potter later got the yacht and extended the back axle and front end.
The final size approx 14ft wide, 21ft long, and 27ft high using a Sharpie sail.
I feel rather small after that little session. . I never did see the JGG . which beach was that?
The beach... Port Gawler.
The JGG used car tyres with the corners buffed off by a tyre recycle place (mind you also used aero tyres.)
Steering was based on a motorcycle front end (Ray is a "GOD" in the BMW motorcycle world.....)
G'day All,
Lachlan, love the yacht - excellent effort for a 1st one.
I sailed the JGG many times & have fond memories - was the best 'wheelie' machine around & we just could'nt kill it...
Speaking of big ironmongery, here is a couple of shots of 'Hot Stuff mk 2'
It was almost as big as jgg but faster as I built it to race at Kambalda 1980 (more in history as I get time).
My dad is sailing it in picture.
Note for Cisco - this yacht has suspension on all 3 wheels, the rear axles were mounted on an wishbone arangement built around a trailer axle suspention unit mounted sideways, so that the wheels would lean in under load. This actually worked very well, but I found in later yachts you could do better with a wooden axle.
More later, cheers Bill
Do you reckon all those youngsters are thinking that their new idea has been done, Bill?
Thankyou for the compliments Bill. It was a great project, should I say is a great project. Learnt a lot playing around, I'd never sailed anything before jumping in it and having go.
Great to see these new pictures! Many thanks to Gizmo and FAZE5. If I could I'd rename this thread to 'the wonders of landsailing in Australia' and have it for all the exotic (by todays standard) craft that have appeared over the years. Keep as many coming as possible, dont let those pics sit in your albums forever
I have found some pics of the "Sabre" class Landyacht.
The yachts were built in Queensland by Sabre power boats.
They were a full body fibre glass enclosed yacht, the axles were made from 50x50mm glass fibre rovings and resin ... VERY strong and flexible.
A lot of money was spent in manufacture with many well designed and cast alloy parts for the yacht. The fibre glass work was wonderful.
This yacht in the pics owned by Graham Parr (thanks for the pics), the mast is 150mm aluminium wing section used on catamarans. The length of this mast (and aspect ratio of the sail) was governed by what could be salvaged from transport damaged mast.
The sail was a very thick cloth for stability the color was dyed into the cloth for a commercial for a Canadian beer commercial shot in South Australia.
There was at one stage in Adelaide approx 6 of this class sailing.
Im glad you found a photo of those old girls. My personal recollection of them was that they looked fantastic, yet they were the slowest thing on the beach. Do any of you other old farts remember that bit, or is my memory fading?.
Anybody know where they all ended up? in fact where do all these landyachts go to die?. Is it somewhere in queensland cos I can think of 3 of mine that have gone there never to seen again.
G'day everybody,
Some of the sabres ended up as very fast capable yachts. Graham's in the previous picture was one, but Martin Bell's yacht was gradually developed into quite a fast yacht too. I know where one of them is - Rodney Dunning still has his & it now has hot stuff mk 2's rig on it! I've not seen it go, but Rod has told me it goes well - its was a very powerfull rig in its day.
glad to hear its still alive. Mind you technically speaking a landyacht that aint gettin used is just an awkward hand trolley,taking up space in your garden
Some of the best thoughts of these yachts was shooting the commercial for the beer company ...6 yachts + 1 Hot Air balloon dragging a car "backwards" across the salt lake and the film crew truck bogged to the axles at the edge of the salt lake.
The other was the sharp turn at the end of the main staight at Mallala motor race track ... and the smoke from the Sabre tyres in that turn.....
