Welcome to NALSA members, I have noticed on the NALSA forum that there is a lot of chat about the Mini5.6 and the rules and construction.
Its good to see that this class is going fully international with it being raced in the upcoming US championships.
Please join up to seabreeze and join in the conversation.
I'm in the process of building a Mini to meet Nalsa and the Fisly rules, 5.6. Have studied the Lefroy Mini, great pictures and building. I didn't see the optimum mast step tube angle. I've considered 8 to 12 degrees somewhere. Any thoughts. My yacht will be about 67in. axle to axle and 65in. outside to outside wheels. Any experience on placement and angle of the mast tube. Also what is the benifit of the flop over type steering (as on the Lefroy Mini) vs. a more near vertical upright type like the Manta's. Thanks, Allen
The mast angle of the LLMini is 10 degree......
The lay over steering is set up to be similar to a motorbike or pushbike when turning at motion.
Layover steering is often smoother in turns at speed as it doesn't seem to jump like the older style of steering (Manta style)
Oh, and thanks Gizmo for the invite. I've followed some forums but never joined in. Allen
Please join in.... it can be quite addictive at times.
Post lots of pictures of your build, its good to see what others around the world are doing.
Lay over steering takes minimal foot movement and when tight enough is almost set and forget 
Clem I looked at your pictures of the mini. Nice design! Do you notice any rear wheel alignment issues with the skis? What size sails are you using?
Thanks
John
newbeee with a comment concerning layover steering. I have found the very thing that helps the yatch go straight and stable will bite you in the butt if you are in a blow over type hike and you need to steer off wind with out having to dump the sheet. found out the hard way with my PROMO, it took me awhile to figue out what caused me to stuff it, gota not let the windward wheel get to high cause the front wheel is already laye over and it doesn't want to turn off wind. with my mini, the king pin angle was at 43 degrees insted of 30. At 43 degs the tire is more vertical and allows you to steer off wind under power. this is great forum, alot of good thinker and builders....Burt
Thanks Clem for info on your kart, looks great. Thanks to others for input on layover as well. To all: what about canted rear wheels, is there a benifit as compared to vertical with the 4.00x8 type wheels. Allen
a few degrees of layover tends to give better stability when the wind gets up. i have thm at about 4 degrees,when the chassis loads up that may increase,the yacht will also track nicely when a wheel comes up , and during a turn the outer wheel will feel like it is biting in better
I'm trying to get my head around, ( Landyachts ) last post (4) did you mean (40) I don't understand help this febel ole man out..
Sorry I thought he was takeing about the layover steering, has anyone had trouble with the mini's layover steering contributing to the inability to stir off down wind in a sever hike? I wondering if that is the very reason, airtrack used the hook steering on the class 5. with that steering the rear wheel axis can be nearly virtical and it will recover..
With vertical rear wheels, you will have more lateral pressure on the tyre in a turn, with greater chance of the tyre rolling off the rim.
Angled rear wheels will wear off centre which can then be swapped to allow wear on other side. Also, as Landyacht stated, they tend to bite in on cornering and, when lifting a wheel allow the loaded wheel to run vertical and load the axle less.
as I mentioned up the page , i've used a 43 degree from horizional and it has saved my bacon many times. I got so used to it that when I sailed my promo I found that the 30 degree king pin (head) angle is more critical when at the same hike angle as my mini and I was not able to turn off down wind with out dumping the sheet. sailing on the playa drylake beds in the US, some time the gusts can really cause problems, I seem to have a tendancy to run on the edge in big air. the reason I asking is I'm in the prosses building a 5.6. the head angle of the airtrack nano,(the little orange one with the glass axels) seems to be at the angle that I have used in the past. I just want to get this build right on the money , I'm looking at all options...
I wonder if the problem with the promo was something other than the angle.
if you have a metal to metal bush on the steering head it would tighten up in that situation. All mine have had a nylon bush, All the European yachts Ive seen have a set of bearings.
I would have expected the steeper head to be twitchy when on 2 wheels. I beleive you guys call it squirrely
my promo is a airtrack amd they some kin of bearring I think, I just have to get used to it
