"Off to the races" Build

Enough farting around. It's time to get serious about a LLM build!

I need some critique on this set up. It can be built with steel tubing or skis as axles.

Don't hold back if it sucks.

'don't hold back'...... Well I think you are overthinking things.

I / we have seen many times someone new to the sport comes in and designs / builds a yacht that is SO complex it often way off the mark.
If you're going down the International Mini 5.6 class (the LLMini is just one type of yacht that fits the class) get yourself a good set of wheels and don't skimp on them, then build a LLMini frame follow the plans and don't make too many changes.... this now give you a 'standard' yacht to compare things with. Learn to sail on it and then a little later build a new frame using your ideas and using the original wheels you have bought. Compare it to the LLMini and then see if you have designed a better yacht or not.

The design of the LLMini is a result / mix of probably 200+ yacht builds and the chance that someone new to the sport builds a competitive yacht first off would be at least 200:1 against. So realistically the frame of ANY yacht is just a few $$$$ The wheels, pulleys, mast and sail are the big cost items.

Welcome to the forum. Listen to these guys, they know of what they speak.

Have fun with your build and post lots of photos. We all learn that way.

.

Thanks for the name of my yacht.......It's the "Soggy Bottom"!!!

Most of my sailing will be at an off road park where they run quads, dirt bikes and buggies. That's the main reason for some desire for suspension. It's not very open but the roads and trails are clearly marked. The yearly average wind speed there is 21mph, you can run any OHV anytime and there is never anyone there during the week. I'm retired so those are the best days to sail. When I religiously ran the H-16 I usually had the lake to myself. Any open ground here is tied up in AG. This is what my "Fun yacht" will be for! I will not run my race rig there as It will get torn up in no time.

Did you notice that the rear axles are adjustable for camber angle and ride height?....No comments on that?

First off I have my frame material. I took down an old radio antenna mast that was standing on my property when I bought it. Yesterday I was wondering what I was going to use For my build as I was leaning on the antenna mast. I reached down to pull out a little weed that was growing at the base and the mast kicked me in the teeth!!

Anyway I 'm going to take AUS230 and your advice and build a Y frame. One that goes under the pan like Clem did. An OTT would be good but I like the idea of the chassis being as low as possible as this would lower the roll center and I would have a little something between me and the ground beside just the pan. What is the axle to axle wheelbase to make it come within the 5.6 rule?

I will probably build a rigid one piece flat frame without lift in the axles and a straight spine. What do you think about having Two mast tubes? One for larger sails and one for smaller sails. My frame will be all steel, no aluminum! with "Drop" spindles. I will build three sets of spindles. One set with two degrees camber, one with 4 degrees and one with eight.

I will post drawings for my Y frame and let you guys pick it apart before I cut my material. I'll draw it up with dimensions so you guys know exactly what's going on. Anything on that axle to axle measurement? Do I have a little leeway there? Or should I lay out the rope and establish the wheelbase that way. Are there any advantages to having the chassis as long as it can possibly be? I think longest is best. Can any part of the tire patch sit on top of the rope or does the whole of the footprint have to be within the rope? I ma used to questioning the specifics of the rules from having built Sprint cars my whole life and I realize tat every little bit helps.

So the steering! I will lay out the steering in my "Y" drawings. Just not sure why you guys have so much rake in the steering stem. I can understand not wanting the tire to roll off the bead but there are bead lockers or you could simply run screws through the rim to the tire bead!

Good idea getting a spare
For my class 5 Promo on harsh ground I had a pair of rear quad bike rims and tyres adapted to suit my axles. Gives a higher attitude/better clearance ride and for the front I skinned a second tyre onto an existing tyre glued with 'liquid nails' building adhesive. Good for sand as well

The open cockpit only applies to class5. No restrictions for 5.6.

In the US there are 2 mini classes. One is I5.6 mini. The other is the US mini with more restrictions. Although I don't know the restrictions.

Battens are normally used to add rigidity to a sail, don't be afraid to not use them sometimes.
When making a sail battens can be added later.....If needed.
On a couple of occasions I have sailed blokarts in light winds, a much better sail shape was achieved by removing every 2nd batten

The recommended mast length for this sail is 4.6 metres, but....this is for the complete sail, as fitted to a windsurfing board.

When fitted to a board, the sail reaches almost to the deck of the board and is attached to a flexible coupling.

On a landyacht, the mast drops into a socket [sitting lower in comparison to a board] and you need clearance for yourself under the boom and sail.

As you have already trimmed the base of your sail - you might have already created the needed clearance for yourself.

However - until you have a completed chassis and cockpit, I would just keep collecting all the masts and sails you can find.
Even damaged sails and snapped masts are handy to have - as broken masts can be used for making booms, and reinforcing the mast you use.
Damaged sails can be recut to different shapes - or used as donors for patches and battens.

If you only need to gain a little length on your mast, it is common for blokes to "borrow" vacuum cleaner pipes and add them onto the mast.
Most vac. pipes are of a size well suited to fit over the tip of most masts.
However - this can lead to noise on the home front when the wife finds her vac. pipe is suddenly 2' shorter.

Don't forget to give the mast supporting tube [the mast "step"] a little flare to prevent it damaging the mast.
The lower 3' to 4' of the mast need stiffening - by fitting a section of recycled damaged mast inside, or a close fitting tapered piece of timber [turned down on a lathe]

As you are intending to sail on rough ground, I would recommend a "softer" mast as it will flex better - the method for measuring flex is to support both ends of the mast and hang a 30kg weight at the half way point, then measure the bend.

For rough or soft ground, generally an unmodified sail and boom with plenty of belly works better - best described as like driving a car in second gear, more low down grunt to get you moving but less top speed.

On harder [low drag] surfaces, flat sails and stiff masts have less low down grunt [ok on hard surfaces] but lots more top end speed.

Anyway - for now, build your chassis and whichever seat suits you, and while doing this keep looking for masts, sails and a couple of windsurfing booms.
Once you have a chassis, we can give you tips on how to get the best out of your masts and sails.

stephen

Okay scratch the Hobie sails.

Here is my front end. Cut and dry, plain and simple....Except the front axle bolts through spherical rod ends and adjustable mast rake.

Good? Bad? Ugly?

I'm looking to buy this sail. Will it be any good as is? It's only $100.00.