Recently made another chassis to pursue the idea of using snow skis as rear axles
These old snow skis are readily available at very good prices and seem to be suitable
I have fitted my old seat and other parts to this chassis to try it out
Hope to be able to get some beach time in the near future
It certainly is springy I may have to add another leaf to
stiffen it up but that is easily done
I have not given the stub axles any layover
They get plenty when the yacht is loaded
Hiko!! Your craftmanship continues to blow me away.
If recycled snow skis are going to work as axle extensions on an LLF Mini, it looks like you will be the first to know.
Hiko- can you take a couple of close up photos of how the skis are mounted,
I have 3 sets of skis at home waiting to be cut up, just need to find the box full of spare time that I seem to have misplaced again....
Hiko, Amazing ............ When I suggested you try the skis as axles I didnt think you would have it done so fast !
Me thinks the axle looks a bit thin - is that one ski ?
From what I remember the ones I spotted had used two but I suppose it depends on the flexibility of the ski. Put under load that looks as if it may bend way too much !
Looking forward to seeing and hearing about the testing.
Alan
Hiko, you have " The Innovators Award 2010 " great job and you will lead his
band of reprobates into the next generation, they seem stuck in the past.
Annalee Retentive 
Looks good Hiko.
BTW, hows the weather at the moment in the north Island? We'll be over for our holiday, flying into Auckland Saturday night, driving to Rotorua Sunday.
It's cold here in SE QLD today - 15 degrees outside - which is cold for a day temp here.
I assume under 10 over there at the moment? 
Brett
Hi Guys
Did a bit more on this project today
IkSPA you are dead right two skis are necessary I tried two of the heavier ones
and found them too stiff for my liking so cut up a smaller ski and added a leaf each side from that and am happy with the result
Here is how the Skis are mounted from underneath
This yacht has a bit more ground clearance than the other one to allow for the
bounce It is 45mm higher
The bolts holding the skis are 10mm and the chassis goes right to the back
The Ski mounting channel is made from 75x75x3 rhs My first attempt was made from 2mm rhs and seemed tooweak to me The channel is 490mm long and the ski axles are 590mm long The stubs are held on with 8mm bolts
I cut the stubs and welded them up again to give a bit of camber
[hope my welding is OK!] Had to smile at Cisco,s craftmanship comment when I did this!
The 52x2mm spine goes right through the channel
Hope to try this all out in the not too distant future
Had a sail in the mini at the local park last week
Light wind and wet grass didnt give it much of a test and there doesnt sem to be any better wind conditions coming our way for a while
It felt good though and am fairly confident that the axles will be good
Great Hiko,
It is great what this site has achived in the short time it has been going, There are lots of new ideas and advice being gived. I have sourced the web over the last couple of years and there is nothing comes close to the imformation/new ideas that have come up on here. It is a credit to everyone.
Cheers
AUS230
^^^^^ I agree!!! I have been using the site's information, and PM's from members to build some great stuff. I have found it is a huge resource, and has very generous members.
CHEERS!
Hi Guys
I am keen to give this setup a good workout but NZ seems locked into a period of winter calms Nothing in the forecast in the near future either
I have sailed it but only in gentle conditions so far
I am confident though it will be good it seems to have just the right amount of
bounce and the skis can be picked up here in NZ for a song
The set of mint condition skis, poles and bag which will make an excellent
zipped sail bag shown below I won in an auction for $2 Many others are passed in with no bidders Brings a tear to my eye they are just so suitable for our purpose
By selecting where in the ski the axle is cut from the amount of spring can be adjusted Different skis have different chacteristics also One set of skis
provides two axles for a yacht
Here is how the ski axles are mounted shown with one axle in place The bolts are
10mm two each side and the stub axles are held on with two 8mm bolts
The channel is made from 75x75x3mm box section
Cheers Hiko
"DAMM"
thats is nice work can't wait to here the test results,every time i see breeze there is something new developing how many yaghts do i have to build to keep up with you guys
So long as it is the newest model, with all of the latest upgrades, newest ideas and made totally from recycled matrials that you havent paid a cent for, then you only need to build 1. Of course you know that as soon as you have built it, some one else will design and build some thing "better". But, hey, thats life.
A bit like "Who is the fastest gun in the west?" There will always be someone faster.
Doubt whether its better or faster just different and it keeps me amused and it doesnt cost much Its pretty hard to improve on the original LLF Mini
You are on the right track Mad As I said before I havent thrown away the original chassis
Cheers Hiko
I am thinking there are four ways to go with an LLF Mini.
1. LLF Mini as per design with a "stiffy" aluminium mast.
2. LLF Mini as per design with flexibile recycled windsurfer mast.
3. LLF Mini with recycled ski rear axle extensions and flexy recycled windsurfer mast.
4. LLF Mini with recycled ski rear axle extensions and "stiffy" aluminium mast.
I have tried the first two options though not under the same conditions so it is hard to determine which of the two is the better overall.
The first option is how I first sailed my LLF Mini and from that experience I can tell all that it is a very exciting yacht that sails "on the edge". At speed, I had to steer it by the slop in the steering head rather than by turning the front wheel.
I can see we are thinking along the same lines Cisco
You have put it very well
I started with option 2 and now have option 3
I have a suspicion that option 4 would be very good and I would like to head toward that but at present I dont have a stiff mast or a sail that would suit that mast The flexi mast may be the best for just plain fun though and its hard to beat plain fun Option 2 could well be the best for that and that puts us right back to the standard LLF Mini
Yes mate, option 4 I think is worth exploring. Performance with a bit more comfortable ride.
How has the ride been in your yacht with ski axles??
Do stiffy masts have more performance than flexys on a landyacht?
Anyone done a direct comparison?
I guess you'd have to have two sails so that the sail matched the mast. Difficult to compare them directly I guess.
Excellent craftsmanship there Hiko, I want one!
(sound familiar)
Hiko
Whats the update on the ski axle miniyacht ?
I saw one in while on holiday France this month and it looked great and was sailing very well , I didnt have the camera !
Cheers
Alan
HI Alan
The ski axles are good they have had a good test now and havent shown any vices at all
I like them I have made some new stub axles with 5 degrees of camber much the same as the original ones but all one piece as I was a bit nervous about the welding on the others Very happy with the result
I need to look for a ribbed 16inch bmx tyre for the front wheel as the slick tyre tends to slip a bit
Cheers Hiko
clemco mentioned that he was still ahead, was this a relative mass issue or was his skinny latte Y frame just really quick?
Probably lots of things weight, wheels, mast, sail, skill to name a few
No real surprises for me there
It sure didnt like me sailing it I couldnt keep it straight!
Yes those skinny axles waggling every which way was an experience
Love those Ski axles !
Hiko,
All of the ski axle minis I saw in France and indeed all of the minis in Europe run on the 800x400 as a front wheel as well as rears- works better !
The entire world fleet of Standarts (The Seagull monotype) have changed from a bmx front wheel to the 800 x 400 wheels up front and although they look terrible we all agree that they have improved the steering feel and control.
I was at a FISLY meet in Belgium last month and the miniyacht specification has moved closer to being sorted. It will be voted on in Oct at the Worlds.
Goes something like this -
Any fully assembled sandyacht whose wheel footprint fits inside a loop of rope 5.6m long , with a max wheel size 800 x 400, with a tubular circular mast and no wing sections is regarded as a miniyacht.
So suggest you try the 800 x 400 up front.
Alan
