Some very nice work you have done there Smokey, especially with the steering head and use of the bicycle stem and clamp. I did mine very similar to that and it does save a lot of fabrication by using "off the shelf" bike bits.

The seat set up looks good and comfortable too, but for performance a very much more reclined seating arrangement is recommended. Also from the photo it would appear you have very long legs. Unnatural even.

Use of stainless steel may seem to be a good idea from the point of view of rust etc, but for the components that will be subject to high stresses, it is not really the best choice as it does not have the "spring" qualities of carbon steel.

I have bent three stainless blokart chassis's under fairly normal usage while my steel blokart has remained straight under heavy usage.

No doubt the blokart people would dispute that but they are more sales people than they are metallurgists or engineers.

Was there something you did not like about the "Lake Lefroy Mini Explorer Design"???

It is very well proven, beats the pants off a blokart and comes from someone who has over thirty years of sailing, designing and building land yachts.

From personal experience I can tell you that if you build one of those it is a proven experiment and you will get the thrills you are looking for from it.

The plans for it are downloadable from this site for FREE.

Anyway, this appears to be your first yacht, so complete the experiment and keep us posted on the progress and results.

Once you get the complete thrill of sailing a land yacht, you might even want to flog the hog. Welcome to our world. Cheers Cisco.

Great Effort
just a couple of comments
I'd guess the steering will be extremely heavy with the pivot line being so far from the contact point of the front wheel on the ground. That setup I would assume will lift the front end 30-40 mm.
Something to stop your feet touching the ground accidentally would be a good idea.

cisco said...

Some very nice work you have done there Smokey, especially with the steering head and use of the bicycle stem and clamp. I did mine very similar to that and it does save a lot of fabrication by using "off the shelf" bike bits.

The seat set up looks good and comfortable too, but for performance a very much more reclined seating arrangement is recommended. Also from the photo it would appear you have very long legs. Unnatural even.

Use of stainless steel may seem to be a good idea from the point of view of rust etc, but for the components that will be subject to high stresses, it is not really the best choice as it does not have the "spring" qualities of carbon steel.

I have bent three stainless blokart chassis's under fairly normal usage while my steel blokart has remained straight under heavy usage.

No doubt the blokart people would dispute that but they are more sales people than they are metallurgists or engineers.

Was there something you did not like about the "Lake Lefroy Mini Explorer Design"???

It is very well proven, beats the pants off a blokart and comes from someone who has over thirty years of sailing, designing and building land yachts.

From personal experience I can tell you that if you build one of those it is a proven experiment and you will get the thrills you are looking for from it.

The plans for it are downloadable from this site for FREE.

Anyway, this appears to be your first yacht, so complete the experiment and keep us posted on the progress and results.

Once you get the complete thrill of sailing a land yacht, you might even want to flog the hog. Welcome to our world. Cheers Cisco.

Thanks Cisco

The seat is one I had lying under the house, I like the look of the plywood "coffin" shaped recliners but I'm pretty useless at woodwork and this was free. I agree a lying down position would be pretty good and may modify it yet. The steering will have a linkage system back to the mast stay, I'm 6'4" but my legs aren't quite that long.

Agree with the comments on SS the main proble with it is that it works hardens and becomes brittle, normal steel has flex which is good. I opted for 304 over 316 (unless I already had scrap 316 at hand) as it has more flex. I have a lot of SS lying round hence the choice. For any structural areas I've gone for 40mm box with 2mm wall thickness and other parts are 38mm by 1.6mm.

It's not that I did not like the LLM design but I have a bad habit of must do it my way and learn the hard way. Decised one day to build one looked at some pictures and off I went, Andy kindly came round and told me what I'd done worng so far which was usefull.

I will no doubt be building naother one shortly after this one as I have a feeling this hobby is addictive. Progress has slowed a bit due to it being cold in the garage at the mo, a welding burn, the garage flooding in the rain and having to work dammit.

Hiko said...

Good one Smokey good to see another landyacht built
If you want someone to sail with I am keen to have a sail over your way
More likely to get some wind over that side of the island this time of year
Cheers Hiko

Hi Hiko

Will do, probably got another month or so before I fiinsh it, then some test runs to do, the audience is getting pretty big for launch. My friends love a good accident (when its not them....)

landyacht said...

the steering wont work.
it will want to turn into a trolley wheel and turn around and trail.it will be a fight to sail in a straight line.
sorry
the line of the steering head needs to line up with the contact point of the wheel . have a look through the diagram of the steering in the LLM construction post.

Uh-oh, I understand, this makes sense and it appears a modification is in order.

Thanks, glad I found out now rather than once I'd finished. Wasn't quite happy with the mounting arm for the front axle anyway but was in denial that I had to build a new one. This has just forced the issue, steering line aimes at bottom of the wheel where it contacts the sand. Shouldn't be hard to do.

?