Hand steering for a LLF mini

> 10 years ago
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Hiko
Hiko
1229 posts
1229 posts
27 Nov 2009 4:12pm
While I prefer the foot steering on the mini myself I thought I would see if I could make up a hand steering option for children Blokart style
They seem to relate to it well I wanted a simple set up that could be converted back to my preferred foot steering readily and I am quite pleased with the result
The photos are pretty much self explanatory The lashing arrangement at the mast step
was done with 3mm spectra cord and is a simple strong support That allows the required movement


The steering bar itself was made from 25x1.4 tube from my local exhaust tube shop
[ love that guy he has a great selection of tube and will sell it in small pieces]
A couple of furniture bungs and some primer and its done


Gizmo
Gizmo
SA
2865 posts
SA, 2865 posts
27 Nov 2009 7:07pm
VERY clever.....10/10
cisco
cisco
QLD
12365 posts
QLD, 12365 posts
27 Nov 2009 11:50pm
Great thinking out of the box Hiko and as with everything you do, workmanship par excellence.
Test pilot 1
Test pilot 1
WA
1430 posts
WA, 1430 posts
28 Nov 2009 11:11pm
Only problem with small children is, if the yacht tips over they have nothing to brace their feet against to keep themselves in, with the rsult they are more likely to put their feet out to brace themselves and they will also slide around in the seeat
Hiko
Hiko
1229 posts
1229 posts
29 Nov 2009 4:06am
Yes you are right TP 1 am working on that
Forgot to mention we had a rope tied around in a loop from rear axle to rear axle
for them to put their feet against that you can just see in the photo as a temporary measure
I intend to fit something more solid there Also side handles for fast turns etc
All the kids who have tried it so far have had a blast
Strangely though to me anyway they all seem to prefer to sit bolt upright like the girl in the photo even after suggesting they lay back
cheers Hiko
landyacht
landyacht
WA
5921 posts
WA, 5921 posts
29 Nov 2009 6:09pm
very nice effort hiko. on one of our early minis we tried a similar thing but we wernt happy with it. Your lashing would have solved that problem.
well done , nice to see that old sail scrubbed and sailing again. we used old fishing rods as the boom
Hiko
Hiko
1229 posts
1229 posts
29 Nov 2009 6:43pm
That sail is just perfect for children, have used it myself also in the strong winds we have been having lately
I used an alloy tube for the boom but an old fishing rod would be much better
It would give the sail a better shape I think I didnt think of that idea
Have given some onlookers a sail also and they seem very keen on building a mini
so I hope we will see some more around here before too long
cheers Hiko
kiwi307
kiwi307
488 posts
488 posts
30 Nov 2009 4:42am
Hiko said...
Strangely though to me anyway they all seem to prefer to sit bolt upright like the girl in the photo even after suggesting they lay back
cheers Hiko


This was an issue with almost all the people who tried the Class 5 whenever we put them in (and in most cases they never came back). Used to give about 40 a day rides at Orewa.
Test pilot 1
Test pilot 1
WA
1430 posts
WA, 1430 posts
30 Nov 2009 9:03am
They are too used to sitting upright in cars etc. Until they realise that layback means faster they wont change. Also gives them a greater sense of control and they can see better.
kiwi307
kiwi307
488 posts
488 posts
1 Dec 2009 8:25am
Test pilot 1 said...

They are too used to sitting upright in cars etc. Until they realise that layback means faster they wont change. Also gives them a greater sense of control and they can see better.


And part of the reason why a Blowie has a more "sit up" seat but being the hammock allows you to squirm down. Yet another marketing decision which was made at design stage.
Hiko
Hiko
1229 posts
1229 posts
1 Dec 2009 6:26pm
I made my mini so that the seat could be 30 degrees from horizontal or 45 degrees
like a blokart also it can have foot steering or hand steering like a blokart
I prefer the foot steering and the 30 degree standard mini explorer set up after trying both but thats just me someone else may well be different
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