Forums > Land Yacht Sailing Construction

My Next LeFroy Mini

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Created by lachlan3556 > 9 months ago, 27 Jan 2010
lachlan3556
VIC, 1066 posts
27 Jan 2010 6:27PM
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G'day everyone. Just wanted to show off what dropped into my backyard over the weekend.





Brief Intro:
Build is hopefully going to be a relative quickie. Plywood seat like my first mini, solid 1" axles because I had the stock laying around (and the bearings to suit), slight mods to the plans (spot them where you can , why do it?) and the steering setup the same (close enough) to the plans.

Materials (so far): 60mm gal tube (fencepost), 35x35x2.0, 30x30x2.0, 1" round bar, 30x6mm flat and 25x3mm flat.

Reason to build:
Need a second mini yacht so others can come out sailing and enjoy themselves more, plus my girlfriend said she is willing to learn if I make her a green machine

j murray
SA, 947 posts
27 Jan 2010 9:42PM
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looks good Locky, you got the bug now.

landyacht
WA, 5921 posts
27 Jan 2010 8:11PM
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looks like its pretty close to the plan vic and I had a little lesson in humility on the weekend, beaten by a stock standard LLM

cisco
QLD, 12311 posts
27 Jan 2010 11:17PM
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landyacht said...

looks like its pretty close to the plan vic and I had a little lesson in humility on the weekend, beaten by a stock standard LLM


Hmmm. That must have been in public at the Nats. I see there was also a Qld contingent there. Sounds like that was a two horse race. Any proof in that pudding.

cisco
QLD, 12311 posts
27 Jan 2010 11:24PM
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Looking good lachy. I am sure the more you do the quicker it gets until it gets to the point where you have to build two at a time.

Certainly a good move for you being fairly isolated. Sort of like creating your own competition. That is an often practised and successful business ploy.

lachlan3556
VIC, 1066 posts
28 Jan 2010 10:45AM
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I get the feeling I wont be able to get many into landsailing without having the toys here for them to play with. I find it amazing how many people are against building anything themselves, that said if I didn't have access to my Dads shed and tools I wouldn't be building much either. Thanks Dad!

As for the current design. The only difference is that I mounted the rear axle into the lower half of the 60mm gal tube which will allow the seat to rest on the yachts 'spine' and hopefully make the ply seats a little more robust. I also changed how the steering tube was mounted, might find its too weak but it did make construction easier and quicker.

Thanks everyone for the interest, i'll be back with more soon

Gizmo
SA, 2865 posts
28 Jan 2010 11:33AM
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lachlan3556 said...


As for the current design. The only difference is that I mounted the rear axle into the lower half of the 60mm gal tube which will allow the seat to rest on the yachts 'spine' and hopefully make the ply seats a little more robust. I also changed how the steering tube was mounted, might find its too weak but it did make construction easier and quicker.



Don't forget to put a drain hole for the main spine tube of at least 8mm, salt, sand, dirt and water could get trapped and start rusting through FAST

sn
WA, 2775 posts
28 Jan 2010 5:44PM
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lachlan3556 said...

that said if I didn't have access to my Dads shed and tools I wouldn't be building much either. Thanks Dad!


I just got back home from the mine intending to start on a second lefroy explorer mini, and a minimini (converted golf buggy) for the smaller nieces/ nephews and blow-ins.

my plans just ground to a halt as Dad has borrowed his welder again

so with the time freed up by not being able to do any welding we mooched off to balcatta recycling depot again- and scored 3 more sails and some spare golf buggy wheels for the minimini

landyacht
WA, 5921 posts
8 Apr 2010 3:52PM
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I thought we were unlocking thregister for the clemster to post

hills
SA, 1622 posts
8 Apr 2010 6:45PM
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landyacht said...

I thought we were unlocking thregister for the clemster to post


I have, it is, he has...

lachlan3556
VIC, 1066 posts
8 Apr 2010 10:31PM
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Geeting bored of mini explorer build threads are you? Right! I'll keep it to myself until finished

Globetrotter
74 posts
9 Apr 2010 2:55PM
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no no keep it going. the pictures are good reference for my attempt!! When i am finished we can meet for a race 3 will be better than 2!!! Are there any clubs in victoria?

lachlan3556
VIC, 1066 posts
11 Apr 2010 7:17PM
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Just the Melbourne Blokart club, and maybe a Horsham Blokart club and/or shop?

It a pity its so far away but I know of some good dead flat and smooth clay pans a couple of hundred k's into NSW Im sure there is something similar in Vic but just haven't found them yet.

Just joking about the not posting pictures, I'll try my best to get a move along and post as I build.

landyacht
WA, 5921 posts
11 Apr 2010 6:24PM
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lachlan3556 said...


It a pity its so far away but I know of some good dead flat and smooth clay pans a couple of hundred k's into NSW

how about some google earth on this so we can start investigating

hills
SA, 1622 posts
11 Apr 2010 8:04PM
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lachlan3556 said...

It a pity its so far away but I know of some good dead flat and smooth clay pans a couple of hundred k's into NSW Im sure there is something similar in Vic but just haven't found them yet.


Look towards the SA border, then its not to far for us to catch up with you Vics!

lachlan3556
VIC, 1066 posts
9 May 2010 6:52PM
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G'day again all. Sorry for the long break between updates, been working(unfortunate) and spending as much time as I can on some of my ongoing projects (fortunately).

So here are some pictures to show how my new mini is coming.

The seat, as it came out of the shed after fibreglassing it a few days before.



Whip block mounts, they may wear through but you get to the stage'during a build where you will try anything thats a bit faster and easier.



A short from the underside of the seat showing how the seat lies flat on the chassis.

lachlan3556
VIC, 1066 posts
9 May 2010 6:56PM
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And some more.


Overall shot of the seat sitting on the chassis.



Image of the front end...Not sure why but I like how it fit together.



cisco
QLD, 12311 posts
9 May 2010 11:54PM
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I really like the "Bull Nose" shape of your seats Lachlan. They sort of say "Look out, I'm comin' on through."

lachlan3556
VIC, 1066 posts
10 May 2010 11:29AM
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Yeah, well some so and so designed this small yacht with the pedals so far forward that I cant sweep the front too much, no one knows who they are do they.... I this one the pedals could be mounted against the headstem tube for an extra long pilot if need be.

I know it will probably make no difference but I haven't been convinced to not do it by my first mini. In any case it stops splashes as one sails through puddles and hopefully helps reduce a fraction of the wind resistance (have to see whether I ever need that feature). The sides of this seat are 50mm lower profile than my last, I reckon I could probably go another 50 on the next

Will have more updates this week I hope. Still have some seat trimming to do and them it'll be almost ready for some paint

landyacht
WA, 5921 posts
10 May 2010 7:51PM
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Overlength pilots were clearly discussed in the LLM building posts . suitable tools for adjusting pilot length were displayed . note fine adjustment tool also included

cisco
QLD, 12311 posts
10 May 2010 11:51PM
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landyacht said...

note fine adjustment tool also included


Would that be the bastard file for the toe nails and the hand smooth for the finger nails??

landyacht
WA, 5921 posts
11 May 2010 7:02PM
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lordy no ,broadaxe for the legs, with a little trim with the mastmakers hatchet

lachlan3556
VIC, 1066 posts
12 May 2010 11:02AM
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On second thoughts. . . . no need to worry. I really really like the seat design

A quick question: Is there any reson why I shouldn't / you wouldn't be making the seat go right to the front wheel? I guess if I hit something hard enough not only is my steering going to go but the seat as well

Hiko
1229 posts
12 May 2010 9:44AM
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If you use the yacht on beaches you might get a buildup of sand there
Any reason for the knobbly tyres instead of ribbed ? Bit of a slowing factor there ?

Hiko

lachlan3556
VIC, 1066 posts
12 May 2010 2:32PM
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My wheel dealer said Fallshaw dont supply the wheels with ribbed tyres, and I haven't worn a set out to order another. I'll definately go ribbed when I get a set.

Hiko
1229 posts
12 May 2010 1:05PM
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I remember now I ordered the wheels without tyres and got the tyres elsewhere
The knobblies might be good on tarmac though as the ribbed tyres I have are quite light and might not cut it for long if I ever get to sail on the seal

landyacht
WA, 5921 posts
12 May 2010 8:50PM
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the ribbed on road last as well as on salt, it relly comes down to how much you like to smell the rubber. The knobblies , whilst heavier, have a larger diameter. At Walyungup this year , I changed to the knobblies on the 5 as they didnt puncture,like the ribs did and got a better grip on the deteriorating surface.
I think they would be woeful on sand

cisco
QLD, 12311 posts
13 May 2010 1:55AM
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The knobbies do make a lot of noise on the sand.

It takes energy to make noise, therefore.......need I say more?

lachlan3556
VIC, 1066 posts
24 May 2010 5:57PM
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Who is responsible! [}:)]

Was putting my mini together over the weekend and found I haven't tapered the nose of my new seat to any degree. I cant look at it without seeing the huge nose now. On the up side I can help the learners out my having pedals ~150mm wider to make steering less twitchy. Be uploading some more pics any day now...

landyacht
WA, 5921 posts
24 May 2010 8:20PM
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Oooh grandma ,what a big nose you have

lachlan3556
VIC, 1066 posts
27 May 2010 4:00PM
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Frame has been painted in the highly immaginative colour BLACK! In actual fact I like using undercar body spray, which is rubberised and gives a nice strong finish, and I've only seen it in black.

The seat has a 'red coat of paint (thats what the can showed), although when I say red its more of a brown red (maroon??) which I think has seen better days as its taking days and days to dry. maybe it can be the undercoat...

And finally, Im getting a few old sails this week to play around with, I know where I can get a mast for $50 but will be asking around the salvage yards first (they seem to be hard to come by here).




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"My Next LeFroy Mini" started by lachlan3556