Started making this mini a couple of months ago after discussing some ideas with with Landyacht in his creation palace (shed).

The concept was to have a 2 in 1 yacht Class 5 and mini. To convert between classes was to undo 3 or 5 bolts to swap axles and bolt in new axles and you can sail a new class.

I like the idea of Landyachts' mini with front suspension and discussed how what he would do differently if he would make it again. I like the design of the seat and borrowed the templates to make my own.

The mini/5 runs a FG 16" front wheel and Fallshaw rears and refurbished 26" from AUS230 in CL5 Spec.

New yachts take a lot of of time to design and build. Revolution takes more time than evolution.

Here are some pics of the building and design process.

The further I got into the build and moved into class 5 spec the practicality of swapping axles and stuff just seemed pointless. I have a ute and plenty of space. Just have two yachts. One mini and one class five. Have each yacht a specialist for that class must be better than have one yacht that is average in both.

So whipped out the angle grinder and started refurbishing old class 5 by giving it a nose job. However will need to make a new seat for class 5 and new M20 stub axles.

The more experience you get and completing evolutions of previous designs speeds up building process. Draw everything before you make it and try not to reinvent the wheel/landyacht.

Build a proven design and get a decent sail and practice sailing. Fast yachts are great but if you can't sail them fast better sailors with average equipment will beat you.

The fastest class 5 in Australia (my opinion) is AUS230's. last year raced it in two races finished 1st for both. Very fast yacht and by far the best VMG. Note: First race race was only the 2nd time I had piloted that yacht.

Make yachts clean and simple. It's great to design textbook perfect yachts but you need to be able to build them. Y-frames with cranked rear axles not a beginners build. Complex geometry is fun if you have got the time.

Best advice for beginner builders is to get a welder and grinder make the original LLM.

Ben

Looking great Ben.

Some really nice ideas and construction going on there.

Just a tip mate. Never trust the bathroom scales. They always lie.

I really like the design and the fabrication looks like brilliant workmanship!

I wish i had fabrication skills like it!

Look forward to some films of it running around :-)

All the best

Dave

Finished all the metalwork jobs on class 5 today. ready for painting and seat building.

Had to remake the steering fork. recycled fork geometry was off.

More painting on the mini. Would like to complete more yacht building but got called into work for the next two nights.

Yes chook I agree with you on the bathroom scales. Have been been working on my "Speed Ballast"

Ben.

Very nice Ben !

Good work Ben I especially like the mini Keeping the slop out of that front suspension pivot might be a challenge
but if kept tight it should work well I look forward to the report on the results !

Bloody hell Ben
that mini looks sweeeeeeet
You've come a long way since this.
Awesome stuff, I'd be well chuffed

Its been a long land yachting apprenticeship, but have enjoyed it.



Learning new skills:
-designing. Very important. Its the "why" and "how" you make. If you can't draw it, then you can't make it.


-metalworking: Learnt a lot from youtube, seabreeze and by burning lots of rods. Must be accurate.

-woodwork: easier than metalworking (my opinion)

-composites: Fibreglassing is good fun, fumes can be strong.

-textiles: Making seatbelts, racing suits, clew straps, sail bags, etc. Good fun making stuff that's not made in China.

-sail making: love pulling apart old windsurfer sails, each sail maker is different. Landyacht knows his stuff and is an awesome teacher.

-painting/signwriting: still need more practice, this last 10% takes 90% of the time.

Then there is sailing, racing and speed sailing.

The more you do the better your skills. The faster and more efficient you can complete tasks.

here a couple of sketches from the mini project.

Ben.

Assembled mini yacht and testing the rigging.

Yacht is comfortable and look ok. (need to work or my painting and finishing skills).

Ready for a test sail.

Class 5 seat was outsourced to BrianBoulder due to time constraints.

Ben

Proofs in the pudding.
definitely doesn't look like A WOFTAM.
My neck is sore

Neck is sore too. need to spend more time learning to use computer too.

Test sail was good. Need to test better mast combination with my 4.6m sail Aluminium mast was a little stiff.

Also need to make some hose & latex steering tendons. O-ring rubber was ok but had too much stretch and is a little freaky sailing on a busy car park.

Didn't lift a wheel and the keel didn't scrap. Nothing broke.

Just need to put some hours into testing and refining equipment.

I need a couple of neoprene stubby coolers for the axles. Cold axles under my thighs felt like my legs were wet so a bit of insulation can't hurt

Also add my seat belt and padding on the goolies basher centre sheeting.

Ben.

now start moving that sheeting back maybe 200mm
looks very nice!

Wow looks good !!!

Nice Ben.

Not sure about the name. I reckon it's a great investment.

Ex girlfriend kept referring to my yachts as a woftam. That's why she is an ex.

Nice Ben, good idea, a piece of inner tube to your mastbase

Some more mods to the mini.

Stubby cooler padding on axles and gooolies basher. Probably need to add a fourth stubby cooler to the sheeting post for additional protection.

Moved Sheeting post moved back 200mm.

Original O-Ring rubber steering tendon was too freaky. Redesigned steering system with 3-way joint and made new narrower foot bar. Still testing and refining the final fit and finish. Still need to add washes and nylocs but you get the idea.

Ben.

so what does woftam mean exactly?

Well if the lake is flooded and I can't sail my yacht then its a "WOFTAM" : Waste Of F#@king Time And Money.

Select to expand quote

BenBoulder said..
Some more mods to the mini.

what the F have you done you heathen, just when I thought you were about to graduate, you revert to whacking things with a stick.

Too late, Ben's bolted.............. Nice use of what's on hand.

Select to expand quote

Chook2 said..
Too late, Ben's bolted.............. Nice use of what's on hand.

you teach and teach ,you hold their hands,you give them the bits to do the job, but you turn your back for a moment........................

Welcome to my world Paul!!!!!
Working with Yr 10 students at the Ag college, I take it as a compliment when they use their initiative to solve problems. Ha ha.

Select to expand quote

landyacht said..

BenBoulder said..
Some more mods to the mini.

what the F have you done you heathen, just when I thought you were about to graduate, you revert to whacking things with a stick.

just came back to look again, sooo hideous ben. what were you thinking. why did you use soft O ring in the first place . weve got metres of the polyeurathane stuff hanging in the shed curing

Was looking at again too. Not sure what i was thinking. Its functional but Fugly.

Easy fix. I'll cut it off, re-weld other fitting back on. Ill come around and grab a metre or more of hose/latex .

PS got dad to make the seat on class 5. Cl5 seat looks agricultural . Very agricultural but comfortable.

My blokart was never a woftam but the odd female has proven to be one.

The FUGLY 3-way has been cut off the front end and has been restored to its former glory. I've seen light.

Class 5 "Black & Didlee" and Mini "WOFTAM" are now ready for some testing.

Class 5 is very basic but is comfortable. I still need to finalise the rigging and if time permits finish the pussy sail.

Working on refurbishing the rack for the back of the ute. i think I'll need it to cart all the crap around.

Ben.

made a small crane to hoist the class 5 onto the ute rack. Inspired by AUS230 lifting his mini onto the roof racks of his patrol.

this is the second version. The first had way to much jib deflection and the mounts twisted like liquorice. This is the simpler, cleaner version. All recycled steel.

Not sure of the SWL but it didn't break after 5 test lifts.

Salt testing the mini today. NOT LAKE LEFROY

Winds were a good 25-30kn N-NW.

Rigged with stiff mast and 4.0m Wild Winds. 4.0m was ridiculous overpowered. Spent a couple of hours sailing long windward legs against dad's mini. "woftam" out pointed "termites breakfast" five tacks to my one tack. .

Was testing my new bearing spacers and new simpler outhaul system. However I just wanted to see how my yacht would perform on salt. Awesome gust control minimal traction issues where dad's mini kept getting lifted and pushed sideways. My mini loaded up and rarely felt like tipping. I am surprised because my mini is narrower than a LLM at 1400mm.

Cracked a top speed of 81kph before I sent the yacht into a 360 front cartwheel/high side into some soft salt @ 50-60kph. Need to wash and inspect yacht for damage. Tail section of the seat is strong bounced off it. No injuries just a sore wrist and tricep.

The hardest part was pushing the yacht onto a section of salt that was hard enough to get rolling. I prefer to sail on clay or gypsum. Salt is great for big smooth distances but you and your gear gets covered in crap.

Ben.

AWESOME
I wish you had footage because that looks mint.
Maybe PM bazl from the sandgropers if you were chasing some ribbed tyres as he may be able to help you out.
Not that I ever said anything