Hi Ben I have had a couple of unsuccessful experiments with front suspension but I think I might try again with a similar configuration to your mini, so a few questions if I may? What poundage spring are you using on the suspension unit? As the sail powers up and the front end dips it alters the mast rake so what angle have you set it up with unloaded? Does the unit bottom out if so have you a bump stop so it is not overloaded? Cheers

I think the spring is 600-700lb with air dampening or oil not sure but it has some dampening. Sorry I can't be more specific on make or model. I got it off landyacht whom cut it off an old MTB.

When the sail powers up whilst sailing to windward the spring does load up and throw the rig forward helps pointing ability .

Design similar to Landyachts' new class 5. I made the spine out of LTK60 Inner Tube at a length of 800mm with identical mast rake. 11 Degrees unloaded.

Swing arm welded mid way along the spine and the rear axles @ 45 Degrees made from LTK60 Outer Tube.







The unit hasn't bottomed out yet. It's a heavy spring and have only wound it down a third. There is no to minimal movement or play in the swing arm.

This mini is narrow @ 1400mm compared to a LLM and you are more likely to lift a wheel before fully compressing the front.

I guess the swing arm may hit the seat or foot bar bolt. But after inspecting after the flip I had to trim a small section under the swing arm where it was just rubbing. No marks where found on top of the swing arm.





Hope that helped bynorthsea. Any more questions I am happy to share. "who shares wins"

Ben.

So I gotta ask , how stoked are you at your build mate.
Woulda liked to chat more at Lefroy but between sailing/sitting and the kids I was pretty knackered.
You seemed to be getting along quite nicely while most of us were barely moving.

it was sailing really nicely wasnt it. best machiine after the esperance ******* Assassins. Im glad i steerd his build just a tad. having the seat behind the mast meant that he only needed to add weight to the yacht to sail as a 5. pity the winds were just a tad light

I was really proud of this build and with the performance of the yacht. Thank you landyacht for your mentoring.

Racing is the best judge of a yachts' performance. The winds were light but my 5.5m Airtrack and stiff Aluminium one-piece windsurfer mast combination worked well.

I have started sorting through my windsurfer sails looking for something bigger than 5.5m. I need to start developing a "chook chaser" ultra light wind uncut windsurfer rig.

I haven't progressed much further as I have been cross training in Perth sailing keelboats and 505 dinghy's as well as kitesurfing.

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BenBoulder said..
I have started sorting through my windsurfer sails looking for something bigger than 5.5m. I need to start developing a "chook chaser" ultra light wind uncut windsurfer rig.

Your yacht was a credit to you Ben. Looked and sailed beautifully!!!!

prepare to get smoked ben , greg and chook beating me was simply a wind strength hiccup

I'll raise you a chocolate frog Paul. Your on!!!!

i'll see your chocolate frog and raise you a wagon wheel.
if we get to lindt and ferrerro rocher's it'll be really serious

Here is mini match racing/testing.


Termites Breakfast with a 5.6m and charcoal challenger with a 4.6m.

Looking good guy's. Wish our lake was that dry.

Nice job Ben. and nice plan. Have you got a name for your design?

Thanks Clem. I was thinking of calling it a "DASHBY" after the designers Day & Ashby.

Racing in the class 5's @ Lefroy in September.

was i sooo fast i was out of the pic already
what a pity the wind died in the marathon. I recall at least 3 lead changes in the few laps we achieved

I think you were ahead of Chook. My sail was blocking you.

Having another look at modifying my mini to class 5 spec. Had lots of fun sailing some fast class 5's @ Kingston.

Here are some pictures of modifications to this yacht after Kingston.

Mod 1: I welded a piece of flat bar under the steering head. I had an issue of this bending after I asked chook to take the yacht and give it a thrashing.





Mod 2: Sheeting post moved back, lifted 30mm and extended adjustment. This worked great today.




testing with the big wheels.

Way to go Ben. Get into Class5. Mini yachts are for kids and old men.

I love racing my mini because of the larger fleet size. i.e. blokarts race in Int. mini 5.6m However I feel it it would get annoying swapping parts all the time to change from mini to class 5 spec.

I decided to keep "charcoal challenger" as a pure mini. My Airtrack 5.5m has awesome wind range can sail when blokarts have 5.5m down to 3.0m and still beat blokarts @ Kingston.

Started work on "2Black & 2Deadlee" a recycled racer bastard class 5 from multiple donor yacht. Getting ready for walyungup end of month.

Was thinking of running a French Style front end if time permits.

Can race in Class 5 promo or Class 5 sport spec.

-26"x50mm wheels from AUS230
-Chassis from Lake Lefroy Class 5 Project
-16" fork from 'Frogs Legs 1"
-Seat from Landyacts' Mini

Here are some pic's so far.

Bit of kite buggy influence there I reckon Ben.

Nice work, it looks sexy.

I'd tie the top and bottom of the lower bottom hinge point cheek plates together with a gusset between them (so the top gusset doesn't reduce suspension movement) as this will cop a lot of load/flex.

Might help to cap the bottom of the vertical RHS to reduce twisting through this attachment point too.

Love to see someone thinking outside of the box, great work Ben

I am going to give these Crazy Bob tires a try at $25 each. I figure it will be worth it, they are 26"x2.35 .They look pretty good on my yacht

It's been a busy couple of days. Sand, painting, fibreglassing, sail tuning and fabricating. Had no triple pulley block so had to make some. Hopefully assemble finished yacht and test sail tomorrow. Still need to carbon wrap mast.

Sail tuning and batten work was interesting. Compared existing battens vs Airtrack vs new.
Existing battens were stiff. 2nd batten need almost 5kg of force to get it to flex with the average of about 2kg of force needed to get them to flex. Airtrack was consistent with a range of 2-4kg needed. New battens are soft. Most under 900g of force except the top batten to keep the leech stiff.

I can't wait to sail this yacht. "Black and Didlee 2".

Looks fast just sitting there. I'm excited to race Class 5 this year. A "real class 5". Bringing lots of parts to test on the Friday before the event. Not the best preparation for a regatta. I would have at least 20hours on the yacht first. But racing is the best test of performance for any equipment.

This year I am going with the mantra "evolution not revolution".

New PB for the mini last weekend 92.7km/h.

Testing some new equipment mast/sail combos in winds that were way too strong.

Really needed a 2m sail or something smaller.

Sail was a NP4.0m recut to 3.3m set on Severn 430 Carbon enigma 21 IMCS mast.

Nice set on the 3.3 sail. The pole sticking up above the sail will be creating a lot of drag. Could you have a shorter mast for this sail. I recon that could give you a few more kphs, and less top-over action. Then just add more weight as the wind increases .

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BenBoulder said..
I can't wait to sail this yacht. "Black and Didlee 2".

Looks fast just sitting there. I'm excited to race Class 5 this year. A "real class 5". Bringing lots of parts to test on the Friday before the event. Not the best preparation for a regatta. I would have at least 20hours on the yacht first. But racing is the best test of performance for any equipment.

This year I am going with the mantra "evolution not revolution".

Did you get to try that 3.3 sail on the Class 5 ?

Nice set on the 3.3 sail. The pole sticking up above the sail will be creating a lot of drag. Could you have a shorter mast for this sail. I recon that could give you a few more kphs, and less top-over action. Then just add more weight as the wind increases .

I do wonder if the big wheels at some point start to cause a degree of drag which defeats the reduced rolling resistance

I just had a crazy idea which I admit I have not thought through but if an axle had a fallshaw on one side and a larger diameter wheel fitted to the other
and it was pulled from a point exactly in the centre at various speeds it would indicate which had the most drag would it not ?

I think some dampening would be necessary such as extending the pivot point forward

I once tested the drag on two kayaks by towing them behind a boat using a similar method with interesting results