Today tested my TALY (Timber Axle Land Yacht) at the claypan in preparation for the 2015 WA land sailing state titles.

This yacht is based on the original LLM design with a timber axle and 5 Degrees of mast rake.

My objective of the day was to go out and break something and to test the yachts' performance before it was sanded, fibreglassed and painted

The clay was nice and smooth after last months rains.

Positives
the yacht steered well
point nicely upwind
was nice and predictable in gusts (rear axle loaded nicely) didn't feel like it was going to tip me over.

Improvements
modify foot steering bar. This locked into the side wall of the seat after a high speed gybe leaving me to do a few 360's until i could free it.
bent the rear seat support down the bottom. The seat mount was only 3mm steel.
Split/cracked rear axle.
Front seat mounts move forward. The seat was chattering/bouncing on the front of the chassis making an annoying sound.

Ben.

Great ideas there Ben.

Did the crack in the timber originate from the axle fixture bolt hole and travel inwards? It seems really neat along the grain.

Your rear axle width seems pretty narrow.

Yeh I had the same trouble with the pedals and now mine are tapered and narrower at the top.

Love your work.

Rear axle is tassie oak 19mm thick. I think I must have over tightened the bolts and had a high spot in the centre resulting in the split. Like a karate chop but on my axle.