I have to admit Im pretty infatuated with land sailing.
Have not buggyed yet. Was hoping to get back down this afternoon, but its looking like an unexpected
trip to Atlanta is in the works as my wifes Mom was put in the hospital last night, and we will probably leave this AM.
I think being able to do both buggying and sailing is gonna be cool! Maybe I need a giant kite that will pull the landsailer and I can
just dump the mast and sail when I want to kite.
I have to admit Im pretty infatuated with land sailing.
Have not buggyed yet. Was hoping to get back down this afternoon, but its looking like an unexpected
trip to Atlanta is in the works as my wifes Mom was put in the hospital last night, and we will probably leave this AM.
I think being able to do both buggying and sailing is gonna be cool! Maybe I need a giant kite that will pull the landsailer and I can
just dump the mast and sail when I want to kite.
Anyway all this wind riding is just too cool!
(Not-so-old) Ben - great reading about your positive experiences at JIBE with your Landsailor and early buggying. These wind machines are addictive,
aren't they? :karate:
I hope your Mother-in-law is OK and has a speedy recovery.
As it turned out it was mainly a condition caused by self neglect. She is in the early stages of dementia and became dehydrated
and got a UTI. Fairly common. My wife is a nurse and called it that even before we got there. Its time for her to move into
a care facility even though she hates the idea. My Dad died of dementia and it was terrible watching him digress. Getting old is
hard!
Hated to miss the rest of Jibe. I so enjoyed the one day I was there! Had planed on bringing the buggy and kites toward the
end of the week. Family first.
So Woody has undergone a few changes, the biggest is I scored a Laser sailboat 4.7m practice sail. Way superior to the poly tarp sail of course( which
worked decently considering). Working out the details on that conversion now.
Am going to use the sail Randy gave me on the PL buggy. I plan to eventually convert it to do both sailing and kiting. Will be nice to have that
capability.
Firstly let me say I have been kite flying a good bit when I go to Sapelo. Met some nice kite surfers while flying, from Miami last week that were
there for a wedding. Was nice to talk with them. I think I am going to be able to sneak my buggy over at some point.
Woodie has undergone a bunch of refinements. Have been sailing the back roads of McIntosh a bit. Road sailing has its own points of finesse. I have
added a larger(66sq ft) lateen sail for low end power as Woodie will soon be a two seater. This was inspired by the vid(link at bottom) from Jax
beach. These guys were having too much fun, especially the kid that kept dumping the sailer over, too funny!
Also converted the PL buggy. It was very easy to do and will quickly revert back to its original configuration. Cost was minimal on the conversion,
though there was a bit spent on the windsurf components. Mainly the sail. Its a basic surf sail for training, cost $125 new. The sail Randy kindly
gave me as near as I can figure requires a reduced diameter mast(RDM) to rig properly. I have a standard mast. Still working on making it work. Havent
sailed the buggy yet hope to this week.
(Not-so-old) Ben - cool to see this project coming along. The bracket holding the mast on the PL buggy looks likely to withstand nuclear attack.
Strongest thing on that buggy! :D
Quick question - is the converted buggy hard to get in and out of? Those diagonal bracing bars look to be right smack where you'd like to climb in
and out. Do you come in from the back? No matter, super nice work!
Yeah I might have gone a bit overkill on the mounts Windstruck. They are 3/8 6061 T6 when probably 1/4 would have done.
Originally I had intended to run without the mast stays. The mount would have no issue doing that but Im pretty sure the goose neck would break short
order through the bolt holes where the side rails mount. I have a plan to reinforce the neck and do away with the stays. They are not real old man
friendly during ingress/egress, but not too bad either. You enter from the back by standing in the seat then lowering yourself in, reverse the process
to get out. Its easy enough would just be nicer with out them. Once in they are completely out of the way. Once they are gone I could also lower the
mast a bit.
Randy, I finally figured the issue with the sail you gave me, it was the nut that holds the rope. I had seen so many pics and vids of sails used with
out the windsurf boom, and that was the way I was trying it. The wave sails have so much down haul and out haul to shape them. Cant do it with out the
boom. Another straight up learning curve, but I have it figured now! Would probably be easier with and RDM mast but they wont work with the
conversion. Has to be a standard size.
For general use the larger training sails and the SUP sails are much easier to deal with, just not high performance. Probably all I need. Hard to
dodge all the beach goers with a race sail!
Also the conversion will work on Woodie with either the windsurf sails or I can use the composite mast with the 4.7 laser sail also. Its pretty
modular.
Heres a pic of the puller I made to get the down haul right with my mast. Really makes it easy. Lock the rope in the clamcleat and haul away.
That is exactly what we use to downhaul our cambered landyacht sails. We only have 125mm-5" of broomstick and the racing clamcleat with a knot in the
end so we don't loose it if it comes loose. It can be stuck under the seat cushion when sailing and used to adjust the belly of the sail from going
up/down wind. Just 40 or 50mm is all it takes to adjust the sail and as the apparent wind/your speed increases the sail can be flattened out. It works
a treat!!
Read the entire sail section including your thread on uncut sails down at Seabreeze. Great info!
Im a bit confused how you are getting proper out haul without the wishbone.
The sail Randy gave me will not set until its out hauled with the wishbone. I can put enough down haul
to wrinkle the entire leech(way too much) but the lower battens will never lay properly at the mast until they are out hauled
with the wishbone in its normal "board" position. Not a real fan of how the wishbone looks, but its nice to set the sails out and
down hauls on the ground then just drop it in the step and go. I realize there is no on the fly adjustment but Im just a sport sailer.
Also Im confused as too the great lengths you Aussie fellas go to to mod/reinforce the surf masts. I just used a common
US cup mast extension that just happens to fit 1 1/4" emt(is actually slightly over 1.5"od). I drove a 1 3/8 hardwood dowel the entire length of the
emt which extends all the way to the top of the surf mast extension. The extension is then cross bolted to the emt/dowel. Seems plenty strong to me.
Will it be an issue with the mast?
If our fellow kiters would rather not discuss land sailing we can take it to Seabreeze.
If our fellow kiters would rather not discuss land sailing we can take it to Seabreeze.
(No-So-Old) Ben - I for one am enjoying this conversation! I love seeing your designs develop. From where I'm sitting this fits right in PKF. I
know a great number of buggy riders are also landsailors, so have at it!
If our fellow kiters would rather not discuss land sailing we can take it to Seabreeze.
(No-So-Old) Ben - I for one am enjoying this conversation! I love seeing your designs develop. From where I'm sitting this fits right in PKF. I
know a great number of buggy riders are also landsailors, so have at it!
I thought maybe this might be helpful if anyone was considering a conversion. The biggest learning curve is in the sail area if you are not familiar
with them, there is not much to the buggy conversion.
There are so many sails and types to consider. From what I have learned the wave sails are the easiest to use of the hi-perf
sails due to the cut back bottom section. The easiest overall sails are the sup/trainer sails. They are much more user friendly and cheaper also,
though not as fast a sailer.
The buggy will convert back in 5min or less, simply by removing the 3 bolts at the bottom of the mast step, loosening the
top 3 and removing the 2 bolts and clamps at the rear axle for the stays and lifting the whole conversion clear. Much faster with an impact tool.
I also made a basically friction free mast pivot using and old wheel bearing from Woodie( I upgraded to precision sealed).
It fits snugly into a piece of the emt for support. You drop it down the mast step followed by the washer to support the mast. Spins quite easily.
This works because the sail is down hauled to the mast extension and not the buggy. Hope to try this out today if things dont get in the way and the
weather holds.
Cool thing is all this fits into the back of my ancient Honda Passport tow vehicle with no dismantling of the buggy or stuff on top.
OldFart, a friend of ours thought he wanted to buggy but wasn't fully taking to it. He bought a Fexifiol with sail conversion. He took off down the
beach on his 1st run like a bat out of HE double hockey sticks. I think he went down the beach about 2 miles. When he returned he was 2 wheeling from
as far back as we could see and had that, I'm so stoked look on his face!
Went to Jekyll about 4 to get in on the low tide happening around 7. Was pretty windy being from the NNE at the time
14-18 with gusts over 20. Was good to try it in higher winds to test the stability. Everything worked perfectly with exception
of the boom riding up the mast due to the fact the latching rope was nylon and stretched. This allowed the outhaul to slack
causing the sail to luff a bit up wind. Got the proper lines on the way. Getting in and out wasnt bad and the seat with the web straps supporting my
back was surprisingly comfortable. I stayed in the bug almost 2hrs.
Having never ridden in a buggy I was surprised at how stable it was for being so close coupled. It made killer speed out of
the wind. I quickly learned the micro inputs necessary on steering. Toward the end was getting the hang of two wheeling, but wasnt very smooth in the
gusts. It made steady progress up wind but not blindingly so. I would sail from Great Dunes north
to the motel which took a while, then burn it back in no time. Acceleration was brisk and had to be done in stages as to pull the sail in at once
would put me on my head. Im guessing 25+ easily and I never did haul the sail all the way in to avoid max speed as there was apparently a national
convention of the Dumb a$$/Oblivious club happening with folks walking out into the path of the unbraked sailer constantly. Still had a blast!
You can see from the pics up and down wind. It fits easily into the Passport and self carries everything needed including a cooler of beer to keep the
wife entertained.
No the loop was Sean's idea. It was with the buggy when I bought it. Its PEX tubing. Pretty tough stuff. It handles the loading
of the sails sheet anchor point and the stress of me leaning on the web straps just fine. Allows me to sit in a more reclined position with my back
supported.
Next time out will try the sail you gave me. Should be much more efficient.
So in a effort to streamline/make things as easy as possible I fabbed a tow bar for the buggy from an old broom handle, a hinge, and hardware from my
junk box.
I was just about tried of getting the buggy to the beach with the PL WOS leash, especially going down the ramp. My wife as intelligent as she is is
eluded by physics. The idea of pulling slightly backwards on the buggy going down the ramp while I pulled and steered totally baffled her and just
about generated a throw down after I got run over twice.
Smooth sailing now! Goes on and off in less than a minute with no tools, eyebolts make great thumb holds. Uses 3/4 emt single side clamps which fit
the fork perfectly. A shot of silver spray paint the kill the R. Goldberg look and all will be good.
Got the materials to plate the goose neck so the mast stays can be removed.
Only mod required to the buggy is to grind the small weld that retains the forward goose neck bolt
so the bolt can be removed. Next plates were fabbed from 1/4" and 1/8" 6061 T6.
The 1/8 plates run uninterrupted from the front of the mast mount to the side bars flange. These act as spacers
to even the 1/4 plates to the goose neck as the plates rear is mounted over the side bars flange. There were already a smaller set in the mast mount
to properly space the step tube. The 1/4 plates then bolt
over the neck in a way similar to the mast mount. The weak area of the neck where the holes are is now boxed
with 3/8 per side of 6061 plate. It would be ideal if the plates on both the mast mount and the sides were welded but they are not.
No weld is the idea.
I dont think there is enough loading to work the neck between the plates. Time will tell. The 1/8 plates have to
break first. Ignore the junk hardware holding it in place.
Time for a run to the hardware store and to finish it up.
This will make the bug much more user friendly.
Sorry about the pics, cameras nearly as old as I am.
Not the most aesthetically pleasing conversion but I feel its quite
substantial, and it not hard/expensive to do with no welding. Was able to reduce the height of the mast step 2" since the stay brackets were removed.
Now it will roll straight into the back of the Honda with out having to tilt it to one side to clear the opening.
With out going thru receipts, Im guessing less than $40 to convert the buggy. Sailing rig is of course where the money is spent, though not bad with
used stuff. With careful scrounging the whole enchilada could be done under $200.
Buggy reverts back to stock in a very few minutes.
The finial installment and evolution of old Woodie.
Converted to a two seater, finished and painted. Changed out the barrow wheel/tires for 16/6.50x8s on the proper 5" wheels to handle two riders. Due
to the offset, the wheels can be run either inward or outward. This allows an increase/decrease to the track of 7". 70" inward. 77" outward. Can be
swapped around in about 2 min a side. They will probably stay in the inward position as I doubt old Woodie will fit down the ramp at Jekyll in the
wide mode.
Cool thing about the wheels they would greatly increase the track on my buggy, since axles are hard to find. Have to work around the bearing issue,
but think I have it figured.
Hey oldben, I like the land sailing modifications you've made to my old buggy and I'm glad the Pex backrest is working. It's very comfortable. I'm
250 and it had no problems supporting me
Thanks Yall for the kind comments and support for a guy that flies his kite on a stick!
Randy
Will try to get the old lady to vid a ride, she for sure vids everything else!
Im not very vid savvy.
Sean
Glad you approve of the mods! The buggy is much more old guy friendly with out the mast stays.
Yep, the PEX back rest is very comfortable and STRONG. Easily takes the loading of the sail as its also the anchor point for the main sheet.
Plan to get back to kiting this fall /winter when the beaches clear. Was a bit intimidating with my limited experience
to be overflying the crowds this summer.
So this puts Woodie to bed so to speak. Have to got to go Walmart and
buy some new lawn chairs, and the old lady still hasnt missed her bicycle
that donated the front end. Maybe better buy a new Huffy too!
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