Blokarts...

[Graham Bridle]

Eddie has set his heart on a blokart for christmas, if you havnt seen them http://www.blokart.com/product.php

Nice bits of kit, but at about £1200 for whats basically a frame with a windsurfer sail and some trolley wheels it seems a bit toppy, and certainaly out of range of an 11 year olds christmas present.

Now my inability to build stiff is well known, but I reckon if I could get a frame made probably from aluminium I could probbaly manage the rest using ebay as a store for other parts for not too much dough.

Anyone got any suggestions on how I might go about this ?

[Will_Lee]

Hmmm. Blokarts are like other landyachts only slower and more expensive (but they do pack away neatly)

http://www.bfslyc.org.uk/pages/fed_welcome.aspx

http://www.landyachting.co.uk/selfbuild.htm

Can't find a second hand page, sorry!

[Tim Noyce]

Just found this sucker on ebay too.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Sand-yacht-Land-Sailer_W0QQitemZ170385772072QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_SportingGoods_Kites_Kitesurfing_CA?hash=item27abc88e28&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

Not sure how much they normally go for. Looks like you can get plans of those websites Will listed, so might be a case of taking some plans to your local engineering place and then they could fabricate it for you. I can't see it being a massive job, especially if you did the painting and finishing of it.

[daryl_wilkinson]

Eddie has set his heart on a blokart for christmas, if you havnt seen them http://www.blokart.com/product.php

Nice bits of kit, but at about £1200 for whats basically a frame with a windsurfer sail and some trolley wheels it seems a bit toppy, and certainaly out of range of an 11 year olds christmas present.

Now my inability to build stiff is well known, but I reckon if I could get a frame made probably from aluminium I could probbaly manage the rest using ebay as a store for other parts for not too much dough.

Anyone got any suggestions on how I might go about this ?

One thing you should bare in mind is training, class 5 and class 3 yachts have killed people on the beach. Landyatch clubs require members to take a 'pilots licence'. Brean in Weston Super-Mare is where I took mine in Class 5 yachts. I'm not sure of the requirements for Blow Karts ( home made or not ) but they are plenty fast enough to do damage to crew or beach dwellers / dogs etc...

The other thing you might think of is Kite Buggies. Much cheaper, and plentiful second hand. You may even be able to use the kite buggy as a base for your home made Blow Kart.

I'm not suggesting this because mine is for sale. But it is, if you were interested. Special rates for Chair rubbers. This is the type I have: http://www.foreverflying.com/FoldingBuggy.html

I will dig out some of my old landyatch stuff and find some sail makers and things.

BTW most class 5 yachts are home made anyway.

[daryl_wilkinson]

sailmaker: R&J Sails  http://www.rjsails.co.uk
landyacht builder: WindForce ( Derby ) Tel: 01332 668654

British Federation of Sand & Land Yachts Clubs: http://www.bfslyc.org.uk/pages/fed_homepage.aspx

[paul_croote]

R&J sails, that takes me back, they made me a custom windsurfing sail in 1985! Hell that makes me feel old!

[ross_burkin]

While sailing around the Channel islands on a yacht many moons ago, we had a lay day due to big breeze. We called a local Blokart guy and he arranged to meet us as a beech in gale force winds. He unlaoded freekin' loads of the things from his transit along with a vast selection of sails.

They were MENTAL! Unforgettably fast but I was probs only about 9 stone and it was VERY, VERY windy.

[daryl_wilkinson]

Graham see the 'Stainless Rod' thread for a LINK to a good supply of reasonably priced tube / box section.

[Graham Bridle]

Yes, I saw this, but welding it together is a bit of an issue

[daryl_wilkinson]

Best off getting an old kite buggy base then and bolting on a mast foot tube to take a windsurfer mast. Eddie should be able to reach the steering pegs on a kite buggy.
That way it will be easier to make and you can use it in either mode, land yacht or kite buggy.

[Stuart Hopson]

Just been digging through all the old sails/write offs in the sail loft and found a 4.0m blokart sail. Its had the battens removed but other than that its like new. we're going to put some battens in it and sell it so if your interested, i'm sure we can sort you a good deal they retail at about £500 with a few extras, but we would be happy for £150.

[phil_kirk]

Making the bugy sounds like some thin wall Aluminium tubing and jointing it together by wrapping lots of fibre glass round each joint.

Who made a Go-Cart when they were 10 out of bits of wood and old pram wheels.  Similar principle. Home made christmas presents may not wask though but it is a good sticky weekend project.