Building a Blo-Kart

A forum for discussing topics relating to MacGregor Powersailor Sailboats
Post Reply
81venture
Captain
Posts: 553
Joined: Tue Aug 21, 2012 7:59 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Wake Forest, NC

Building a Blo-Kart

Post by 81venture »

So I have decided I am going to build one...

You think a tri wheeled setup from re-cycled bicycles, or an older go cart frame with two wheel steering in the front and lower center of gravity.

I'm thinking bike wheels/frames would be easier to scavenge up, but like the idea also of low and 4 wheels.

It's raining and colder here today so I am watching the game out in the shop and looking at all my stuff and thinking other than the rolling chassis to build I have enough stuff to pull this off
User avatar
Sumner
Admiral
Posts: 2375
Joined: Sun Jan 04, 2009 3:20 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26S
Location: SE Utah
Contact:

Re: Building a Blo-Kart

Post by Sumner »

I think I have to be realistic and realize that maybe I'm just getting too old to do some things and this is probably one of them...

http://www.youtube.com/embed/6Z7NJrjlQ_A

...but you have fun 8) ,

Sumner

============================
Our MacGregor 26-S

Our Endeavour 37

Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Mac-Venture Links
81venture
Captain
Posts: 553
Joined: Tue Aug 21, 2012 7:59 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Wake Forest, NC

Re: Building a Blo-Kart

Post by 81venture »

ok, we are not talking about that level

I'm thinking I can get bicycle parts easier than a go cart frame.

It seems the majority of them are trikes anyway

I got sails, rigging, boat seat, etc. So I just need to build something that rolls

We got almost 30 MPH winds with gusts here today...thinking this would be a fun thing to ride around the hood all liquored up

unless I'm breaking some kinda rule I will keep this thread open while I build it

Dave
User avatar
seahouse
Admiral
Posts: 2182
Joined: Sun Dec 07, 2008 9:17 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Niagara at Lake Erie, Ontario. 2011 MacM, 60 hp E-Tec
Contact:

Re: Building a Blo-Kart

Post by seahouse »

Looks like a fun project, and recycles stuff you have on hand too. It might be simpler to use a windsurfer sail, most of the rigging needed is already present. Although you have to stand up. I have a ski sailer where the sail attaches to a bar that straddles the skis. A real blast when the conditions are right!

For your project maybe something like this?

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kj75Wt16NRE

-B. :wink:
User avatar
Steve K
Captain
Posts: 703
Joined: Fri Jan 09, 2004 7:35 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26D
Location: So. Cal. desert

Re: Building a Blo-Kart

Post by Steve K »

Plywood and three wheelbarrow tires
http://www.stevproj.com/Vect1.jpg

easypeasy :wink:

The plans are at
http://www.stevproj.com/

SK
Wayne nicol
Captain
Posts: 645
Joined: Thu Feb 14, 2013 9:21 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Queen CHarlotte Islands,B.C.---------------- lightning white 2012 26M "Merrylegs"

Re: Building a Blo-Kart

Post by Wayne nicol »

cool link steve
those pedal cars are amazing- love the wooden bug too!
sure is a nice land yacht though!
prettier than the commercial ones!
81venture
Captain
Posts: 553
Joined: Tue Aug 21, 2012 7:59 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Wake Forest, NC

Re: Building a Blo-Kart

Post by 81venture »

ok, the stand up one is out...no frikken way...I would def hurt myself trying that

The other one looks cool, but mine isnt going to look so streamlined...

I've put out feelers to friends for the chassis parts...

I'm thinking two BMX style bikes, with coaster brakes...then I can use bike chain to fabricate a brakes to both wheels with a pedal.
then weld up a frame and use the front end of one bike for the steering

thats where we are at so far... sail will be triangular, I already have one, so we build around that 8)
bartmac
Captain
Posts: 722
Joined: Sun Apr 18, 2010 5:11 pm
Location: North Coast NSW Aust

Re: Building a Blo-Kart

Post by bartmac »

We own both a BloKart and a Adelaide land yacht class5 (google)....best fun you can have with your pants on...the sensation of speed that close to the ground is great...only one problem here NO saltflats so consigned to beach use and finding the combination of low tide and wind from the right quarter....not that easy.
Have seen about 35-40 km/hour on the blokart GPS on sand,but apparently they can do about 100K's plus on hard surfaces...also I use a fat/big front wheel like the rear rather than a skinny front.THe Adelaide class 5 is capable of 3-5 the speed of the wind I read somewhere
ronacarme
Captain
Posts: 501
Joined: Sat Jan 03, 2004 2:19 am
Location: southwest Michigan

Re: Building a Blo-Kart

Post by ronacarme »

I recall some 60 years ago, with a high school buddy, welding 2 bike frames rigidly together about 3 feet apart, to form a 4 wheeled cart using 26" bike wheels. Turning too sharply at speed collapsed a bike wheel and ended the project. The bike wheels apparently were designed to handle radial, not side, loads, and we were not up to building a parallograming frame that would bank thru turns so as to eliminate side loading the wheels. 20 " bike wheels might have better handlied the side loads but our attention span had ended and that was that. Wire garden cart wheels might have been better yet, but I don't recall seeing them back then.
Ron
Post Reply