BLOKARTS, fun, fast and compact,
this much fun should not be so easy.
FAQ's
How safe are blokarts?
blokarts are very safe to use provided you...
..learn and use the blokart Road Rules,
..ALWAYS wear a protective helmet and appropriate shoes,
..ALWAYS use the blokart seatbelt - very important as it ensures you don’t get
thrown out of the blokart if you ever flip over,
..keep you hands and feet inside the blokart at all times - especially if you
flip over,
..and use common sense where ever you go blokarting.
If you are initially worried about going too fast and not being able to stop,
then learn to blokart in very light winds. Only go out in stronger winds when
you feel ready. Basically the stronger the wind - the faster you'll go!
The great thing about blokarting is that its up to you, "it's as mild or as
wild as you want it to be"!
Remember, blokarts have a 12-month manufacturers’ warranty that covers
defective materials and workmanship, however we do not accept liability for any
damage or injury whatsoever caused by the use of blokarts. You use blokarts at
your own risk. Therefore..
..learn and use the blokart Road Rules (see the next FAQ below),
..always learn to blokart, particularly how to stop, in light winds,
..as blokarts do not have brakes and require technique to slow down, always
ensure you have enough room to slow down and stop quickly,
..ensure you are an experienced, competent and have learned how to stop before
blokarting in strong winds,
..always check the area you will be using before you start blokarting to ensure
it is firm, flat, free of obstacles, pot-holes and people!,
..always get permission before using your blokart on an area you are not
familiar with.
What are the blokart Road
Rules?
The blokart Road Rules have been put together for everybody's
safety, and so that we all know what to do when we meet another moving blokart
or land yacht in any part of the world! Please follow these rules to make sure
your blokarting is safe and fun.
1. Be safe!
2. Always wear your seat belt, a safety helmet and closed footwear.
3. If you are sailing head-on towards another blokart, steer to the right.
4. In general – always give way to your right.
5. Keep well clear when overtaking or overlapping another blokart.
6. When you are being overtaken don’t make any sudden moves or turns.
7. Check behind you before making any changes in direction.
8. Use a hand signal if you intend to turn or stop.
9. If you’re turning around a marker/flag, don’t pass another blokart on the
inside or ‘cut him off’.
10. Don’t force other blokarts on to unsafe or impassable ground or into
obstacles.
11. If you need a push, don’t get in the way of blokarts that are moving.
12. Secure your blokart safely when you’re not using it – turn it over on
its side.
13. Have fun and enjoy!
Do I need to know anything
about sailing to be able to blokart?
You don’t need to know anything about sailing to be blasting
around right from the start. Simply throw a piece of grass up in the air to
determine the direction of the wind, then head off at 90 degrees to the wind
direction, i.e. across the wind, turn round when you need to (by using the
handle bars!) and head back to where you started. Repeat till the wind
disappears. To slow down or stop, either steer your blokart directly into the
wind (the wind should be blowing straight into your face) or turn sharply round
in a tight circle to reduce your speed and skid to a halt. It’s as easy as
that.
How long does it take to
learn how to blokart?
blokarting really couldn’t be any easier – get in, lay back,
belt up, steer with one hand and pull in the (accelerator) rope with the other!
Each blokart also comes with its own action and instructional video that shows
you how to assemble and use your blokart. Basically the stronger the wind - the
faster you'll go! We guarantee you won’t find a more exciting adrenalin filled
sport as easy to master as blokarting.
Do you need to adjust the
blokart to fit different sized people?
No, you can’t adjust the size of blokarts, one size fits all!
Small kids sit more upright with straight legs, taller adults lay right back
bending their knees - blokarts will accommodate just about anyone up to seven
foot tall.
Do you need a lot of
strength for blokarting and will I get tired?
One of the great things about blokarting is that you can do it
all day long and you won’t get exhausted. Unlike other adrenalin sports you
don’t need physical strength to excel. The steering mechanism is so light and
responsive only one hand is needed to steer, the other hand is then free to pull
in and hold the accelerator rope. A set of blokart gloves can be a useful to
protect your hands - especially if you are a soft-handed office worker! One
thing’s for sure … blokarting won’t get you fit but it will get you
smiling.
How do you stop blokarts
tipping over?
Well that’s easy, if you feel the blokart tipping over because
the wind is too strong, just let some of the accelerator rope out to slow down
and bring you back down onto three wheels again. In extreme cases, if you panic
or want to get back on ‘terra firma’ quickly, let go of the accelerator rope
altogether and you should quickly drop back down onto three wheels. In any case
after 5 minutes you’ll feel like an expert and probably be trying to keep your
blokart up on two wheels as long as possible as it’s so much fun.
How much wind do you need
to get going?
The amount of wind required varies according to the surface you
are blokarting on and the weight of the user. blokarts will need less wind to
get going on asphalt (tarmac), gravel or hard sand than on spongy grass, and in
lighter winds heavier people will go slower than lightweights. However on the
other hand, when it gets really windy a bit of extra weight helps you control
the blokart so you can go faster than lightweights.
Wind and speed
comparisons.
Now for some approximate figures based on trials in a flat
asphalt car park using the standard 3.0m blokart sail.
N.B. these figures are not guaranteed and should only be used as rough guide as
there are so many variables that affect speed, (tyre pressure, skill and weight
of the user, how the sail is set up, the surface being used, wind strength and
consistency, etc)...
5 knots of wind is really insufficient to get an 80kg adult going, however it
will get an average 7-year-old kid (20kg) going at 10kph (6mph).
10 knots will get an 80kg adult going at 20kph (12mph), and a 20kg kid at 25kph
(16mph) and up on two wheels if he feels like it.
15 knots will get an adult up on two wheels at 30kph (19mph), the 20kg kid will
be flying along on two wheels with a big grin!
20 knots is loads of fun for the adult, however too much for kids with the
standard sail. It would be best to change down to the smaller sail to enable
kids to carry on blokarting in these winds.
From there on up its more a matter of skill and guts to see how fast you want to
go! Remember the speed record so far is 90kph (55.9mph) … can you beat it?
Where can I use blokarts?
blokarts can be used on beaches (generally below the high tide
mark - above this is usually too soft), car parks (great at night if lit up),
grass parks, gravel tracks, tennis courts, school playgrounds (with
permission!), disused runways, etc basically anywhere hard and flat with a
little bit of room and with out obstacles or people to crash into. Once you
start blokarting you’ll be amazed at how many flat empty pieces of land are
about just waiting to be blokarted on!
How much space is needed?
You don’t need as much space as you might think to enjoy
blokarting. Due to the very tight turning circle of blokarts it is possible to
use them on a tennis court in low winds. If the wind picks up however, and you
start going too fast, tennis courts can become a bit scary as you run out of
room very quickly!
We use a 60m long gravel triangle at our research and development center to
blast around on and have a lot of fun – check out some of the movies on our
downloads page for a better idea of its size.
Obviously a two-mile long beach is fantastic doing big turns at top speed,
however even with a large space it can sometimes be more fun to set up a tight
racing course to compete against others. This forces you to turn sharply, after
say 100 metres, regardless of how fast you are going - instead of disappearing
off into the sunset at top speed.
How fast can blokarts go?
Well this depends on the wind strength, the location you are
blokarting on, the space available, and how much guts you have. The current
speed record stands at 90kph (55mph), the minimum speed so far however remains
at zero.
Can I race against others?
blokarts have been designed to make racing fun, exciting, and
easily accessible to anyone – just turn up, set up in 5 minutes, and start
racing. As they handle just like a go-kart – sliding into and drifting through
corners, spinning round in a 360 if not handled skillfully, and zipping around,
racing should always be fun. Look out for blokart clubs and organized racing
events near you soon!
What does ‘one design’
mean for me?
One design concept behind blokarts means that everyone who has
purchased a blokart will have the same standard high performance blokart. This
enables you to take part in blokart racing events throughout the world, ensuring
you will always be on a ‘level playing field’ when racing or competing
against other blokarters. The individual’s skill, and not money, will enable
them to win races and should ensure the focus of blokarting is on fun.
What happens if there is
no wind?
Well you have a few options. Take the sail off and use it as
go-kart – still hours of fun for kids. Clean and polish your treasured blokart
in preparation for your net blokart blo-out. Go and think up some new moves for
when the wind come back. But always pray for more wind!
How heavy and portable are
blokarts?
You can take your blokart on holiday where ever you go as it
amazingly only weighs 25kg - about the same weight as an average holiday
suitcase. The wheels can also be attached to the blokart bag so that you can
wheel it around airports like a wheelie suitcase or wheel it along paths from
the car park to the beach.
What is the chassis made
of?
blokarts are available in either high strength steel or in
stainless steel (stainless steel are more expensive).
The high strength steel blokart chassis are initially electro galvanized then
powder coated in order to help combat the effects of corrosion.
The stainless steel blokart chassis are made of 100% stainless steel!
We have not used aluminum for the following reasons…..
1. Aluminum in fact oxidizes when used in a marine environment.
2. It is not as rigid as high strength steel and fatigues easily. This means
that when it's new its great, however after constant use it becomes more
flexible and won't spring back to it's original position.
2. A chassis made out of larger diameter tubes would be bigger, harder to fit in
a small carry able bag, and therefore less portable than the current blokart
made out of high strength steel.
What is the mast made of?
The blokart mast is a four-section mast made of fiberglass. We
have purposely used fiberglass instead of carbon fibre for a number of
reasons...
1. Fiberglass is more flexible than carbon fibre making it easier to rig up the
sail. Any one from kids to grandparents can easily set up the sail.
2. The extra flexibility of fiberglass means that the mast bends to absorb gusts
of wind instead of instantly flipping you over as might happen if a stiffer
carbon fibre mast was used.
3. Fiberglass is better suited to handling the bumps and knocks experienced when
flipping over. Carbon fibre eventually develops weak spots when bumped and may
shatter if knocked against the ground.
4. In the unlikely event of a breakage you should only need to replace one
inexpensive fiberglass mast section instead of a more expensive carbon fibre
section.
What are the axles made
of?
The blokart axles/suspension are made of fibreglass which allows
them to flex and absorb most of the bumps you’ll encounter while blokarting.
We have not used carbon fibre as this would make the ride too rough, is not as
durable as fibre glass and therefore not as suitable for taking the knocks and
bumps likely to be received.
What type of bearings are
used in the wheels?
The blokart bearings are pre-greased and shielded high-speed
bearings. These have been carefully selected to ensure you don’t come grinding
to a halt even if used in a marine environment. Its a good idea however, to
occasionally remove the inside bearing shield and repack with grease to maximize
the life of your bearings. Like all good things they will eventually wear out
however don’t panic, your blokart dealer will have replacement bearings and
lots of other accessories.
What is the maximum weight
limit for a blokart user?
We’ve had a person of 120kg (270 pounds) blasting around in a
blokart without any problems, so it’s a bit hard to state an absolute maximum.
To be safe however we would only warranty its use for blokarters under 120kg.
Don’t try and get 10 people on it at once!
Can I improve the
performance of my blokart?
blokarts have been designed to give maximum performance straight
out of the bag. There are therefore no add-ons available to improve their
performance – when you initially buy your blokart you have all that is needed
to potentially reach up to speeds of 90kph (55mph). You can however extend even
further the wind range you can use blokarts in with larger and smaller sized
sails available from us.
Is there a range of
blokart sails available?
Yes, the standard sail that is sold with every blokart has an
area of 3.0m and adequately covers 10 knots to 35 knots of wind. A larger 4.0m
and a smaller 2.0m storm/kids sail will shortly be available from your local
dealer to extend this wind range even further. The range of sail sizes should
enable an average adult to blokart in winds of 5 to 45 knots. Remember however
that size is not everything - in very high winds our storm sail goes faster than
the larger sails as they soon become inefficient due their size.
What maintenance is
required?
The blokart chassis is made of high strength steel which is
initially electro galvanized then powder coated in order to help combat the
effects of corrosion. A little maintenance (cleaning and lubricating your
blokart after use) however should ensure your blokart always stays in top
condition.
Do blokarts come with
instructions?
blokarts have been designed to ensure you spend the minimum
amount of time setting up and the maximum having fun blokarting. Each blokart
therefore comes with a detailed user guide and an action/instructional video to
show you how to assemble and use your blokart. It’s actually very simple to
set up however we want to make sure you get it right first time so please read
the manual and watch the video BEFORE you set your blokart up for the first
time.
What happens if I break
something?
Spares are readily available from us. Spares prices have been
kept low in order to ensure you can easily get going again in the unlikely event
of a breakdown.
Is there a warranty on
blokarts?
Yes, blokarts come with a 12-month manufacturers’ warranty that
covers defective materials and workmanship, specifically excluding damage caused
by careless handling, accidents such as collisions, punctures, bearings, and
general wear and tear. blokart International Limited will repair or replace any
item which we find to be defective, unless the problem is as a direct result of
neglect or misuse of the blokart. The benefits conferred by this limited
warranty are in addition to all other rights and remedies under any applicable
mandatory legislation as may be in force from country to country.
Are blokarts trademarked,
copyrighted, patented and protected etc.?
Yes of course! As we have spent a lot of time developing blokarts
(over three years!) and want to protect yours and our investment when buying a
blokart, we have therefore patented many aspects of the blokart design. This
should stop people copying our blokarts however if you see or hear of any copies
or non-genuine blokarts please send us an email and we’ll look into it. We
also invented the word ‘blokart’ to describe our wonderful wind-powered
go-karts so we’ve trademarked that as well as the 'blokart' logo and 'b'
icon.
Hope this has answered all
your questions, however if you still have more send us an email to tim@windtoysdk.com
and we'll sort it.
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