Rammed Air Pocket Sled Kite
Type: Soft kite Difficulty to make: capable 8+ year old Wind Range: 0 - 10km/ph This design is a classic. Buck Childers rammed air pocket sled is very light, flies in a wide range of wind and is very forgiving in its design to misplaced sticky tape! Able to fly without a tail. The drogue hanging down on this version is just for show unless the wind starts blowing trees around! Infact the drogue is just another thing for children to get tangled! See instructions below or click on this link for a PDF version Rammed Air Pocket Sled Kite Instructions pdf. Rammed Air Pocket Sled Kite BLUEPRINT |
Pocket Rammed Air Sled Kite
Instructions Materials kite sail material (thin plastic rubbish bin bag), sellotape, bridle line (strong thread), flying line (strong thin thread). Tools scissors, permanent marker (felt pen), straight edge 40cm ruler, sellotape dispenser and hole punch (really helpful but not essential) Instructions 1 Cut out parts Using pocket sled plan, mark out and cut 4 parts (main sail, 2 x vent canopies, bullet kite canopy) from your sail material. Attach Vent Canopies 2 Mark vent canopy lines •The dashed lines AB and CD on the plans main sail ms, show where the two vent canopies VCs will be taped. •Using permanent marker and a straight edge (ruler), mark AB and CD lines on the main sail. 3 Join vent canopies to main sail •With the main sail leading edge at the top, put vent canopies on to main sail. Match the AB edges on the vent canopies to the AB lines on main sail. •Tape the top and bottom of the AB edge of the vent canopies to the AB line on the main sail. Now tape the whole length of the AB lines. •Finally line up the CD edge of the vent canopies with the CD lines on main sail. Tape CD lines to join vent canopies to main sail. Bullet Kite Canopy for stability (optional) This is an added xtra. The Kite will fly better in light winds without it. 4 Join bullet kite canopy to main sail •Draw line EF down the middle of the bullet kite canopy and the main sail. •Starting from one edge, tape bullet kite canopy edge AB to line AB on the main sail. •Fold bullet kite canopy in half down the middle line EF. Tape to the middle line EF on the main sail. •Finally tape the other bullet kite canopy edge AB to other AB line on main sail. Attach Bridle 5 Reinforce bridle holes •Bridle point holes are shown on the plans main sail. Reinforce bridle point area with at least two layers of tape. Punch or cut hole through reinforcing tape, 1cm from edge of main sail. 6 Attach bridle •Cut bridle line to about 5 times length of kite 200cm. •Thread each end of bridle line through one of the bridle holes in main sail and tie a loop using a bowline knot or other secure knot. 7 tie tow point loop •Bring bridle points together and stretch bridle line to find the centre. Mark the centre point with permanent marker. •Use overhand knot to tie a loop at the centre of the bridle line. This is the tow point. Tie flying line to bridle loop tow point. Notes • It is important that tow point is in exact center of bridle. • Tails can be added to each side of the trailing edge for extra stability in stronger winds. • Kite can be flown with a stick or a thin flying line attached to tow point. • Kite can be scaled up to 3 times, then longeron spars are needed to keep kite from folding up. • This kite can fly upside down but is best flown with vents on top . |