Dopero Kite Plans

For The MBK Dopero Kites

These Dopero kite plans and hints are aimed at summarizing the more in-depth instructions to be found in those eBooks down there on the left.

The eBooks include these exact plans and tips as well. Perhaps the nicest thing about the eBook on Dowel Kites is the handy way they are all designed to come apart and roll up like a Sled!

For each of the Dopero kite plans below, there are also a pair of plan view photos. The one on the left is of the front surface. That is, the surface of the flying kite which faces the flier. The other photo is of the back surface, which exposes the spars.

For all 3 designs, attach flying line to the bridle with a shiftable knot, for later trimming. Also, all 3 designs work well with light single-ply plastic for sail material. Many types of large plastic bags are suitable.

Dowel Dopero Kite Plans

Tips And Hints

1. Work with 1 Dowel length equal to either 1.2 meters of 5mm dowel, or 4 feet of 3/16" dowel.
2. Reinforce the sail edges by adding clear sticking tape over the outlines, then trimming back to the outlines as you cut out the sail. To save weight, don't reinforce the trailing edge of the upper sail or the leading edge of the lower sail.
3. Secure the sail to the spar ends using short lengths of electrical insulation tape.
4. Wrap several small pieces of clear sticky tape around the lower horizontal spar and onto the lower sail, to secure it along the leading edge. Or you can add a tab to the sail outline, so you can fold it over the spar and tape down.
5. Run a length of sticky tape the full length of the upper sail, directly under where the vertical spars touch the sail. This helps prevent stretch.
6. Reinforce the upper sail corners where the ties are attached. I used short pieces of sticky tape, stuck to each other where they leave the plastic.
7. Make a bridle loop of length 1DL, going to each side of the upper horizontal spar.
8. Make another bridle loop of length 1DL, and Lark's Head the ends to the keels.
9. Run a 2DL bridle line from the center of the upper bridle loop to the center of the lower bridle loop.
10. You might find stability to be marginal in all but fairly light conditions. To extend the wind range, try adding weight to the trailing edge of the keels. I managed to avoid this by putting the heavier ends of the vertical spars to the rear, and also using the heaviest horizontal spar as the lower one.

Plan View Photos

The eBook The Dowel Dopero Kite - Light Wind Version bundles together these plans, detailed step-by-step instructions and a whole lot more.

2-Skewer Dopero Kite Plans

Tips And Hints

1. To glue the short bamboo reinforcers, just lay glue down the join, on one side. For the horizontal spars, the short reinforcers stay flat on the table while the glue is drying.
2. Reinforce the sail edges by adding clear sticking tape over the outlines, then trimming back to the outlines as you cut out the sail. To save weight, don't reinforce the trailing edge of the upper sail or the leading edge of the lower sail.
3. Secure the sail corners to the spar ends using short lengths of electrical insulation tape.
4. Use 5 small pieces of clear sticky tape to secure the leading edge of the lower sail to the lower horizontal spar.
5. Tie a 2SL bridle loop between the 2 attachment points near the upper spar, and tie another slightly shorter bridle loop between the tips of the 2 keels.
6. Try a 3SL central bridle line, tied between the 2 bridle loops.

Plan View Photos

1-Skewer Dopero Kite Plans

Tips And Hints

1. Reinforce the upper horizontal spar with a short length of skewer, 0.1SL long, glued to one side as in the plan. While gluing the spar, the short reinforcer stays flat on the table.
2. Reinforce the sail edges by adding clear sticking tape over the outlines, then trimming back to the outlines as you cut out the sail. To save weight, don't reinforce the trailing edge of the upper sail or the leading edge of the lower sail.
3. Secure the sail to the spar ends using short lengths of clear sticky tape.
4. Use 4 more small pieces of sticky tape to secure the leading edge of the lower sail to the lower horizontal spar.
5. Tie a 1SL bridle loop between the 2 attachment points near the upper spar, and tie another slightly shorter bridle loop between the tips of the 2 keels.
6. Try a 2SL central bridle line, tied between the 2 bridle loops.

Plan View Photos

Note that this is a non-standard black-plastic version! However, the sail is still reflective enough to show up in the photo - thanks to the camera flash. Non-black plastic is easier to work with since black pen marks are easy to see through the plastic.

I hope one of these Dopero kite plans is just right for you!

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Last updated: 22 May 2010