How To Build A Delta Kite

Step-by-Step Instructions For The MBK Simple Delta

Learn how to build a Delta kite with these easy-to-follow instructions. Fully illustrated with photographs, every step of the way. Don't worry about how long this page looks. The steps are easy, hence this simple Delta kite comes together very quickly!

Just in case you have actually made and flown this kite at least once already... Why not move up to the big Dowel Delta? A bit longer to make, but also more impressive!

If you haven't read How To Build Kites at this point, you need to read it now... (for one thing, it has a very short list of materials needed!)

1. How To Build A Delta Kite - Measuring The Sail

• Place your plastic bag flat on the floor, with the closed end at the top.
• Starting from just below the top-left corner of the bag, measure and mark 3 dots on the plastic. I've high-lighted the dots in yellow, in the photo. Judge the horizontal direction by eye. If you're careful, there's no need for a T-square.

2. How To Build A Delta Kite - Cutting The Sail

• Take your ruler and connect the dots with the black marker pen, as shown in the photo. (OK, the lines appear a bit faint in the photo!)
• Flip the plastic over and trace over all the black lines.

• Cut along the top and right side of the bag, and open it out to show the complete sail outline, as in the photo above.
• Take your scissors and cut along all the black lines. As in the photo over there on the right, your Delta kite sail is nearly complete!

3. How To Build A Delta Kite - Adding The Spars

• Take some 5mm (3/16") dowel and cut off a 70 cm (32 inch) length. Lay this down the center line of the sail.
• Now cut off 2 more lengths, each 80 cm (36 inches) in length. Lay these down over the leading edges of the sail.
• Using 6 pieces of insulation tape, each 5 cm (2 inch) long, stick them down in the positions shown in the top left photo, above.
• Fold all the tapes around to the underside of the plastic. See the top right photo, above.
• Cut off a 70 cm (32 inch) length of dowel and lay it across the sail, 31 cm (14 inches) from the nose. Using 2 pieces of insulation tape, each 20 cm (9 inches) long, lay them over the crossing points. See the top photo, over there on the right.
• Carefully wind the tapes around the dowels, without getting them stuck to the sail! Now, each join should look like the middle photo on the right.
• Add an extra tape to the middle of each leading edge, to help keep the sail in place. Also tightly wind an 8 cm (3 inch) piece of tape around the spar join. See the bottom photo on the right, which was actually taken after some test flying in strong wind!

4. How To Build A Delta Kite - Attach The Flying Line

• Get your flying line, which I'm assuming has been wound onto a spool or winder of some sort. 50 pound line from a kite shop is great for this kite.
• Poke a hole in the plastic sail, right over where the horizontal and vertical dowels cross each other.
• Thread the flying line through the hole, and tie it firmly around the vertical spar. Do NOT tie it around the horizontal spar! This dowel floats free while the kite flies.

5. How To Build A Delta Kite - Attach The Tail

• From spare scraps of sail plastic, make up a long narrow strip no shorter than 4 times the length of the kite itself. The strip should be about 5 cm (2 inches) wide.
• Thread one end of the tail around the bottom of the vertical spar, as you can see in the photo. Tie the tail to the dowel with a simple knot.

FLYING!

That's it, you're ready to fly. Take the kite out whenever you can see leaves moving in the trees or bushes. If it won't stay up, try letting out plenty of line and then towing it up at jogging pace. It might find enough wind higher up!

Avoid flying in very windy weather. The video actually shows this kite coping with fresh gusts that are nearly too strong for it.

Hope you enjoyed learning how to build a Delta kite!

Last updated: 14 Jan 2010