Rokkaku Kite Plans

For All The MBK Rokkakus

These Rokkaku kite plans and hints are aimed at summarizing the more in-depth instructions to be found in the How To Make A Kite section of this website.

For the Rokkaku plans below, there are also a pair of plan view photos. The one on the left is of the front surface. That is, the side of the 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 large plastic bags are suitable.

Dowel Rokkaku Kite Plans

Plan View Photos

Tips And Hints

1. Reinforce the sail edges by adding clear sticking tape over the outlines, then trimming back to the outlines as you cut out the sail.
2. Secure the sail to the spar ends using short lengths of electrical insulation tape, wrapped over the tips.
3. Lash the spars together where they cross, with whatever light cord you can find - use a drop of glue to secure if necessary.
4. Make the upper and lower bridle loops about 3/4 as long as the kite is wide.
5. At the bridle attachment points, a Single-wrap Slip Knot should be sufficient, secured with a spot of glue.
6. Connect the 2 bridle loops with another line of similar length, using shiftable knots such as the Prusik - the kite can be trimmed left or right with the upper knot, if necessary.
7. No tail is required for this kite.
   
   

2-Skewer Rokkaku Kite Plans

Plan View Photos

Tips And Hints

1. Reinforce all the skewer joins with 2 lengths of skewer, 0.1SL (2.9cm, 1 1/8") long, glued to both sides of the join as in the plan. While gluing the upper and lower spars with the tips 0.1SL (2.9cm, 1 1/8") off the table, the short reinforcers stay flat on the table.
2. The bow string is used to pull some bow into the dihedral of the lower spar, so the tips are 0.2SL (5.8cm, 2 1/4") off the table.
3. Reinforce the sail edges by adding clear sticking tape over the outlines, then trimming back to the outlines as you cut out the sail.
4. Secure the sail to the spar ends using short lengths of electrical insulation tape, wrapped over the tips.
5. Try an upper bridle loop about as long as the kite is wide, and the lower bridle line about twice as long as the kite is high.
6. No tail is required for this version.

1-Skewer Rokkaku Kite Plans

Plan View Photos

Tips And Hints

1. Reinforce the vertical skewer join with 2 lengths of skewer, glued to both sides of the join as in the plan.
2. Secure the sail to the spar ends using short lengths of clear sticking tape.
3. A 2-leg bridle works well, 2 skewer-lengths long and attached where indicated on the plan.
4. For a start, try using a simple streamer tail about 8 times as long as the kite is high. Add more to let the kite fly in stronger winds.

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

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