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 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 the Dowel kite plan below, there is 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 Rokkaku Kite Plans

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

Plan View Photos

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

2-Skewer Rokkaku Kite Plans

Tips And Hints

1. reinforce all the skewer joins with 2 lengths of skewer, 0.1SL long, glued to both sides of the join as in the plan - while gluing the upper and lower spars with the tips 0.1SL 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 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

Tips And Hints

1. all the short reinforcers are lengths of skewer, 0.05SL long, glued to one or both sides of the join as in the plan - while gluing the upper and lower horizontal spars, the short reinforcers stay 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
3. secure the sail to the spar ends using short lengths of clear sticking tape
4. try a bridle line about 3 times as long as the kite is high, secured at each end where indicated
5. use a tail at least 4 times as long as the kite is high

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

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Last updated: 22 May 2010