How To Build A Sled Kite
Step-by-Step - Page 2 of 3
The MBK 2-Skewer Sled
How To Build A Sled Kite
Making Spars
For this Sled, you need four 30cm (12") bamboo BBQ skewers. Also, you need to cut off 2 short 0.3SL (8.7cm, 3 1/2") lengths of skewer. The photos show how these are all glued together.
Both pairs of skewers are lined up straight, flat against the table top. These are the vertical spars. Well, almost vertical when this kite is ready to fly! To make sure there are no kinks at the joins, get your head down low and look along the skewers. Shift one a little, if necessary, before the glue dries.
How To Build A Sled Kite
Attaching Spars
- Snip off one point from each spar.
- Line this end up with a top corner of the kite sail, with the pointed end of the spar crossing the corresponding bottom corner of the sail.
- For both spars, attach the bamboo to the plastic with insulation tape, as in the photo up there.
Now for the bottom edge...
- At the bottom corners of the sail, snip the skewers to length so they are flush with the edge of the sail.
- Attach each bottom tip to the plastic in the same way as the top tips. These are the (nearly) vertical spars.
How To Build A Sled Kite
Bridle
20 pound strength Dacron line is ample for all the Skewer Series kites.
All the construction details for the bridle are contained in the large photos below. For a Sled kite, this is rather simple and straightforward. Just use 20 or 30 pound flying line for the bridle loop.
KNOTS:
If you are new to this, you might need instructions on how to tie the following knots...
ADJUSTMENT:
Once your kite + bridle looks like the photo up there...
Lay the kite on the floor, with the 2 spars touching each other along their entire lengths.
Stretch out the bridle, unlock the Prusik knot and slide it along until both lines are exactly the same length. Then lock the Prusik knot again.
At this point, you've finished making the 2-Skewer Sled!
To attach the flying line, just Lark's Head the flying line to the short bridle line as in the photo.
I can tell you love kites...
Otherwise you wouldn't be all the way down here near the bottom of the page :-)
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P.S. Keep an eye out for books by kite author Glenn Davison, a prominent kite person in the USA.
What's New!
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Inflatable Kites
Aug 21, 19 06:00 AM
This page was done back in 2008 - so it's something of a snapshot of the type of inflatables around back then. Some interesting designs here...
Wind Speeds
Light Air
1-5 km/h
1-3 mph
1-3 knots
Beaufort 1
Light breeze
6–11 km/h
4–7 mph
4–6 knots
Beaufort 2
Gentle ...
12–19 km/h
8–12 mph
7–10 knots
Beaufort 3
Moderate ...
20–28 km/h
13–18 mph
11–16 knots
Beaufort 4
Fresh ...
29–38 km/h
19–24 mph
17–21 knots
Beaufort 5
Strong ...
39–49 km/h
25–31 mph
22–27 knots
Beaufort 6
High Wind
50-61 km/h
32-38 mph
28-33 knots
Beaufort 7
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Hey - grab your free e-book first :-)
I'm referring to Simplest Dowel Kites, my popular kite-making download. It's a printable PDF file. Make a diamond, delta or sled. Each kite is capable of flying hundreds of feet up for hours on end.
Could you do me just a small favor though?
Please sign up for my free monthly publication, "Tethered Flying". No other emails will be sent, and your details are safe with me. You need to be at least 16 years old. There's...
- A huge "photo of the month" (via a link)
- 3 "tips of the month" (one each for beginners, parents and the more experienced)
- A "flight report of the month" (selected from my own flying logs, with a photo)
- A Monthly Special discount code for a big compilation How to e-book.
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