How To Build A Sled Kite
Step-by-Step - Page 1 of 3
The MBK 2-Skewer Sled
This set of instructions on how to build a Sled kite assumes you know absolutely nothing about kite making. And if you are a 'visual-learner', it should be possible to complete the kite by referring only to the pictures.
You can expect this design to fly higher than most cheap store-bought Sleds, particularly in very light winds. And being a simple, rigid-stick design, the smoother the breeze, the better.
You might already have some of the simple tools and materials required. Anything you don't have is easily bought. If not exactly what I used, then at least something pretty similar!
At 58cm (23") long when rolled up, the MBK 2-Skewer Sled Kite is small enough for kids and yet provides great flying performance for adults to enjoy as well.
This Sled has a shallow V shape cut-out at the
top and has spars which are a little further apart at the top than they
are at the bottom. No tails are required, although long and colorful ones can be used for more spectacle in the air!
How To Build A Sled Kite
Sail
Now's the time to read up on the 'tools' and materials required for making a Skewer kite, if you haven't already.
The template shown above represents one side of the kite sail. You will now transfer these measurements to the sail plastic as follows...
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- Take a light plastic bag that will fit the entire Template shape within one side, and lay it flat on the floor.
- Mark dots on the plastic, corresponding to the corners of the Template. There is no need to use a T-square, since any small error will be duplicated on the other side of the sail. And it will make hardly any difference to how the kite flies.
- Using the marking pen, rule lines between the dots to create the Template shape.
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- Flip the plastic bag over, and trace over all the black lines using your marker pen and ruler.
- Cut out a rectangular section of the bag containing the kite sail, open it out and lay it flat on the floor - you can now see the complete sail outline, as in the photo.
- Run clear sticky tape along every straight line, leaving most of the tape on the inside of the sail edges.
- Cut along the black lines with scissors, to create the sail. See the close-up photo on the right.
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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 breeze
12–19 km/h
8–12 mph
7–10 knots
Beaufort 3
Moderate breeze
20–28 km/h
13–18 mph
11–16 knots
Beaufort 4
Fresh breeze
29–38 km/h
19–24 mph
17–21 knots
Beaufort 5
Strong breeze
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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