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!
Making Skewer Kites is a handy download of printable step-by-step instructions. This design and all the other 1-Skewer and 2-Skewer designs are covered.
MBK 2-Skewer SledLike to see a video clip? Just scroll down to near the end...
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...
- 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.
- 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 out the bag 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.
Need winders, reels, flying line?
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Click here to buy anything you need. Just use the Search box in there if you need different weights or lengths of line, for example.
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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Flight Report:
Tetra Takes OffDec 14, 18 01:55 AM
It's been a bit of an uphill battle getting a decent flight out of the heavy, crudely put-together 10-cell tetra... Earlier today the breeze was great but misty rain persisted for hours on end. Finall…
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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