Blackheath 20th September 2020

Nine Squares 1993
each square: 80 x 80 cm
spar lengths 111.2 and 55.6cm
total size: 4 x 4 metres (5.76 square metres sail area)
Weight: 5 kg
tails: 2 x 25 metres

Windspeed minimum 10mph Blackheath 20/09/2020

Notes...

When we brought this one back from Aarhus many of the spars were broken.

5 broken 111.2 cm spars.
10 150cm lengths purchased 29/03/2019.
4 spars broken at Scarborough.
May be bridle issue but FJM thinks that spars are too flexible.
Try Zen green race with carbon fillers as at 07/06/2019?
Flown briefly with fillers at Cleobury Mortimer.
Carbon rod fillers purchased and fitted prior to Portsmouth 2019.

Finally flown at Blackheath 8-10mph minimum wind speed on 60m of 4mm braided polyster. Lots of 'spring' in the line and good to handle!

Title amended from Composite Kite (Della Porta): Nine Squares 1993 to Nine Squares 1993 on 14th June 2023.

Overall measurement corrected from 4.5 x 4.5 metres 19th June 2023

Further upgrading of spars and provision of bow lines was made in advance of Cervia 2024.

It was not clear how the bow lines could work so provision was made for all eventualities along the main spars and across the 'body' of the kite.

Marked for drilling. Maybe this is a slight weight saving exercise?
Monday 4th March.

Drilled and organised for anchor tying. Some fluffy line ends need consolidating!
Tuesday 5th March.

Anchor line preparation.
Tuesday 5th March.

Deciding how to set the anchor points was really determined by seeing how the first tie went into place. Finding that the tie point moved neatly and that two could be set in opposition made for a simple decision!
Tuesday 5th March.

First anchor points tied.
Tuesday 5th March.

Six medium bow lines, two short and one long.
Thursday 7th March.

Hanging up the sails and sorting them into rows.
Friday 8th March.

Grouped lines.
Friday 8th March.

The bow lines were installed on the beach at Cervia.

The spars had been upgraded and some bow lines had been set but there had not been an opportunity to test fly the kite ahead of Cervia so once again launching the kite was entering into unknown territory.

The kite flew perfectly though it would not have been possible to hand hold it. We had prepared an appropriate sand anchor first thing in the morning.

The intention was to fly the 1997 Rev 1.5 design kites in close.

A careful set-up in almost ideal conditions; just enough wind to launch the kite.

There was only one bridle 'loop through' to contend with!

Today’s video is here:- Composite Kite (Della Porta): Nine Squares

The bridle lines through the comb are all clear. I am holding the kite only to prevent it launching prior to attaching the tails. All the bridle lines are fully loaded!

A neat launch but I had not actually moved into the exact centre of the wind window so the kite veered slightly to the one side.

Headed for a gentle landing in a lull in the wind.

The polythene fittings are quite heavy and need to be carefully organised when fitting the spars.

The tails need careful handling at launch so as not to restrict the movement of the kite. As wind conditions were light we switched to a single loop of tail but we did not succeed with a sustained flight. Further 'fine tuning' of the bridle will be needed!