
Composite Kite (Della Porta): Nine squares 1993
Composite Kite (Della Porta): Nine squares 1993
each square: 80 x 80 cm
total size: 4.5 x 4.5 metres (5.76 square metres sail area)
Weight: 5 kg
tails: 2 x 25 metres
Blackheath 20th September 2020
Notes...
When we brought this one back from Aarhus many of the spars were broken.
5 broken 112 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!
Blackheath 20th September 2020
Photos by Marian Linford
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.
Cleobury Mortimer, Shropshire 20th-21st July 2019
Photos by Marian Linford
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!
Site Updated September 2020 Felix Mottram