How to design a foilkite basics/Surfplan tutorial video

[Schietwedder]

Hi guys,
Many people these days interested in foilkite design/wanting to make their own kites having more time at home in lockdowns.
The biggest difficulty found often is how to sew and how to design a foilkite of course.

I was asked often and so I tried to make a video explaining the basic parts of Surfplan software/kite design so people not have to find information doing hundreds of hours of research and filtering useful information from forums etc.



This is my first tutorial type video.
I am not by any means an expert or kite designer but I think I found out a lot doing a lot of practical trial and error in the past 5 years as well as a lot of technical research and also knowledge coming from my engineering studies and sail making background.
So if you think you know better or have some additional knowledge let me know and I´ll try to implement.

Please comment if you like what you saw/don´t like and what I can do better/if you find the knowledge helpful.

If there is enough resonance I might make some more videos in the future...for example:


-Lessons learned from my past kites

-Basic aerodynamics and profile theory

-How to analyse/make your own profile using XFLR5 CFD

-How to sew a foilkite (most frequently asked actually)

-How to make a bridle (Splicing/Sewing lines covered/uncovered materials, pros and cons)

-What sewing machine to get

-How to set up a sewing machine

-How to choose the right materials

-More detailed topics (balooning physics, kite steering mechanics, kite structural design, kinematics of the mixer, wing theory L/D AR and so on)

-Practical "beach knowledge" (How to tune prototypes, bridles)


I think it is valuable to create what I whish I had when I began kite making, and everyone can only learn from it (including me).

[André Mantovani]

Great explanation but I still have doubts on how to calculate the size of the internal strips in d to be with perfect fit

[Rein de Vries]

Great post! I think it is very valuable to share all your learnings, as it is the sum of a lot of engineering and thinking. Curious also to your other videos. Having discussed the various theories about transversal shaping, skin tension, billow and strap tension I think also that is very valuable for the diy community. Thanks Niklas!

And Andre, the way to go with the straps is to print the lower skin without billow and with billow. The skeleton frame without billow is used to calculate the bridle, always by default in Surfplan. So the billowed surface is just a bit larger and you choose your straps exactly the length as on the non billowed surface. That holds the basic shape as it is designed when flying.