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Building a state-of-the-art foil kite

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Rein de Vries
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Building a state-of-the-art foil kite

Postby Rein de Vries » Tue Apr 30, 2019 3:01 pm

Hi!

With the enormous developments of the last years, leading to high performance kites such as e.g. the Sonics and the R1 series, I wonder, is the self-building community already in line with these designs?

As an enthusiastic kiter and self builder, I would be very much interested in plans of such kites. Anyone a suggestion where to start?

Off course an important part of the success is in the bridle, so there the same question lives with me. What is the status of the freely sharing community on this? :)

Thanks! Rein

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Re: Building a state-of-the-art foil kite

Postby mgs » Tue Apr 30, 2019 3:31 pm

Hello.
Have you seen this thread?
viewtopic.php?f=197&t=2391006&sid=f6bf1 ... f54b1d35fd
Probably the best documented and presented thread of a self build project I have seen.
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kitexpert
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Re: Building a state-of-the-art foil kite

Postby kitexpert » Tue Apr 30, 2019 8:45 pm

Ask plans from some kite expert? Maybe something like that which has no equal in production kites: a mid AR kite with full race kite specs.

Image
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JakeFarley
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Re: Building a state-of-the-art foil kite

Postby JakeFarley » Wed May 01, 2019 2:49 am

A bit off topic, but has anyone designed and built a single skinned kite? It seems that the sewing would not be as complex as a high cell count foil.

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Re: Building a state-of-the-art foil kite

Postby kitexpert » Wed May 01, 2019 11:05 am

I've made some single skin kites. Yes they are a bit easier to sew but there is quite a lot details and bridle work in ss kite.

By far most laborious kites are high cell count race kites, they have hundreds of parts to sew together.

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Re: Building a state-of-the-art foil kite

Postby kitexpert » Thu May 02, 2019 11:13 am

.
Last edited by kitexpert on Thu May 02, 2019 11:20 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Building a state-of-the-art foil kite

Postby kitexpert » Thu May 02, 2019 11:19 am

kitexpert wrote:
Thu May 02, 2019 11:13 am
Some ideas/opinions what state-of.the-art foil kite means (with some limitations):

1)Kite should be efficient. High L/D to get it flying fast, to boost high, to have a lot of hang time and to go very well upwind

2)Kite should be usable. Good enough stability, relaunch, handling etc.

3)Kite should be of low drag. Clean wing and highly optimized bridle. Normal 1:2:4 speed system

4)Kite should be of light weight. This one is NOT as high in priority as low drag solid structure and optimized low drag bridle

5)Kite should have a moderate AR. This for practical reasons, to get higher performance by increasing AR has already been done in race kites.

6)Kite should turn well and have powered loop. Slow kite is dull and if kite does not generate power by looping/diving it is not high performance kite

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Horst Sergio
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Re: Building a state-of-the-art foil kite

Postby Horst Sergio » Thu May 02, 2019 1:50 pm

Hi Rein,
check the link from mgs, but know that lecca-lecca is already a professional builder, so even if his construction is good, but not on level of FS or Ozone, I fear it will be pretty hard to reach this level. 20 years ago it was easy to improve a kite as also the "professional" kite designers haven't invested much time or had significant experience, today it's all on another level.
I also thought bridle is important, when just trimming a dozen of kites and building own bridle 20 years ago, but its 95 % about the canopy with its profile and the tension in the straps ..., which is my todays impression.The bridle is just to release the canopies potential, but if the canopies shape is bad it will never be a nice kite not with the best bridle.

A good software is great, but you need the experience how the individual software translates to reality. ... If you just want bridle plans, those from FS are all public on their webside.

Maybe one way to start is, to get a plan from a designer you know, you may ask Stefano Moris, as I had a similar idea one year ago, to get the plan an build it myself but actually haven't the time.


@kiteexpert:
Maybe already asked that question: Are there any real world photos or videos of you riding your kites? Thanks

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Re: Building a state-of-the-art foil kite

Postby foilholio » Fri May 03, 2019 5:29 am

I strongly disagree with Kitexperts outlining of state of the art. First you need to select into which style of riding the kite will be used. Because for somethings they may be less important and for others they are more important. For example in Race stability is less important to L/D, off which high AR is a help. Where as for wave it is opposite.

In foils we have state of the art technologies, being seen in single skins, hybrids, the various race kites and various other kites. Things like semi rigid LE, unsupported tips, 3 row bridles, mixed ratio wing, PA change, changing bridle cord locations. I think if you could get your head around them then you could truly make something very interesting.

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Re: Building a state-of-the-art foil kite

Postby revhed » Fri May 03, 2019 9:18 am

Horst Sergio wrote:
Thu May 02, 2019 1:50 pm
its 95 % about the canopy with its profile and the tension in the straps The bridle is just to release the canopies potential, but if the canopies shape is bad it will never be a nice kite not with the best bridle.
@kiteexpert:
Maybe already asked that question: Are there any real world photos or videos of you riding your kites? Thanks
:thumb:
Kite X pert? vid, picts?
r h


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