Kiteboat Project

Today we took the inflatable lifting kites out to Crown Beach to test them with Armand. Dudu and Armand flew the most recent rokkaku, the G9, in about 15 knot winds and used it to lift a payload of sand. The front spar on the G9 kite is fused to the center strut, while the back spar is free to rotate, as on the G8 kite. There is a tube that links the back spar to the center strut at the cross point, and this allows the entire kite to be inflated via one rear valve. We loaded the kite with sand bags until it began to deform, and then observed the flight pattern with that weight suspended from the line, just below the bridle connection point. The kite’s payload limit was 225g. Flight without the payload was very stable and with the payload much less so.

Additionally, Dudu and Armand flew the very powerful inflatable fled kite and discussed alternate ways of bridling it. This was a continuation of similar lifting kite tests on May 5.

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