Tow test today to test sensor extensions and modified T-foil. Sensor extensions were not stiff enough. We returned to the shop and stiffened them by bonding half-circular carbon tube to the inside of the sensors with methacrylate, for testing later today. We also practiced shooting video from the quadcopter. Joe’s dad, Jim Brock, joined us on this test.
First test of the year. We headed south toward the San Mateo bridge to catch some good wind. We used the chair wheels to steer the boat today, and we’re getting used to them. Big kite for the wind conditions; some difficulty with depower. We used the Garmin VIRB camera for the first time. It has excellent video quality and writes gps data to gpx files that Jamie should be able to link to KAIView, which would finally allow us to line up visual and numerical data points. Martin Bretschneider and Peter Trow joined us on this test.
Took the kiteboat out in low wind to try the new 40 sqm kite for the first time. This kite is part of the new quiver of kites and has the same design as the 25 and 18 sqm kites we used earlier this month. The larger sized kite proved very helpful in the low wind, but we were disappointed in the kite’s ability to hold its shape under load. This design features unusually slim struts, which worked well with a higher inflation pressure on the 18 sqm kite, but the struts do not seem rigid enough for this larger size. We noticed this problem to a lesser extent with the 25 sqm version of this kite. We’re currently working […more]
Test today for a last chance at photographing from the helicopter before Dudu goes back to Brazil. The wind was gusty and disappointingly low, but an unusual wind direction and some unexpected wildfire smoke made for good lighting and unique camera angles. We measured each of the bridle segments on the 25 sqm KW kite this morning and photographed the leading edge to check for asymmetry, but found nothing off. It does have wingtip battens that are smaller than those in the the 20, 30, and 40 sqm versions of the same design. Erika joined us again today, as did Roland Verheul.
Took the boat out today to use the new 25 sqm version of the 18 sqm red kite. The 25 sqm kite is the first to arrive of the quiver of new kites that we made using this same design (KW-18, 20, 25, 30, 40). We launched the kite off Alameda Point and searched for wind on the western side of the bay near the ballpark. After having little luck there, we towed out north of Treasure Island and got some good runs in between Alcatraz and Albany. The kite did not perform as nicely as the 18 sqm version; it tended to pull to one side, so we we will measure all of the bridles tomorrow and check for […more]
We took K2 out early today to test the new sensor gearing adjustors. Initial towing went well, so we continued on to Treasure Island to launch the 18 sqm kite. We kited at mid-twenties speeds northeast of the island for a couple of hours before heading to the west side to check out the America’s Cup races. We, along with many other boats, watched Oracle’s amazing comeback, and then returned to the back side of Treasure Island. The wind began to pick up, and our best speed of the day was 32+ knots with 4 crew. Overall, the sensor gear adjustors were very effective in creating a smoother, although lower, ride. We did have some trouble on the tow home […more]
Good test today, kiting between Treasure Island and San Francisco in gusty conditions. We took the 25 sqm v10 kite, which we haven’t used in about a year. This kite creates about the same amount of force at given wind speed as the 18 sqm red kite, but it is a measurably lower-performance design, enough so that the boat moves forward faster with the smaller kite. We’re currently working with the kite factory to create a quiver of larger versions of the 18 sqm design, and Dudu will travel to China next week for that purpose. For now, Dudu is in Alameda, and we used his helicopter during the test to capture aerial photos and video.
