kiteboatproject

Kitefoiler Tow Test

1/21/11

Today the kitefoiler was put into the water for the first time. It floated well and we were able to get a sense for its handling while recording load and speed data. The boat got up onto its front foils at around 16 knots, which required approximately 150 kgf of tension on the line. As the boat came out of the water, the force required to pull it diminished. Once up on the foils there were a few problems, so each towing run ended quickly.

The boat’s weight, measured just before launch, was 355 lbs.

The first graph shows the line tension and boat speed vs. time. There are 8 distinct episodes in which the boat is towed, and as […more]

K1 test – Jan 18

1/18/11

We took K1 out today to try to test the version 4 V-foil and the removable starboard keelfoil. The wind was very light, so kite time was brief, and we did not go fast enough to get the boat foiling.’

Kai View Data:
20110118-k1-vFoil4.kai.bz2

110 sqm Kite test videos

7/12/10

Here are 2 interesting videos from Bob Dill, who came with us on the 110 sqm kite test aboard Cheyenne.

The first video is the water launch. With Joe and Roland in the water, trying to hold and position the kite, it shows the perspective of just how big the kite is.

The second video is what happened as soon as the kite became overloaded. The surface ‘balloons’ due to the skin loading, which leads to the tips buckling. This then in turn puts a large pitching moment into the foil, which pushes the leading edge of the tips in, and tries to collapse the kite.

Kai View  Data:
20100701-k1-50meter-single.kai.bz2

Cameras on the boat + movie

5/25/10

For each boat test, we mount several cameras on the kite, kite lines, and boat in order to have a visual record of performance. Don is always experimenting with new camera technology, but currently we are using almost entirely GoPro HD HEROs for the video footage. For stills, we use the older GoPro HEROs and Pentax Optio W60s. The HD GoPros are capable of taking very high quality footage and have a nifty wide-angle lens. Unfortunately, that lens means that they aren’t the best kitecams. The W60s are still a good option for the kite, but their video quality is noticeably lower.

As you can see in photos, the GoPros are not waterproof; they are housed in little waterproof cases […more]

Kitefoiler in Maui

3/5/10

Don Montague and Joe Brock Jumping waves in Maui on the kiting Trifoiler! 16 sqm kite.

Helicopter footage by Darrell Wong and Roland Chen. Boat and kite cameras by Don and Joe. Helicopter Pilot: Don Shear. Video edit  by Andrea Dunlap. Music by Yung Sir.

Quadfoiler and Stiletto tow test – Jan 14

1/14/09

We towed Quadfoiler and Stiletto with a 35 foot protector RIB.

Quadfoiler and Stiletto, Speed vs. Load Comparison
We instrumented the Quadfoiler and Stiletto boats with a GPS receiver and towed them with a line attached to a load cell. Each boat was first towed directly behind the power boat, then towed while steering so the towed boat was 30-45 degrees away from the center of the wake. The length of the tow line was approximately 40 meters. The plots below show speed vs. load for each towed boat. The red points indicate periods during which the test boat was being pulled directly behind the power boat, while the green points show data recorded while the test boat was […more]

Quadfoiler Test – Oct 11

10/12/08

After removing unnecessary ballast water (drain plug error), the boat performed normally. Typical speeds were attained and the occasional ‘spin out’ was still noted. Today Joe took control of the kite and was able to achieve ‘foil borne’ status with Don at the helm.

At this stage of tide, seaweed is a problem. We had to stop and clear large quantities from the foil during the test. The boat displayed substantial tendency towards lee helm. Port side J-foil was riding low on port tack and its response seemed a bit erratic. Check helm foot controls. Check shock on port side.