I
seldom buy kites, I prefer to built. This one is an exception.
In the 2004 Dieppe kite festival, I saw several of these
deltas, and immediately I note their flight performance,
as well in the low winds, than in the steady winds, and
in the squalls. Straight on, I see the kink with the peculiar
train on the trailing edges which is obviously the stabilizing
factor.
I
found also that this delta is on sale by our friend of Sieger's Vlieglers in the shop " Open Air"
under the arcades. So that, in order to know it deeper,
and to help me to forget the bad opinion that I have on
most delta kites, I decide to buy one. As said, as
done, and for a very kiting price, I mean, light!
Two
years experience now make me say that this kite is very
good, in all winds. The train has a very efficient stabilizing.
It is the great asset of this kite. It doesn't add weight
unlike the windsocks, and its action is following entirely
the gusts, unlike the tails. Because, what the deltas are
missing, like all the flat kites, is some drag to avoid
unreliable performances. This kite is dependable.
The
construction is good quality, because after many and long
full days in the sky, sometimes in strong winds (it must
be tested!) I haven't noticed seams which fail, or some
weak points which get worn. The rods are carbon fiber Ø
8mm. By 5 Beaufort, all is bowing a lot, but this delta
doesn't drop out, and stick it out. However it should not
be overtaxed.
I
don't use it for kap, the reason being that it has not enough
pull compared to the other kites in my bag.
|
|
As
you know, it is common to give the base as the dimension
of the delta. I always have been doubtful because this dimension
is not giving an intuitive comparison with other kites.
I much prefer the length of the spreader, which is 1,53
m in this case. This is the standard size of a 3 m²,
and it is remarkable to see that this delta has the same
pull despite a larger sail area.
The
train is made of small triangles of ripstop, base is 180mm,
and height 100mm. They are tied together by their tips.
There are 10 on each trailing edge of each side of the sail,
and they form then two larger open-work triangles, composed
of 10 rows of the small ones. the number of the triangles
in the rows run from 10 to 1. In total, 110 are needed for
this delta.
-
|