built in the Amoka kite loft - by SPH Designs

Index: Introduction, Wind Range, Tuning, Choking, Dimensions, Fabric, Crazing, Construction and More Pictures

 

Introduction

The Kaptain is a Flowform we build using Harald Prinzler's FF03A plans. However please note our rib pattern height and curve is quite different from the one in the FF03A plans enabling our version of the kite to fly in a larger wind range and fly much steadier at all wind speeds. This kite flys best without tails and can lift all the line laundry you got on a stiff breeze day.

With a bottom side of 30 square foot this kite is a lifting machine. Made of a high end sail makers ripstock this kite with bridal lines weighs in at around 1 lbs 4 oz. This kite takes near 16 yards of 60" wide ripstock to build! It has slightly smaller keels and inlets then a Sutton style flowform allowing it to fly smoother in high winds. The kite also comes with a sturdy nylon bag. You can order this kite in the single line kite section of our online catalog. The kite is priced at $265.

Laundry with 5 feet of bridal choked off

Wind Range

The recommended wind range is 5 to 25 mph winds. Flying this kite in winds with high gusts is not recommended as the pull generated is very great. Use 200 lbs test line in light winds and 500 lbs test line in winds above 15 mph. Though we've test flown it in 25 mph plus winds we don't recommend that for safety's sake. In higher winds use line laundry added to the line to keep the kite from flying too high overhead. This kite does not like big heavy pulling tails.

Tuning To Fly Straight

Tuning this kite to fly straight is very important and a must DO IT FIRST type job! To adjust first fly the kite with out any tails in medium wind conditions. If the kite files to the left in strong puffs of wind then shorten the left bridal line. Use the slip knots on the D-ring to shorten lines. Likewise if the kite is first flying to the right shorten the right bridal line. If the mid keel flaps then shorten it's bridal line. Don't be afraid to keep experimenting and making fine adjustments. You should be able to near get the kite to basically stand still in the air in steady winds.

Choking the Kite

The bridal lines are near 16 feet long. In strong wind conditions choke the bridal line at least 4 foot to reduce the keels from opening as much. This helps to stabilize the kite by taking some of the power out of it. Choking is done by simply larking all three bridal lines around a metal ring.

Dimensions

image courtesy of Harald Prinzler

The bottom side panel of our Kaptain measures 200 cm by 140 cm which is 2.8 sq meter. In feet and inches that is 6'7" x 4'7" or 29.8 square feet. The projected profile which figures in the top front leading edge adds to the total thus the Kaptain is in the 32 square foot area in size. Many companes use the projected profile for sizing. The side profile is huge also measuring 43 inchs from the keel tip to top of the rib.

About the Fabric Used

We build the Kaptain using Dimension Polyant's Formulon 50 a high end sailmaker's .75 oz ripstock. The finished kite with bridal lines weighs in at just 1 lbs 4 oz ! Many mass produced kites of simular size weigh in at double that weight! When kapping and a wind lull comes your kite becomes a parachute so you want a light weight and a big parachute like the Kaptain.

Formulon 50 .75 oz coated ripstock. All edges are double folded 1/4". Send us a self addressed envelope and we will send you a small sample of this ripstock fabric.

Crazing and What It Is

Formulon 50 is a coated not an impregnated ripstock. The coating lowers greatly the porosity and thus water beads off the surface of this fabric. The hard surface also makes the lightweight fabric a treat to work with and folding edges and sewing it with machines is easily done. However when the underlying fibers stretch the coating resins stretch also giving the appearance of white lines in the fabric. You will not notice crazing on white ripstock but you will definitely notice it on the red colored ripstock. There is no way to avoid crazing. Ripstock flapping in strong winds will also quickly craze ripstock fabric.

Construction Information and Images

Vent holes have 1/4" reinforcing around them and some tough T-5 scrim is used on the end of the keels with aluminum D-rings for attaching the three bridal lines. However we didn't overbuild and create more drag by adding lots of edge binding. Sailmakers #30 nylon thread is used throughout the kite except for the fastening the 3/4" webbing on to the keel scrim where #42 thread was used. In total the kite requires around 16 yards of 60" wide fabric to build and requires more hours to cut and assemble then we care to admit to.

We only build the Kaptain in one color scheme at the moment, Red and White as pictured on this Web page.

The Kaptain 30 comes with it's own big bag. To store fold length wise to somewhat less than bag length, then roll up from bottom side.

Here is pictured the 80" Pyramid tail cone made of matching material. It's made big so you get noticed. It has a large rear vent hole so it does not have much pull to it. The 80" cone tail is an optional add on available with the Kaptain.

We use T-5 Scrim to reinforce the area the bridal web straps are sewn on. The scrim is super strong and tough but yet surprisingly lightweight.

The finished keel tip uses 3/4" webbing with an aluminum D-ring. 16 foot long 200 lbs braided dacron leads for the bridal lines.

The 8 four inch vent holes all get 1/4" inch binding stitched in around them.

Building a Kaptain takes every inch of our work table.