Sled Kite Instructions

Sled Kite Instructions

You Will Need

1 clean high-density plastic garbage bag or 1m plastic garden sheeting available from the hardware store.

2 x 45cm x 6mm diameter wooden dowel.

Strong Tape (Duct tape)

15m nylon or cotton string, breaking strain approx. 20-35-lb (10-15kg) test.

1 sheet thin cardboard or old boxes that have been opened out and taped together to form a big sheet.

Measuring tape.

Pencil.

Craft knife and scissors.

Hole punch.

Coloured shopping bags (optional).

		1. On the cardboard sheet, mark out the shape and dimensions shown in the picture. This will become the template for the kite. Cut it out and place it on the fully outstretched plastic. Cut all the way around. This will give you the basic Sled shape. (If you lay several layers of plastic down on top of the other you can make several kites at once.)
		2. Using 1 inch (2.5cm) lengths of tape, secure the lengths of dowel to the sail as shown in the picture.
		3. Using more 1-inch pieces of tape, reinforce the outer wingtips. Then punch a small hole at the corner of each wingtip. It is very important that the wingtips are reinforced properly, as this it where the bridle line will be tied. I use about 6 pieces of tape to reinforce each wing tip. I place 3 on the back and 3 on the front side of each.
		4. Now it is time to attach the bridle line. To make the bridle for this kite, measure and cut out a piece of the string that is 3 times the width of kite (wingtip to wingtip). For a kite with these dimensions, the bridle will be 2.4m long. Tie one end securely to each of the two reinforced wingtips.

5. To find the centre of the bridle, fold the kite in two from wingtip to wingtip. Pull the line taut. You can then either tie a 1 inch (2.5cm) loop on the bight or you can attach an O ring using a larks head knot (a larks head knot is formed by pulling the rope through and over the top of the ring. Pull tight).	6. Secure the flying line to the loop (or O ring) in the bridle and the Sled is ready to fly. This kite can be scaled up or down depending on your preference. The weight and strength of the materials need to be taken into consideration.