Build 5

Making a piece of screen to use as a leading edge vent.

Since you cannot write on screen, nor can you keep it straight while you cut it this step is fairly difficult.  I have however figure out a way to do this fairly painlessly with the use of some masking tape.  Simply put, if you apply masking tape over the screen, the screen will remain ridged and lines can be drawn on it.

The width of the screen must be the width of the vent plus seam allowance on the bottom, and enough screen at the top to seam with the leading edge Dacron.

5/16" For the seam to the sail

3/4" For the actual vent

5/16" For the seam to the leading edge Dacron

1/2" Extra screen to go into the Dacron

You can make the screen out of two or more pieces, the screen can be seamed at any of the Dacron risers.  Typically you only need to seam the screen at the center of the kite.  This requires two pieces of screen that are around 1.5 yards long.  Make sure they screen is longer then you need so it can be trimmed at the end.

The other reason for using masking tape on the screen is because if you sew with a straight stitch over the masking tape it can easily be taken off.  If your masking tape is not wide enough to cover the screen you can use multiple pieces but be sure that you do not join the masking tape close to where you will stitch.  This makes it very difficult to remove the masking tape after you sew.  Try and join the tape in the middle of the vent.

The choice of masking tape can make a big difference.  Extra sticky masking tape seems to work better then the type you would use to mask off your walls.  This take won't stick to the screen very well.

When marking off the screen be sure to mark the lines which around the vent.  These width of the vent is very important and should be identical across the entire leading edge.  You will need to flow these lines when seaming the screen to the sail and leading edge.  The other lines are not important as long as the screen is cut straight.