From: Al Johnson Subject: Low Wind Rokkakus Date: Wed, 5 Jun 1996 10:38:11 -1000 Organization: GTE - ISD Message-ID: <31B5F033.942@novell2.chnt.gtegsc.com> I got so much advice on stabilzing a 6' Rok that I thought I'd try again. That one is flying pretty well now but is heavy and wants a lot of wind. What should I consider as far as lowering the weight. I could use dacron or nylon pockets for the pockets, I suppose. I could use lighter spars on this one. Are there any guidelines about spar selection for a Rok to be flown in low wind only? >From what I've read, it seem like a 6 point bridle might also work better in low wind. Are there any comments on the bridle? Thanks in advance. Al Johnson Reston, VA = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = From: Radiobiology Shared Subject: Re: Low Wind Rokkakus Date: Tue, 11 Jun 1996 17:16:46 -1000 Organization: University of Cape Town Message-ID: <31BE369E.2B3C@its.uct.ac.za> Al Johnson wrote: > From what I've read, it seem like a 6 point bridle might also work > better in low wind. Are there any comments on the bridle? A six point bridle is meant to distribute the load better in high wind. I can't really think of any advantage in low wind! The nicest bridle on a rok is the 4 leg bridle with a centre piece between the top and bottom legs. This can be modified to become a 6 point bridle but is then not quite as easy to adjust. A full description of this is archived somewhere - Is also on my rok design which you can find off http://hickory.egs.uct.ac.za/~rodger/ Cheerio = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = From: Andrew Beattie Subject: Re: Low Wind Rokkakus Date: Wed, 12 Jun 1996 10:52:59 -1000 Organization: Division of Applied Sciences, Harvard University Message-ID: <9606122153.aa05378@tug.com> > A six point [rok] bridle is meant to distribute the load better in > high wind. I can't really think of any advantage in low wind! I'm not a Rok flier. (I must really get round to building one) However, I would want to use more bridle in a light wind, to allow me to get away with using lighter sticks. Andrew Cool Kite sites: http://www.kfs.org/kites/cool.html -- Marty Sasaki Harvard University Sasaki Kite Fabrications sasaki@noc.harvard.edu Network Services Division 90 Melrose Street 617-496-4320 10 Ware Street Arlington, MA 02174 Cambridge, MA 02138-4002 phone/fax: 617-646-1925 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = From: Adrian Pierorazio Subject: Re: Low Wind Rokkakus Date: Wed, 12 Jun 1996 03:02:41 -1000 Organization: Queen's University Message-ID: <31BEBFF1.3250@me.queensu.ca> Radiobiology Shared wrote: > > Al Johnson wrote: > > > From what I've read, it seem like a 6 point bridle might also work > > better in low wind. Are there any comments on the bridle? > > A six point bridle is meant to distribute the load better in high wind. I > can't really think of any advantage in low wind! Although the extra support could support a lighter frame! > The nicest bridle on a rok is the 4 leg bridle with a centre piece > between the top and bottom legs. I agree. All my roks use this kind of bridle. However, I understand that the traditional roks use 7+ point bridles to support their flexible bamboo frames. Using a multi-point bridle, I see no hard reason why an 8' rok couldn't be framed entirely in microcarbon (this would of course require a *lot* of bridling). Now, if someone bumped you in battle, well, then, that's another story but I think the light wind characteristics would be interesting. Adrian = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =