The Sail

step 1: Putting the plan and the moulds together

step 2: Cutting the sail, Mylar, Dacron and the fortification for the nose

step 3: Putting together and glueing the sail parts

step 4: Sewing the two halves of the sail

step 5: Glueing the two halves (at the spine)

step 6: Glueing the fortification for the stand-offs

step 7: Glueing Mylar or Ripstop as fortification

step 8: Sewing the fortification for the spine and stand-offs

step 9: Glueing and sewing of the fortification for the upper spreader

step 10: Glueing and sewing the Ripstop for the “trailing edges”

step 11: Glueing of the nose bag

step 12: Sewing of the spine tunnel

step 13: Glueing and sewing of the fortification for the central-T

step 14: Glueing of the leading edges

step 15: Marking the leading edges and the nosebag

step 16: Sewing of the leading edges and the nosebag

step 17: Inserting the leechline

step 18: Glueing and sewing of the fortification of the nose

step 19: Cutting out the space for the yoyo stoppers

step 20: The holes for tensioning the leading edges and placing the stand-offs

Step 17: Inserting the leech line

The leech line is a piece of line that is inserted in the trailing edge to keep an even tension to the sail at the bottom towards the stand-offs, doing so prevents the sail from making an annoying noise. Tension can be tuned, so we can change to some extend the way the air washes over the trailing edge.

1. Take a fine strong line of about 3m long and a long thick stopper needle (one without a sharp end).

2. Put the leech line through the seam of the tip between the Rip stop of the trailing edge. Keep sliding the needle sideways towards the spine.

3. At the tail, pull out the needle and leech line. Pull the line out for about 1,5 m long.

4. Insert the needle and the leech line in the trailing edge from the other side of the kite.

5. Keep sliding the needle and leech line away from the tail until they appear at the other tip.