![]() These better performances come with the price of an inferior turning speed, nervous behavior in gusty winds, and easier stall tendency in low wind conditions. Without deepening in a long theoretical explanation of the why, it is safe to say that high aspect ratio kites tend to be closer in shape to the ‘ideal aerodynamic wing’, with better performance in terms of lift and low drag in advancing due to minor turbulence creation. On the contrary the wider section it has in comparison to its length, the lower aspect ratio. Put it more simplistically, the longer and thinner the kite is the more it has a high aspect ratio. There are different ways to calculate it, a good one is to divide the square of the kite span by its surface area. ![]() This characteristic of the kite shape is, as the name says, the proportion between different dimensions of the kite. The other important parameter to predict the power kite behavior is the aspect ratio. Of course, on the market, as every kiter knows, there are a lot of different models with different arch shapes, from almost pure C-shape to very flat ones: Now we can understand how the combination of the shape and the bridle system leads to such different behaviors between the two arch shapes: This effect is the key of the higher depower capabilities that flat kites have in comparison to C-shape kites, which have a limited possibility of changing their angle of attack. Pivoting on the bridle system a flatter kite has a bigger leverage arm (B’), therefore its capability of changing the angle of attack (A’) on the wind is way bigger. Said so, modern C kites use some form of minor bridle system or a 5th line not only as an emergency system or relaunch aid (purple elements in the image below) but as a real structural element.Īpart from shape stability, bridle systems have another important effect on the kite’s behavior: the capability of broadening the excursion of the angle of attack on the wind.īelow is represented the difference between a C-shape kite and a flat kite. On the opposite side, a C-shape kite can function even without a bridle system, just with the lines attached to its tips. Its structure depends on the shape of the kite, the more the kite gets flatter, the more it needs better support on the leading edge, to prevent it to deform in the middle of its section. The other aspect related to the arch shape is the bridle system. It is easy to imagine that this can lead to bigger power capabilities in flat kites on one hand, and better side stability, steering responsiveness and drifting control in more C-shape kites on the other hand. The main point we need to pay attention to here is that the arch shape determines how much of the canopy in the kite generates the uplift and how much of it keeps the stability in the lateral directions:Īs we see in the flatter the kite shapes, the bigger component of the wind action goes to the uplift, while in steeper arch shapes the component of forces that pushes sideways gets important, playing a more influential role in the lateral stability. Nowadays we also have Delta shaped kites, where the trailing edge has been made straight giving a Greek Delta letter resemblance. Flat arched kites sometimes were called Bow kites, especially at the beginning of their introduction, because of the curved shape of the leading edge and the trailing edge, which made them appear as bow-shaped from the perspective of the rider. There are different arch shapes, from steep arch, also called C-kites, to flat arch. The three main parameters about a kite shape, which influence its performance are: Let’s try to simplify how different shapes influence the power kite behavior, to have a smart and reasoned way to choose our kitesurfing gear. The result is that there are so many types of kites out there that for beginners it can be really difficult to choose a suitable one to start with.Įven more advanced riders might end up using the wrong type of kite for the discipline they want to practice or their riding style. Being kitesurfing one of the fastest-growing sports, kitesurf producers have been challenging each other on the market with more and more innovation and possible product choices.
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