Spreader size effect

• Subject: Spreader size effect
• From: sasaki@netop3.harvard.edu (Marty Sasaki)
• Date: Thu, 30 Sep 1993 17:23:22 GMT

In article <28daqf$m18@nermal.cs.uoguelph.ca>, moishi@herman.cs.uoguelph.ca (Maurice Y Oishi) writes:
>Marty, my follow-up question is: Would the loss of slack in the sail
>reduce the camber created by the wind, decreasing the airfoil
>(Bernoulli (sp?) lift) effect of the sail? Also, wouldn't the increased
>tension on the sail reduce its smooth tracking?

Generally, kites with a large amount of billow are more stable, track
straighter and are less radical than kites with small amounts of
billow.

As far as changing the airfoil goes, I don't believe that the effect
is large.

You can cause too much tension in the sail, or stress on the frame if
the sail is too tight (assuming standoffs are being used). I've seen
serious frame distortion with tight sails which resulted in erratic
control and/or frame failure.
--
Marty Sasaki            Harvard University           Sasaki Kite Fabrications

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