Box/Cellular Kites
(High Wind... Fast Flyers)
"The Block" A Mike Ryan design box kite.
It is one cubic metre of low wind fun. A 1 mph wind will be enough to keep this baby in the
air. It has 4mm carbon edge spars in pockets and 3mm cross spars meeting at a 4mm
centre stabilizer spar. Worth making if you have light winds..
I believe this falls under the term "cellular" kite. This very round kite sure isn't a "box" ;) It is however called a circoflex which is a very recent design (1993) and a very interesting one at that. This one is 20 feet in circumference or a little over 6'-4" in diameter and 16" front to back. The checkers are 8" sq and count up to 60 in number. An 1/8" fiberglass rod makes up the frame in the leading edge and there is a string tensioner in the trailing edge. The tensioner decreases the trailing edge diameter and creates some drag to keep the kite up. It flew amazingly well for this shot in very gusty winds. In a smooth beach beeze it should park itself in the sky and stay there. For this one I just put a double twist in the frame to bring it down to around 3 feet in diameter for transport. A fun kite.
This site has been modified on March 18th, 2021
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