Kites
Gather notes and questions about our lifters here -- types, tuning, pros and cons
the ROKKER ; a new vented Rokkaku with good features of Roller
August 2020
in Kites
For KAP the search of stability and good confidence is pushing me to trials for vented ROKKAKU (after many nights dreaming about Nicolas Chorier's kite for KAP...)
a new solution that is much easier in sewing and assembly for this kind of kites is shown in : http://www.ipernity.com/doc/1148945/album/1280772
the ROKKER shows very good performances.. I'm very happy of this kind of kite
it offers a wider range of wind speed and a clear change of angle of incidence when the wind speed is increasing; the good performances of Roller, Dopero and several other kites have a positive influence on the lower sail (yellow in the proto kite)
SMAC from Italy
a new solution that is much easier in sewing and assembly for this kind of kites is shown in : http://www.ipernity.com/doc/1148945/album/1280772
the ROKKER shows very good performances.. I'm very happy of this kind of kite
it offers a wider range of wind speed and a clear change of angle of incidence when the wind speed is increasing; the good performances of Roller, Dopero and several other kites have a positive influence on the lower sail (yellow in the proto kite)
SMAC from Italy
Comments
ROKKER after two kites made and tested in different conditions looks to be quite interesting for KAP; main positive result is the wide wind speed range; the two proto ROKKERs are 1.65 m wide and near 2 m height
I have lifted ROKKER with 3 km/hour (0.83 m/s 1.9 mph) and it is quite effective on "pumping"; I had ROKKER in the sky together with only few PHANTOM DELTA UL...
I had two main occasions of flying in strong wind 50 to 60 km/hour (14 - 17 m/s 31- 37 mph), also with side sudden gusts... conditions where you would like to have in hands a PFK NIGHT HAWK... the ROKKER pulls strong but not as hard as a common ROK; the shape of ROKKER is not deformed as ROKs , it continues to fly well high and gives confidence to keep in safety a KAP RIG....
the ROKKER sounds to be a good chance in case that during KAP the wind conditions are getting worse in a short time
SMAC from Italy!
ROKKER image
So it can fly in winds from 3 to 60 km/hr and lift a rig? That sounds like the holy grail of KAP kites.
One kite for all conditions, say Beaufort force 1 to 6, sounds too good to be true!
It would be great to see some video of it performing in both light and strong winds.
Is it possible that a scaled down Rokker could out-perform the famous PFK in heavy winds?
Thanks for sharing your creation. I look forward to reading more as you get more experience flying it.
Hi montagdude and Ningaloo,
I was expecting a good result from ROKKER but I have been widely surprised myself.... quite over imagined (anyway I'm coming from other 4 trials on vented ROKs...)
sorry I do not have a video and in difficult conditions my attention is all to kite, not to social....
the sense of my words about ROKKER is quite different
1. in minimal wind speed ; it is already a beautiful possibility to have the kite in the sky; you cannot add any KAP RIG but in several conditions at ground level you have wind conditions poor and when you get higher the kite is reaching better conditions and maybe at 40 - 50 m height you can add the KAP RIG and make a good session
2. at very strong wind conditions; the ROKKER is NOT an alternative to PFK, no but in case that during fly or KAP the wind gets much worse you are at upper safety limits but you can get down your KAP RIG and kite still gives the feeling of stable flight at a good angle (doesn'g go down on trees, doesn't break a piece of frame...)
SMAC from Italy
I'm thinking I will try making a smallish one of these out of wood dowels and a plastic drop cloth. Not for KAP, but just for fun and experimenting. Do you have any design tips that you are willing to share after making a few prototypes?
Hi montagdude,
dimensions are: both horizontal spars 1.65 m
height : total 1.96 (0.42 + 1.12 + 0.42) m
upper and lower sail connected only in the middle and at both external ends
upper sail low edge : stiffened - reinforced - I used mylar
all edges are reinforced , all contour should be at low elastic deformation
bridle : classic 4 points ROKKAKU style
in my protos frame is for horizontal spars P4X CAMO SKYSHARK 2 + 2 ; for spine carbon tube 8 mm
SMAC from Italy
Thank you! I'll try to post some pictures if I build one.
Really interesting "all purpose" kite, Smac.
And, regarding your Ipernity page, nicely sewed.
What king of fabric (spi) to you use ?
Emmanuel
Thanks Emmanuel - photocerfvolant,
I use spi from a sailmaker... I cannot say exactly what source - specs...
always spi 30-40 grams/squaremeter - polyesther high tech specs
sometimes is Contender Dynacote or Maxicote but I cannot say in detail
SMAC from Italy
Thank you Sandro for the answer.
It's a relatively light spi fabric. Maybe why it fly since a little breeze.
Hi,
about weight... overall weight of kite complete ROKKER prototype1 blue-yellowfluo 330 grams ; ROKKER prototype 2 purple-yellow 390 grams... but proto 2 has overall performances better than proto 1 and weight is important OK but wait a moment....
SMAC from Italy
;o))))