Can someone tell me what is the largest rectangle shape (length X width in metres) on the ground required to unroll an unpumped ozone zephyr kite flat on the ground eg for setup purposes?

Ozone Kites Aus said..

bramber said..
Can someone tell me what is the largest rectangle shape (length X width in metres) on the ground required to unroll an unpumped ozone zephyr kite flat on the ground eg for setup purposes?

You have to tell me why you need this? I'm so curious I went and unrolled by Zephyr you would need a spare 2.7m by 8.8m bit of floor space.

... my guess, how much deck space on a boat needed to pump up kite!!!

bramber said..

Ozone Kites Aus said..

bramber said..
Can someone tell me what is the largest rectangle shape (length X width in metres) on the ground required to unroll an unpumped ozone zephyr kite flat on the ground eg for setup purposes?

You have to tell me why you need this? I'm so curious I went and unrolled by Zephyr you would need a spare 2.7m by 8.8m bit of floor space.

Thanks for this! Basically theres a good kite spot I camp at but it doesn't have good ground (eg nice grass) for kite setup/packdown. So I want to know the maximum tarp size I would need to get for conceivably the largest kite size I might ever consider owning ;)

I had a sleepless night wondering about this question?

You can concertina fold a large wing in a narrow space. Paragliders have been doing it for decades. I tried it yesterday with my 12m kite and it worked very well.

I was surprised at how easy it was. I thought the leading edge would be too stiff and the air would get trapped in the folds. It's actually much easier than folding a paraglider, which I have done hundreds of times.

It's done so you can fold a big wing in a small space and not drag it across the ground. It's also meant to avoid damage to the leading edge battens on a paraglider, but that is not relevant to an LEI kite.

Basically you s-fold the leading edge to the middle leaving a gap of 2-3 panels. Repeat on the trailing edge, then roll over the s-folded panels to lock in the s-folds. Repeat on the other side. Fold the package as normal to put in the bag.