KiteJan

I started this project in October 2003 to try and make a light weight version of the Deca 1 using Ventex and 4mm carbon spars. In order to make it fly better in light winds I decided to increase the wingspan and the height, but keep the wing tips the same. Needless to say it didn't work quite like that!

The finished Black Deca has a 5mm carbon bow spar (the big one at the back) to increase it's stiffness, but still needs about the same wind as the Deca 1 or the Custom Deca. But it looks good in black I think....

Made: October 2003

Details

Width	Height	Depth	Weight	Spars	Sail	Windrange
240 cm	83 cm	57 cm	125 g	4mm vertical/wing 5mm bow	Ventex	Low
Cost
The Ventex was cheap from a friend (I wanted it to be in white, until a) I found out the cost of Icarex. and b) Dave offering me a couple of meters of black Icarex). So about £8 for the fabric, and £10 for the spars (4mm and 5mm).

Good Things

• Usual Deca good looks.
• Slightly lower wind range than the other Deca (but only slightly...).

Bad Things

• Doesn't do the Deca falling on front & back tricks (well at least it does, but can't be recovered).
• Gusty of strong wind causes the sail to flap and the bow spar to, well, bow a lot.
• Even less precise than the other Deca's.

Final Thoughts

Not as good as I had hoped - looks good, but doesn't fly as good as the real thing - and with a much reduced wind range. Still gets a fly from time to time. 

If it's taught me one thing it's that Deca's are complicated things to change the design of!