This is one of the first kites I ever made. As the name suggests the kite has six sides. It is sparred from corner to corner with three matching length sticks.

The first Hexs' I ever flew were sparred in wood. When I built mine I immediately sparred them in carbon fibre, thinking that the kite would fly so much better due to this superior sparring material. The kite had a tendency to spin so I solved this by adding a bow to the horizontal spar. It behaved better when the wind dropped out and floats back like a leaf.

I then got to thinkin'. Why did I change to carbon in the first place?

So I built a version using wooden sticks .

The kite was actually lighter and more stable. The three point bridle allows the lower end of the spars to flex. The bow that I artificially put in with the bow line formed naturally.

However, there was a problem. The center horizontal spar became permanently bent after a few flights and made storage more difficult. So I replaced it with fibre glass and added the bow line.

Success!

Although the wood spars work better in the lower winds, I fit fiber glass rods in the kite for longevity reasons. I still get the flex but have sacrificed weight for a more resilient product.

It just goes to prove that carbon fibre isn't always the best route, I think we all automatically reach for the carbon because of the weight reduction. We also forget that carbon fibre is very stiff. So why use it on a bowed stick!

Sometimes you want flex.

gluedtotheblue@comcast.net