Zero Wind
Great Deca
Synergy Zero
Wind Deca
Minergy Zero
Wind Deca
Synergetic
Series Kites
Introducing Zero Wind Kites
What is indoor flying? It’s flying a kite in an enclosed environment without the use of an available wind source. The kiteflier becomes the wind force in order to move the kite through the air
by pumping the kite with smooth actions of the wrists and arms; by twisting body movements
that lead the kite into flight; or by walking in a backwards direction to create a consistent lifting
force for the kite. This opens the range of movement of the kites to a full 360Ў.
“Indoor flying” is not a contradiction in terms. It is becoming a legitimate sport that is gaining popularity in North America, Europe and Japan.
The Synergetic Series Zero Wind Deca, Zero Wind Great Deca, and Minergy Zero Wind
Deca are a new breed of kite; they are among the most efficient low wind kites on the market, capable of amazing control and flight with minimal effort. These Zero Wind kites
are for oudoor flying as well, in winds up to 15 mph. Your Zero Wind kite will give
you the ability to fly in places you never thought possible, and do maneuvers that will
amaze yourself and onlookers, so get ready to take a journey into Zero Wind Flying.
This manual is set up to cover all three Zero Wind Deca models.
Where there are significant differences between the models, for example in assembly, information
is given separately.
The Synergetic
Series of Kites are
SYNERGY ZERO WIND DECA™
Wind Range: 0-12 mph (0-20 kph)
designed by Marc
Ricketts.
Fly Line (included): 13 feet (4 m) , 50 lb
(23 kg) Spectra™ x 4
MINERGY ZERO WIND DECA™
Wind Range: 0-12 mph (0-20 kph)
Fly Line (included): 10 feet (3 m) , 50 lb
(23 kg) Spectra™ x 4
ZERO WIND GREAT DECA™
Wind Range: 0-12 mph (0-20 kph)5
Fly Line (included): 16 feet (5 m) , 50 lb
(23 kg) Spectra™ x 4
Synergy-Deca™ trademark owned by Marc Ricketts
Spectra™ is a registered trademark of Allied Signal
Ventex™ is a registered trademark of InVento
1.
produced by:
InVento Klein Feldhus 1 D-26180
Rastede-Neusudende Germany
Tel: 49 44 02 92 62 0
Your Synergy-Deca is warrantied
against defects in workmanship and
materials.
When you fly this stunt kite you are taking
responsibility for its control. The manufacturer, designer, and distributors cannot
accept responsibility for damage due to
improper or careless use of this product.
Synergy Zero Wind Deca
The newest addition to the Deca family, the Synergy Zero Wind Deca is affordable and well sized
for easy learning. This Synergy will do all the amazing Deca inverts and invert hovers in Zero
Wind. The Zero Wind Deca also has Ricketts newly developed multi- piece carbon bow system.
This makes the kite incredibly light for indoor flying and
virtually unbreakable, with an optional spar for stiffening the bow and tensioning the sail when
flying outdoors in up to moderate winds. Wind range: 0-14mph
Instructions for your
Assembly:
Synergy Zero Wind Deca
The Zero Wind Deca comes
complete with kite, lines and
handles, and bag.
Set the lines and handles and
the loose spar to one side and
start unrolling the kite.
With the kite fully unrolled, the two wings should be on the top side with the logo also facing up,
partially hidden by one wing. Each of the kite wings should have 3 spars connected to them: a
shorter one running from tip to tip, and two medium sized spars attached at one end to either tip.
As well, one long spar runs through the hole in each wing.
1.unroll the kite
2.
Take the free end of each of the two medium
length spars (extending from one tip past the
other). Bring the ends of both of these spars
together, by moving them towards the wing
tip (the very end of the kite, without spars).
Holding both ends together, insert them
into the vinyl connector at the wing tip. Do
the same to set up the spars on the other
wing. Your kite should now look like this:
2.attach wing spars
3.
Now flip both wings of the kite out, so
the wing spars you just inserted are on the
under side, and the logo and the two long
spars are on the top side facing you.
3.assemble the bow
Take the two long
spars and connect
them together, by
overlapping them and
inserting each of their
ends in the connector
located slightly down
the other spar.
You must insert both
spar ends at the same
time.
The two long spars should now be assembled into one piece, which runs through the
two circular holes on the wings.
4.
4.attach bow ends
Reach under one wing and find the metal cap,
which is attached to three lines. Insert the end
of the long spar into it, making sure that there
are no twists in the lines.
Reach under the other wing and do the same,
bowing the spar and tensing the kite.
Now the kite is fully assembled and ready
for very low wind or zero wind flying! (see
handle & line section for attaching the fly
lines)
Your Synergy Zero Wind Deca comes with
the optional feature of a bow stiffener for
flying in light to medium winds. This stiffener is the extra spar you set aside in the
beginning. To use it, insert the spar one
end at a time between the connectors on
the largest spar, at the point at which the
lines attach.
With the extra spar in place you can fly
your Zero Wind Deca in winds up to 14mph
/ 22 kmh.
When disassembling your kite, it is important to carefully follow these steps in the
reverse order. You will soon learn how to
do these without the manual, making breaking down and setting up your kite quick and
efficient.
5.
Minergy Zero Wind Deca
A scaled down version of the Synergy Zero Wind Deca, the Minergy Zero Wind Deca has all the
flying abilities of the larger kite, plus it allows you to fly down hallways,
fly in a crowded room, or in just about any available space.
Wind range: 0-14mph
Instructions for your
Assembly:
Remove your Minergy Zero Wind Deca
from its bag and unroll the kite, setting
the lines and handles to the side for the
moment. Flip the two wings down so your kite looks like the photo.
Minergy Zero Wind Deca
1.unroll the kite
On one wing take the free ends of the two medium length spars extending just past the wing and bring
these two spars together by moving the ends towards the wing tip. Holding the two spar ends together
in one hand, insert them into the vinyl connector at the wing tip. Then do the same for the other wing.
2.attach wing spars
6.
The spars for both wings are
now in place, with the bowed
spars following the wing edges.
Now flip the wings out on your
kite, spreading out the sail fully.
3.insert bow ends
Reach under one wing and find the
metal cap attached to three lines.
Insert one end of the long bow (or
spreader) spar in it, making sure
there there are no twists in the tension lines. Now do the same on the
other wing, carefully bowing the
spar and tensing the sail.
Your Minergy Zero Wind
Deca is now fully assembled and will look like this:
7.
Zero Wind Great Deca
The largest and most elegant of the Decas, this kite’s slow, graceful swoops and glides through
indoor spaces command everyone’s attention. Not only is it the world’s leading indoor kite, it is
also an amazingly precise quad-line outdoors in light and moderate winds. For high winds you
can purchase a High Wind Bow Set to expand your possibilities even more. Range: 0-14mph,
Assembly:
with high wind bow: 5-22mph
Instructions for your
Zero Wind Great Deca
Take the Zero Wind Great Deca out of its bag.
Set the handles and bag to the side and start
unrolling your kite, pulling out the five separate
spars, two of which are coded with silver and
three coded with gold.
Notice that your kite is rolled like a scroll; this
keeps the lines on the sides of the kite from
becoming tangled during transport.
1.unroll the kite
Your Synergy should now look like this, with
the the two wings folded in on the side of the
kite facing you. On top of each of the wings, the
lines of the tension system are attached to gold
and silver caps. Check to make sure they are
untwisted and the three lines from the disk are
under the wing. Also notice the two uncoded
(black) vertical spars - these stay permanently
attached to your kite.
Now locate the silver cap closest to the black vertical spar on one side of the kite, and insert one
of the silver spars. Then find the other silver cap found at the wing tip and insert the other end of
the same silver spar.
2.attach wing spars
8.
Do the same for the other silver wing
spar on the opposite wing, and flip
out the wings on the kite.
Pick up one of the two spars with
gold coding on only one end. This is
a tapered Avia Sport Skinny (wrapped
graphite) spar, with a ferrule glued on
one end. We call this spar the gold
side bow.
3.assemble gold bow
Insert the smaller diameter end through the hole in one wing. Locate the small black disk at this end
of the wing. It has three lines coming from it - check to make sure these are not twisted up. Insert
the wider end of the spar (with ferrule) into the disk. Do the same with the other gold side bow at
the the other wing.
Find the spar with gold bands at both ends. This spar,
the gold center bow, is an Avia Sport Excel (wrapped
graphite). Take the gold center bow and slide one end
over the ferrule at the disk end of the gold side bow.
Then do the same for the other end and the other gold side bow.
9.
Now the gold bow, made up
of three pieces, is fully assembled.
Reach under one wing to find
the gold cap. Making sure there
is no twist in the lines, insert
one end of the gold bow carefully into the gold cap.
4.attach bow ends
If this is difficult, double check for twist, especially lines wrapped around caps.
Go to the other wing, find
the gold cap there and insert
the other end of the gold bow
by carefully bowing the entire
three-piece spar.
Your Zero Wind Great Deca is
now fully assembled!
When disassembling any of
these kites, it is important to
follow these steps in exactly
the reverse order.
10.
Zero Wind
Handle
& Line
setting the fly lines
For Synergy Zero Wind Deca, Minergy Zero Wind Deca, & Zero Wind Great Deca
Take your handle set with wound up lines and
find the line ends. Begin to unwind them until
a little more than an arm’s length has been
unwound.
Separate the two pairs of line. These are joined
because one pair goes to one side of the kite
and the other pair to the other side; this helps
to keep the sides separate.
SZWD & MZWD
Attach one line to the top and one to
the bottom line attachment at each end
of the vertical (black) spar, using a
lark’s head loop.
Now do the same for the other pair and
the loop attachments on the other side
of the kite.
How to make a lark’s head loop
ZWGD
Separate the two lines
in each pair by pulling
on the tab of line and
loosening the lark’s
head loop.
11.
rewinding
Finish unwinding your lines, walking
upwind if you are outside. When you get
to the end, separate the two handles. This is
done for the Zero Wind Great Deca by sliding one out of the other, one end at a time.
Untwist your lines until they run parallel to
the kite without crossing each other. You are
now ready to fly your Zero Wind!
For Synergy Zero Wind Deca
& Minergy Zero Wind Deca
Hold one handle in each hand so that the
double bows face each other. Slide the two
handles together. A bowed spar from each
handle slips between the two bowed spars
of the other handle. They will hold snugly
against each other (This is also the position
for single hand flying).
For Zero Wind Great Deca
Slip the end caps of one handle between the
bow and string of the other, one end at a time.
They should hold together like in the photo.
For all three: It’s very helpful always
to rewind your lines properly, to minimize the
amount of time spent sorting out lines the next
time you fly. Don’t detach your lines from the
kite until you are nearly finished rewinding.
Once the handles are joined, take all four lines
in a hand and pull them together through the
‘notch’ at the bottom between the two joined
handles. Figure-eight the lines a few times
around the two bottom ends of the handles.
Then bring the lines back up through the same centre
notch to the corresponding notch at the top of the
handles. Figure-eight the lines around the handle ends
here, too. This will keep the handles securely together.
Once both ends of the joined handles have been
wrapped together, you can quickly wind up the rest of
the line. Wrap around the top and bottom ends of one
of the handles in a figure-eight pattern (this will mean
that most of the line is wound on only one side of the
joined handles).
When you get close to the kite, detach the lines. Make
sure to join the lines from each side together right away
with a lark’s head loop, so the lines are set up for your
next flight.
12.
picking a flying space
True Zero Wind flying must be done in an indoor flying space, as there is always a little breeze outside which
interferes with flying, especially when you are first developing your Zero Wind technique. Places to try include
community centers, schools, indoor activity centers, gyms, tennis & basketball courts, large warehouses or
loading docks (when not in use). The ceiling should be at least 20 feet high (unless you are flying a Minergy)
and have a clear, even area roughly 40 feet in length and width. This is important as you will be walking
backwards with your eyes on the kite. Once you have learned Zero Wind techniques you will be surprised
to find that you can fly almost anywhere: streets and alleys, rooftops, bridges, etc. Also remember your Zero
Wind Deca has a wide wind range, so you can fly in clean wind on normal flying fields in up to medium
winds. In these situations you can fly on lines longer than those provided. If you have never flown a Deca
before, it is easier to begin flying in a normal wind situation and then move to indoor flying.
When flying outdoors, find an open field with no power lines, or roads crossing through it. Also make sure that
there are no thunder storms in the area, as wet lines can conduct electricity.The more open and spacious the flying space the better the wind. A building, hill, or big bank of trees at either end of your field will cause turbulence
which may interfere with learning to fly. The smoothest wind is that coming from a large lake or the ocean. Locate
yourself as close to the center of the clearing as possible, as the smoothest winds will be there.
Flight:
Launching
Stand with your arms fully extended in front of you
with the handles in each hand parallel to each other.
To launch when the kite is upright (bow at top), simply tilt both wrists upwards (tops of handles point to
your face), and pull both hands gently toward your
Flight
body. In lower wind it is also helpful to take a few
steps backwards as you start the launch.
If when you launch the kite starts up, then flips
forward and falls to the ground, your motion is too
quick or jerky and/or the tops of your handles are
tilted back too far. If the kite goes off to one side
when launching, make sure your handles are evenly
tilted. Should the problem continue, you should turn
the kite as it is going up (see ‘turning’).
When the kite is upside down, hold the handles the
right way up (with a twist in the lines) and put your
wrists in the reverse position (handles point away).
Pull both handles evenly toward your body. The kite
will untwist itself once in the air.
If the kite has fallen to the ground with the front
edge of the kite on the ground (convex side up, bow
towards you) and the wings pointing up, give one
of the handles a long quick pull to flip the kite to a
launching position.
Forward/Backward
To move your Synergy-Deca forward, tilt the tops
of your handles equally toward you (as in a normal
launch). This brings the top leading edge of the kite
into the wind, and the wind shedding off the bottom
of the sail moves the kite forward.
The Synergy-Deca’s airfoil is very efficient, and will
respond to even a slight tilt, so if the front edge is
fluttering and cavitating, tilt the handles a little less.
If in low wind you tilt the handles and nothing happens, give a little pull to help the kite get started in
the direction of travel.
To give your Synergy-Deca reverse motion, tilt the
bottoms of your handles toward you. This brings
the bottom edge of the kite into the wind. The wind
sheds off the top of the sail and the kite moves in
reverse (downward).
Hovering/Neutral
To maintain a neutral position (hovering), keep both
handles even, without tilting. Neutral position can be
Basics for flying in wind
Neutral position
13.
Moving forward
Reverse / Moving backward
found while the kite is right-side up, upside down, or
vertical to the ground (flying on one end). When the
kite is vertical, the handle corresponding to the side
of the kite pointing to the sky must be pulled toward
your body in order to maintain its altitude.
Spinning/Turning
To turn or spin your Synergy-Deca clockwise, tilt
the top of your left handle and the bottom of your
right handle toward you. This lifts the left side of
your kite and lowers the right side. The shedding of
wind off the bottom edge of the left and the top edge
of the right sends the kite into a clockwise spin. The
opposite signals will spin the kite counterclockwise.
To decrease the radius of the turn (tighten the spin)
pull back on the hand that is tilted down.
Turning is like doing a partial spin.To turn to the
right, gently tilt the top of the left handle and the
bottom of the right handle toward you. To turn to the
left, do the opposite.
Moving sideways
Moving sideways is a more difficult maneuver. Pull
the handle on the side of the kite which points in
your desired direction. While pulling on one side,
you must also give that side a small amount of forward lift by tilting that handle toward you (reverse
if the kite is upside down), and give the trailing side
some reverse motion (tilt the handle slightly away
from you). This takes a bit of practice.
The Synergy-Deca can also slide vertically. Starting
from the position of vertical hover, bring your top
hand back toward you. This will make the kite slide
up. By pushing your top hand away and your bottom
hand toward you, the kite will slide down.
Fly safe!
Avoid power lines, cars, roads and people. Don’t
fly near airports or in hazardous storm conditions.
Zero Wind
Flying in very low wind and no wind situations
There are major differences between low wind and no wind (or indoor) flying; however some of the following
Flight
In low wind flying, the minimal available wind must
be worked with, and can be supplemented using
Zero Wind techniques. Where there is no available
wind (i.e. indoor flying) the flier can use the complete surrounding hemisphere to work in.
Zero Wind flying requires a fair bit of concentration
and practice, but the rewards are ultimate control
and the freedom to fly anywhere. The basic premise
techniques can be used in both situations. It is a good idea to review the basic control
signals for flying in wind if you are not familiar with them before beginning this section.
of low and no wind flying is to keep the kite moving. Movement of the kite increases airflow over the
airfoil, thereby increasing lift. The launch and 360°
are the fundamentals of Zero Wind flying, and you
should practice these until you have them down.
Launch
Start with your arms fully extended. This gives you
the maximum advantage of force you can exert on
Spin
360°
14.
the kite. Then start taking a few steps backward with
your wrist in the forward /launch position. As you
walk backwards and the kite begins to lift, pull your
hands closer to your body, to increase the pressure
and accelerate the kite. If the kite’s motion is jumpy
and tends to flip immediately forward, your wrists
are tilted too far backwards and/or your motions are
too fast and jerky. Smooth and slow movement is
key to Zero Wind - the slower you go, the slower
Flight
the kite goes and the more time you have to adjust
and control its flight.
giving an upwards turn signal (tilting your wrist to
bring the top of the handle closer to you) and at the
same time extend your other hand which was closer
to you to be farther away. In order to make a turn in
zero wind or low wind condition it is necessary to
not only give the wrist motion, but also bring the arm
back towards you. This will give it the force needed
to turn up. When turning down it is not necessary to
give much, if any, of a downward turn signal, since
the pull of gravity will lower the side of the kite for
you if the pressure is let up a little on that side.
360°
The next steps happen simultaneously with the
launch. Turn the kite so you are flying across the
horizon, not straight up. Flying straight up is the
most difficult in Zero Wind, vs. sideways or a circle
(360°). To turn the kite as it is moving up, start at
about the time the kite reaches eye level and pull one
hand back even more towards you, tilting the top of
its handle even further back. This will raise that side
of the kite. At the same time, push your other hand
away from you, tilting the kite so that the lower side
of the kite is further away from you. The pressure
zone under the lower wing that this creates helps
keep the kite aloft.
Hints: If you get the kite up and turned and then it
flips forward falling out of the air, you merely need
to return the hand controlling the top of the kite to a
more neutral position (not tilted back so far).
When moving the kite to a vertical (turning) position, get the top wing of the kite slightly ahead of
the bottom wing of the kite. This ensures that the air
flows down the entire sail. Your control of this angle
depends almost entirely on the hand controlling the
top wing. The adjustments for control of the 360°
are very slight and constant; watch the sail closely
and control the angle and speed of the kite with
small changes in the tilt of your wrist.
Hold your handles parallel to the vertical spars: this
especially makes a difference in indoor flying where
the kites are very sensitive.
Practice starting and stopping while going around
the circle, as well as changing direction from forwards to backwards. This is done by changing only
the pitch of your wrist keeping you arms in the same
position. When changing direction, make sure you
adjust the tilt of the kite so the wing on top is leading
in the direction of travel. With all of the Synergetic
Series Zero Wind Decas it is possible to refine your
360s to the point where you are barely moving, just
rotating on one foot.
Turning while circling
To turn the kite to circle in the opposite direction,
you need to switch the position of your two hands.
Bring your lower extended hand towards you while
15.
Spins
As in the description for standard wind, hold the
handles so that one tilts forward and one backward.
Move your arms in and out in time with the kite,
giving a pull back on the side going up to give a
constant increased pressure on the rising side of
the kite.
Up and over
Learning to take the kite fully overhead is another
primary indoor maneuver. This is accomplished like
a launch that continues going up, keeping your arms
fully extended. As the kite rises, adjust the pitch of
your wrists, keeping with or just slightly ahead of the
kite. At the point where the kite reaches about 6570° or about 80% of the way to straight above, stop
walking backwards. In order to keep the kite moving, slowly start lowering your arms which should
be fully extended. The lowering of your arms keeps
a slight and steady pressure on the sail as the kite
travels over you. When the kite is directly overhead,
rotate your body so you are facing the direction in
which kite will descend. As the kite passes overhead
you also need to change your wrist position so that
your thumbs are pointing away from you (this is
essentially telling the kite reverse but it will continuing gliding away from you and down as long as you
don’t walk backwards)
Hints: The slower you take the up and over, the
easier time you will have at the top. If you are moving very quickly backwards when the kite reaches
70° it will be very difficult to keep it moving.
If the kite gets overhead and then falls out, you need
to adjust your wrist differently, maybe sooner or
more. Try to keep both handles parallel to the vertical spars at all times through the up and over. Once
you get confident with this movement, you can play
the descent and let the kite float away from you by
slowly walking towards the kite. There are also
many maneuvers you can do on the descent, including flat spins, wall slides, and inverts.
Inverts
You can make the kite roll around its own lines so
its back faces you and back out again. This is a well
known trick for the Deca in wind conditions. To do
this in Zero Wind, begin with the kite in an elevated
horizontal position. Take a few steps towards the
kite, letting the strings go slack. The kite will roll
forward either over the top or under, depending on
the angle you have the kite. If you walk backwards
at the moment the back of the kite is facing you, you
can get the kite to hover in this backwards position.
If you wait for the kite in the slack line position, it
will revolve forward and then back again. At the
point it is back in flying position take a few quick
steps backwards, filling the sail with pressure again.
If you have inverted the kite over the top side (top
towards you) it is necessary to give a even pull on
the lines to get the kite to return.
Wall slides
You can perform wall slides in the descent from
an ‘up and over’ by merely flying into a wall in
the forwards direction. When the kite runs into the
wall the bow and front caps will come in contact
with the wall holding the kite in a position where it
will slowly slide down the wall. You can also do this
against a pole by bringing the center of the sail and
the bow in contact with the pole.
Flat spins
While descending from an ‘up and over’ it is possible
to get the kite to spin parallel to the ground plane.
This is a very difficult maneuver. The kite must be
in a very flat position (parallel to the ground) and
as still as possible. Pull on a line coming from the
corner of the kite that is furthest away from you. As
the kite rotates, pull on the next line which is now
furthest from you in order to keep the kite spinning,
Flying in Zero Wind is the most challenging of all
flying, but it is also the most rewarding. Once you
have learned no wind flying, your flight abilities in
city flying, in wind, in any situation will skyrocket.
Glossary of
terms
agility- the ability to respond with quick and easy
movements through the flexibility and stability of
the kite. Synergetic Series kites and their Tensegrity
frames provide the perfect combination of flexibility
and stability for total agility in kite flight performance.
airfoil- a surface that gains lift when air is run past
it due to its shape. This shape usually has a curved
cross-section like an elongated tear drop with the
convex side facing up and the more rounded end
leading.
angle of attack- the angle of a kite’s wing in relation
to the wind, controlling its position and movement.
carbon- the most basic and abundant molecule in
nature. Carbon is easy to produce, poses no environmental hazards, is a very strong molecule for its
weight, and bonds very well with epoxy for the production of compression materials (spars, sheets)
clean and dirty wind- wind with no turbulence,
caused by obstacles such as trees and buildings, is
often called ‘clean’ by kiters. Dirty wind is turbulent,
unpredictable.
compression- the force pushing in from two ends
on a material.
deca- greek for ten. This is the number of end caps
on your Deca.
design science- the study and use of nature’s principles of design and building. Knowing and understanding the possibilities of form, structure and
movement, the design scientist analyzes the needs
and goals of a particular project and proceeds to find
the most efficient and economic shape and structure
to satisfy those needs and goals.
downwind- the direction the wind is traveling in
(going towards) ie. when you drop a leaf it blows
downwind.
k upwind- the direction the wind is coming from. ie
to walk into the wind is to walk upwind.
durability- the ability to withstand wear and tear. The
Tensegrity framework of Synergetic Series Kites
accomplish this with tough, plastic caps as their
outer barrier – the sail is never directly exposed.
ferrule- short piece of tubing (or spar) used to connect two spars together end to end.
flexible wing control- first used by the Wright brothers to steer Kitty Hawk, the ability of the kite or airplane wing to flex (twist) to control its movement.
flying lines- the tension lines (strings) that run
between the handles and your kite, which on the
Synergetic Series have been set precisely even to
ensure the proper response of your kite to your
control signals.
lark’s head- a loop system used to attach lines
16.
together which need to be removed and reattached,
one end forming the loop or lark’s head, the other
tied in an overhand knot.
lift- the upward force created by the movement and
angle of a kite.
line attachment- our term for the knotted loop
attached to the kite’s and handles’ caps to which
your flying lines are attached by a lark’s head.
Minergy- a mini Synergy-Deca
ripstop- a pattern woven into cloth that greatly
strengthens it without much additional weight, and
helps to keep puncture holes from ripping.
k Ripstop Nylon- traditional high-tech sailcloth
using woven nylon fibers and a plastic or silicon
coating.
k Ripstop Polyester- the latest, greatest sail cloth
using woven Polyester fibers and a plastic or silicon
coating. The advantages of Polyester are its low
stretch and slow fade (polyester has five times greater resistance to the harmful effects of UV light).
spar- a compression member (stick or strut) usually made of carbon or fiberglass combined with
epoxy in modern kites, traditionally out of wood
or bamboo.
k pultruded carbon spars- spars produced by running carbon fibers impregnated with epoxy through
a die. The fibers in these spars run lengthwise; the
spars can be made hollow, solid, round, rectangular,
or practically any shape in cross-section. Pultruded
carbon spars are strong, light and economical - their
only weakness is that the fibers may split down the
length of the rod when over stressed.
k micro carbon- a pultruded carbon spar that is solid
in the center and usually under .25 in / 5mm
k wrapped graphite spars- spars produced from carbon fibers which are impregnated with epoxy and
wrapped in a spiral around a mandrel(metal rod)
which is removed after curing.These hollow spiral
wrapped spars are the strongest and lightest way to
produce a carbon compression member.
k bow spar (gold)- in a Synergy-Deca, the main tension spreader for the kite spanning the width of the
kite, normally made up of two to three spars connected via ferrules.
k wing spar(s) (silver)- these spars run from the wing
tip towards the center of the kite.
k vertical spar(s) (black)- these are the two spars
which run vertically between the top and bottom
tips of Synergy Decas, at whose ends the flying
lines are attached.
Spectra™- a smooth man-made high tech fiber
with extremely low stretch, low weight, and high
strength. All this makes it a great fiber for fly lines.
The Spectra™ fiber is developed and produced by
Allied Signal corp.
stability- consistent flight characteristics when
exposed to different wind conditions. Synergy
Decas™ have ailerons which permit air to flow out
of the sides which locks the kite into position. The
center panel flexes to develop a directional air flow
17.
that also channels the air during forward and reverse
movement.
synergy- in principle, the whole equals more than
the sum of its parts, i.e. the action/interaction of two
or more parts produces an effect of which each part
is individually incapable. The sum of the parts of a
synergetic kite produce a higher effect of stability,
response, and performance than that of an ordinary
kite design.
tension- the force of pulling out on two ends of a
material.
tensegrity - a system in which the spars do not touch
each other, but are suspended in a continuous network of integrated tension lines. Tensegrity is the
shortened form for tensional integrity. Tensegrity is
one of the lightest yet strongest structural systems
known and therefore makes a great kite structure!
tension suspended airfoil- the unique patented
feature of all Synergetic series kites in which the
efficient shape of the airfoil is formed by the tension
pulling on a sail which is suspended in a resilient
shape.
tension system- the network of tension lines (strings)
and caps connected to the sail of a Synergetic Series
kite. This system holds the spars and controls the
shape and flexibility of the kite.
wind range- the minimum to maximum wind speed
a kite is designed to fly well in.
wind window- the term used to describe the possible
flying range of the kite in reference to the kite flyer.
This is always part of a sphere which is centered at
the kite flyer, with the flyable area located down
wind (if there is wind). The size in degrees of the
window depends on the wind and the efficiency and
shape of the kite. When flying in Zero Wind your
window is 360° around you, and on bridges your
window can extend almost 360° vertically above
and below you.
Zero Wind- no available wind source to propel the
kite. In these conditions you must use your movement and the efficiency of the kite in order to fly it.
Synergetic Series Zero Wind kites, while designed
for true Zero Wind conditions, are also great in light
winds and because of their tensegrity-suspended
structure can even be used in medium winds.
Why Synergetic Series Kites?
Dynamic and sculptural in design, Synergetic Series Kites are optimally three-dimensional and feature a
state-of-the-art Tensegrity framework combined with a tension-suspended, aerodynamically-shaped sail. The
Tensegrity framework of the kite forms one of the primary differences between the Synergetic Series Kites and
other kites.
Tensegrity, short for tensional integrity, is a system where the spars do not touch each other, but are suspended in
a continuous network of integrated tension lines. Tensegrity is one of the lightest yet strongest structural systems
known (which is why it makes a great kite structure!) So, while your Synergetic Series Kites look elegant, even
delicate, for their size and weight they are by far the strongest kites on the market. So have fun as you learn to
fly your Deca through more and more of the infinite possibilities of movement in flight.
If you wish to find other information about
kite flying, try the following:
-Talk to the store you got your kite from or
to a kite store in your area. They are your
best source of information for everything
from magazines, kiting events, to where to
fly in your area or get new help with any
problems you have.
-Talk to the kite flyers you see in your area,
and contact the American Kite Flyers association:
1559 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 20852
(800) AKA-2550, (408) 647 8483
- Attend kite festivals and competitions. Your
local AKA kite shop will have a schedule for
your area.
- Pick up one of the kite magazines; there
are many good ones on the market, so look
them over and see which has the information
which most appeals to you.
-There are also many good books on kite
flying (check our bibliography for a few suggestions):
Bibliography on flight:
Hosking, Wayne. Kites, Friedman publishing group, 1994.
Streeter, Tal. Art that Flies, Daytona Art Institute, 1990.
Veen, Harm Van. The Tao of Kiteflying (the dynamics of tethered flight), Aeolus, 1996.
Bibliography on form:
Fuller, R. Buckminster. Synergetics (1975), and Synergetics 2
(1979), Macmillan.
Fuller, R.B., and Marks, R. Dymaxion World of Buckminster
Fuller, Anchor, 1973.
Hertel, H. Structure, Form and Movement
Kapraff, J. Connections: The Geometric Link Between Art
and Science, McGraw-Hill, 1990.
Otto, F., ed. Tensile Structures M.I.T.
Pearce, P. Structure in Nature as a Strategy for Design,
M.I.T., 1978.
Thompson, D.W. On Growth and Form, ed. J.T. Bonner,
Cambridge Univ. Press, 1961.
Periodical publications:
Kitelines - America
American Kite - America
Drachen magazine - Germany
Kite Passion - France (in english also)
Replacement parts:
Synergy Zero Wind Deca spars:
where # per kite length type
in / cm
Side Bow 2 35” / 88.9 Avia Micro Carbon .110 / 3mm
center bow 1 35” / 88.9 Avia Micro Carbon .098 /2.5mm
wing 2 23” / 58.4 Avia Micro Carbon .080 / 2mm
wing (Big) 2 23.6 / 60 Avia Micro Carbon .080 / 2mm
vertical 2 20.2 / 51.4 Avia Micro Carbon .098 / 2.5mm
Zero Wind Great Deca
spars: where # per kite length type
in / cm
gold Side Bow 2 26.8 /68 Avia G-Force Skinny
gold center bow 1 32.5 / 82.6 Avia Excel 1 UL
silver wing 2 32.5 / 82.6 Avia Excel 1 UL
black verticle 2 28.75 / 73 Avia Excel 1 UL
Minergy Zero Wind Deca spars:
where # per kite length type
in / cm
bow 1 33.75 / 85.7 Avia Micro Carbon .080 / 2mm
wing 4 15.5 / 39.4 Avia Micro Carbon .050 / 1.5mm
vertical 2 12.75 / 32.4 Avia Micro Carbon .050 / 1.5mm
, Rheinhold, 1966.
, 1973.
For parts, supplies and additional information contact
your local kite
retailer or Nova
Design Group
(see back cover
for address).
18.
This manual will introduce you to 3 of
the most efficient low wind kites on the
market: the SYNERGY ZERO WIND
DECA , MINERGY ZERO WIND DECA ,
and ZERO WIND GREAT DECA. Topics
covered include:
-assembly
-field set-up
-flight
-advanced control
-glossary of terms
-replacement parts
Marc Ricketts
A kite flyer from a very young age, Marc
experienced the explosive development of high-tech, high performance
sport kites and has been competing
since the early 80’s. Following his interest in design and structure he studied
architecture at Pratt Institute in New
York City. There the focus of his studies
moved away from architecture to geometrical structure and stability - in particular tension structures. He applied this
knowledge to aerodynamics, developing
and patenting the “Tension Suspended
Airfoil”.
Distributed in the US by:
Nova Design Group Ltd.
33 Basin Road
West Hurley NY 12491
Ph: 914-331-0977
Toll Free: 888-318-3600
Fax: 914-331-1374
Toll Free Fax: 888-331-1374
e-mail: sales@novadesigngroup.com
www.novadesigngroup.com
Marc released the Synergetic
Series kites in the beginning of Х94.
Immediately recognized for their innovation, they were awarded “Best New
Kite” from the Kite Trade Association,
and “Best Multi Line Kite” from the
designer profile
Smithsonian Institute. With the recent
introduction of his 3 line series, Marc
continues to transform the kite world
through innovative design.
Marc Ricketts’ kites are being manufactured by Invento, so you can expect
their high production quality. All the kites
come with their own Ricketts-designed
carbon-fibre handles and SpectraЄ
lines.
Graphic Design & editing by:
Brigid Garvey and Steven Kay
Photography: Alex Garant
Some photos by Tara Beall & Steven Kay
Written by: Marc Ricketts
Printed in Canada
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