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BOL ANSWERS


oapbillf

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Hi Kite fliers,

During this pandemic I decided to make something different from a quad, using a free plan downloaded I have made a 8ft BOL, It flies great with a lot of pull BUT frequently collapses when it moves to either side of the wind window !  Are there some BOL experts out there somewhere in the ether who has a solution ?

Bill

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In my limited experience, all bols can have an edge lap or have the entire shape collapse.  The deeper the cross section (more hemispherical) the more likely it is. I have seen some makers put "prairie points" on their bol...that is they are tethered to long wedges the project from the rim of the sail. I think that spilling wind off the edge like that may put pressure on the outer sail to keep it from collapsing. But that's an observation and  I myself have not tried it.

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Thanks Mitch,  I understand what you are saying but what I am considering is adding some form of venting on the outer edge just inboard of the bridle attachment points ! Will it work ?  don't know until I try it !

I am surprised that you are the only person to reply so far ! 

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adding the holes will make the bol to spin faster and also to lose pressure faster. if i am not wrong to prevent the collapse first thing will be to give a longer towing line. that will make the bol to auto adjust better in wind window left to right.

a second remedy may be to add more bridle, smaller space in between will keep better the edge  

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On 6/14/2021 at 6:47 AM, Edmond Dragut said:

adding the holes will make the bol to spin faster and also to lose pressure faster. if i am not wrong to prevent the collapse first thing will be to give a longer towing line. that will make the bol to auto adjust better in wind window left to right.

a second remedy may be to add more bridle, smaller space in between will keep better the edge  

Hi Edmond,

You have given me some good options to try, thanks !

The Bol has 15 bridle lines at 13ft in length so I will not add any more yet,  Towing line length is the easiest thing to try but for now I will vent the outer edge where the collapse emanates and see what happens !

Its all about experimentation, if you don't try you will never know.

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