Black Deca (Custom)

Black Deca (Custom)

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 : 240 cm Height : 83 cm Depth : 57 cm Weight : 125 g

Spars : 4mm vertical/wing, 5mm bow Sail : Ventex

Wind Range : Low

Pack Down Size : 101 cm x 5 cm

Cost : The Ventex was cheap from a friend (I wanted it to be in white, until I found out the cost of Icarex and a offer 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!

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