Want to build your own quad line kite and gear? Improve your building techniques? Or just curious? Here are the first answers!
Most of the quad line kites we use are of the Revolution type. Revolutions were invented by the Hadzicki family over 30 years ago. Their patent fell into the public domain around 2008. The market then opened up, leading to numerous innovations by kitefliers and companies. We’re still seeing developments in quad line flying. Many plans are available and free for family use.
Some resources are currently available in French only. We hope to provide full English coverage soon. In the meantime, you can use Google Translate.
Please note: this content is made available to amateur kitefliers. These plans are not intended for commercial use!
Thanks to all the kitefliers who have contributed to these plans, tutorials and videos.
Kite-building tutorials
We offer several tutorials for building quad line and dual line kites. They include explanations, step-by-step illustrations and often plans.
Build a quad-line kite – Polo Kites
A very detailed step-by-step guide to “revopolos”, with lots of explanatory photos.
My first quad-line kite – Guardian
A clear and concise feedback article: what works, what surprises you, and how to move forward.
Revo making-of – Christiaan
From template prep to finished sail. (No bridle and no full-size plan.)
Revomania – plans + step-by-step
Ready-to-use plans plus a full build guide: sail, leading edge, grommets, bridle and finishing details.
Essentials – Spence Watson
A solid Revolution 1.5 baseline design, available with several venting levels.
Mini Pulse – Josh Mitcheson
Plans plus extensive video tutorials, with standard / semi-vented / vented variants.
Rev 1.5 by Yves Ganne (Revolution 1.5 type)
How Yves builds his Rev 1.5. This tutorial includes full-size plans, over 100 photos and written explanations!
Rev 1.5 by Punk Sportif (Revolution 1.5 type)
Build a homemade Revolution 1.5, including plan, explanations and photos.
2-line freestyle – Tom’s Kite Building Site
The A-to-Z guide for a dual-line freestyle kite. Many principles also apply to quad-line building.
Urban Ninja – Thomas Horvath
An ideal single-line kite for light wind. Very handy when wind drops to zero, with guide + tutorial videos.
Other kite plans
Amateur kitefliers also share plans inspired by well-known kites, including Revolution models:
Batoco – Revo 1.5 plan
A home-built plan inspired by Revolution kites.
Drachenforum – Rev 1.5 workshop
Forum thread with plan and explanations (German).
Batoco – Revo indoor plan
A plan for an indoor version.
Batoco – Shockwave plan
Another quad design from the Revo family.
Batoco – Synergy / Deca plan
An older plan worth exploring if you like building variants.
Kiteplans.org – Plans (category)
A large library, often older and usually less detailed.
Various construction techniques
Accelerated construction videos
You can also watch some construction videos.
Modifying your kite
Transforming a classic bridle into a turbo bridle
Ventilating a kite
New tutorial — Step-by-step 16-photo guide to venting a quad line kite with Christiaan van Oosterhoudt: prep the templates, lay in the mesh, glue, then sew… All shared with the author’s permission, captioned and translated FR/EN.
Other feedbacks – “Au fil du vent” forum
Installing a T-connector
Riffclown’s tutorial for installing T-connectors between the leading edge and the vertical rods.
Sewing techniques
Never used a sewing machine? Don’t worry: it’s easy to learn when you’re building your first kite! Many a kiteflier has been there!
Choosing the sewing machine
You don’t need a professional sewing machine to build Revolutions or other quad line kites.
Here are the essential features we’ve learned from our experience. The vast majority of sewing machines include these features:
- 2 stitches: straight stitches and 3-stitch zig-zag. Straight stitches may even suffice.
- Tension adjustment, manual or automatic, to adapt sewing to different thicknesses
- Simple claw feed, or better, for regular seams
- A rheostat pedal for speed control
In terms of reputation, you can check that the machine sews evenly. It can be annoying to have missed stitches in the middle of a 2-meter seam!
Techniques to learn
- Set up and store the sewing machine
- Thread and install bobbin
- Set tension
- Manage sewing speed
- Use bartacks
- Undo a seam after a mis-stitch
- Tying simple knots
Tips for getting started
It’s by practicing that you’ll learn fastest and gain confidence. To do this, you can use all the spinnaker leaks you have and practice as much as you need!
Before starting a long seam,
- Always check the amount of thread in the spool and bobbin.
- Test the thread tension on scraps of the same thickness as the sail to be sewn (e.g. 2 layers of dacron and spinnaker for the leading edge).
- Allow for a few centimeters of slack thread, and hold these at the start of the seam to prevent them from escaping.
- Check that you can sew the planned length without being hindered by the shape of the sail and the sewing machine.
- Anticipate your sewing path and steps.
- Make sure you won’t be disturbed while you’re sewing.
- Make yourself comfortable.
When sewing,
- Start with a bartack if you need to.
- Maintain a steady, comfortable speed.
- Check that the seam doesn’t miss a little at a time. Stop if there are (see below).
- Before reaching the end, leave space for a stop stitch if necessary.
In case of failure,
- Trim with a seam ripper up to the missed stitches.
- Don’t cut excess threads – they’ll come in handy.
- Resume sewing at the last correct stitch.
- Once the seam is finished, you can knot the ends of the first and second seams.
Tutorials and sewing guides
- Sewing basics – Blog Je fais moi-même (French blog)
Videos of various techniques
Here are some illustrated techniques for key steps. There are other techniques for each of these steps
Preparing patterns
Cutting gauze panels
Gluing and sewing panels
Reinforcing the V of a Revolution
Gauze a leading edge
Making a trailing edge (without bias)
Making a trailing edge with bias
Making an English seam
Making a leading edge
Note: in general, kitefliers add the gauze to the sail, then the dacron sheath to make the leading edge. Here, Riffclown shows us the opposite approach: he prepares the entire leading edge, then adds it to the sail.
Making a bridle
Various resources
- Feedback on kite making – Au fil du vent forum (French forum)
- Construction pack by Cerf-volant services
- Quad line kites group – Facebook
- Here you’ll find dozens of home-building examples
- Building examples and techniques – Watty.us
- Sewing tips – Cerf-volant service
- Building a dual line kite – Vimeo
- Building materials – Ventsnick
- Tools – Ventsnick
- Assembly techniques – Ventsnick
- Designing a Revolution sail with a pattern – Cengel kite (in German)
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