Toms Kite Building Site

building your own trickkite

The Bridle

Step 3: The pig tail

Step 4: The activator legs

Step 2: The inner leg and the turbo of the bridle.


1. This line construction is ideal to be able to tune the inner leg on the flying grounds.

This bridle line is a short piece of 250mm long when knotted.
We start with a knot at 5 mm from the end.
Melt the excessive part with the flame of a lighter (or a candle). Tap the molten end onto a hard object to flatten the end against the knot.

At an interval of 10mm we make 3 more knots where we can connect the inner leg.

At 190mm from the fourth knot we make another 4 knots with an interval of 10mm. The distance of 190mm will serve as connecting piece to the spine under the central-T.


2. Put the piece twice through the hole for the central-T under the spine and up on the other side, then pull at both ends to make them an equal length. Knot twice to connect well to the spine.

If all went well then the distance between the knot at the spine and the first knot to tune the Inner Leg will be 60mm.


3. Take a piece of bridle line from 870 mm long.

At 80 mm from the end, put a mark with a felt tip. Fold the line here to form a loop of 60 mm. Melt the excessive part with the flame of a lighter (or a candle). Tap the molten end onto a hard object to flatten the end against the knot.

Attach the piece of bridle line by means of a Prussic knot to the Upper and the Lower leg. Put the loop under the line from the Upper and the Lower leg with the knot at the spine side. The other end of the line from the Inner Leg is put above the other line through the loop. This step is repeated twice to have a Prussic knot. Pull the Upper and the Lower leg so that the mark is in the middle of the knot.

Pull the line of the Inner Leg tight. The mark you made should be visible.

Also make sure that the turns of the knot don't run over themselves, they should be neatly positioned next to each other.


At 80 mm from the Prussic knot we make a knot to attach the Pig Tail to. The distance between the Prussic knot and this knot is the Turbo.


At 575 mm from the Pig Tail knot we put down a mark with a felt tip. Fold the line over that point and make a loop of 60 mm.

Knot the loop with a Lark's head to the second knot on the line that hangs on the spine.


Check the length of the Inner Leg. The distance between the spine and the knot for the Pig Tail should be 620 mm.


Repeat this for the other side of the kite.