How to Make a Dopero Kite

Step by Step—Page 1 of 4

The MBK 1-Skewer Dopero

This set of instructions on how to make a dopero kite assumes you know absolutely nothing about kite making.

Learn how to make a Dopero kite like this one!

MBK 1-Skewer Dopero

You might already have some of the simple tools and materials required. Anything you don't have is easily bought. If it's not exactly what I used, then at least something pretty similar!

These instructions on how to make a dopero kite might look a bit long, but each step is quite simple to do. Just steadily work your way through from top to bottom, skimming over any detail that you don't need.

At 29 cm (11 1/2 in.) wide, the MBK 1-Skewer Dopero kite is a rather small kite, with tip dihedral and a four-leg bridle.

If you spend some time tweaking the bridle, this tiny design will fly over a decent range of wind speeds. And of course you can always add more length to the tail to improve stability in stronger winds.

This tiny dopero is almost comical when compared with its huge retail cousins. But it's just supposed to be a bit of fun—the pinnacle of 1-Skewer design really! ;-)

On this site, there's more kite-making info than you can poke a stick at. :-)

Want to know the most convenient way of using it all?

The Big MBK E-book Bundle is a collection of downloads—printable PDF files which provide step-by-step instructions for many kites large and small.

That's every kite in every MBK series.

How to Make a Dopero Kite
Sail

Now's the time to read up on the tools and materials required for making a skewer kite if you haven't already.

Sail template for the 1-Skewer Dopero kite.

The template shown above represents one side of the kite sail. You will now transfer these measurements to the sail plastic.

Like to see a video clip? Just scroll down to near the end of this page.

The 1-Skewer Dopero - template shape marked on plastic bag.

First, take a light plastic bag that will fit the entire template shape within one side, and lay it flat on the floor.
Mark dots on the plastic, corresponding to the corners of the template. There is no need to use a T-square, since any small error will be duplicated on the other side of the sail.
Using the marking pen, rule lines between the dots as in the photo.

The 1-Skewer Dopero - complete sail outline marked on plastic.

Flip the plastic bag over, and trace over all the black lines using your marker pen and ruler.
Cut out a rectangular section of the bag containing the kite sail; open it out, and lay it flat on the floor; you can now see the complete sail outline as in the photo.
Cut along the black lines with scissors to create the sail.

See my original black-plastic dopero really strutting its stuff in the video below!