Hi
What is the best way to repair small holes and tears under 1cm on the canopy.
I've just got an ex demo kite that looks like it has been dragged through brambles and has about 4 or 5 3mm holes and a couple of tears under 1cm plus a punctured LE but no tears. I did receive some Kitefix glue and gauss with it but I think the holes are too small to repair and I think it will look to thick like bird sh?t on it.
I don't want ripstop kite tape with stitching, it will look crap when flying the kite.
I have got clear kite tape that seams to work but for how long before it peals off I don't know.
Is there a better unsightly way of repairing the holes.
Cheers
Rich
i have repaired heaps of small holes with sail tape
works a treat and comes in different colours and is about $3 m from a marine/sail store
i wouldnt worry what the kite looks like when its flying as its 25m in the air and your repairing holes 1cm big so i doubt you or anyone else will even notice
i have also repaired large rips about 20cm long and it holds fine just put the tape on both sides of the kite and make sure there are no creases in the tape and kite
Tape is the best way to go with small holes.
The guy that repaired mine used a hair dryer to heat the tape and a roller to press it down. The repairs have lasted all season, no worries.
Don't stitch a patch on unless you have to. The stitching creates a further weak point in the fabric and can create a bigger tear over time.
Cheers
J
Tear Aid its clear and if you clean the area properly with pure alchohol it sticks like sh1t to a babys blanket!!!
www.kitepower.com.au/collections/kitesurfing/SPGeneral
Fixes bladders too, but is awesome on small tears way stickier than sail tape which tends to come off in hot and humid weather.
Kite Fix is for bigger holes longer than 4-5cm, is really an amazing product when used as instructed.
Cya and
Goodwinds
Steve
Hi Richswing,
You can get polyester rip stop in most colours which will match the colours of your canopy. If you can't get an exact match, there are colours that are semi transparent lite lime green, yellow, light grey etc. It doesn't have to be sticky back sail repair tape.
What you do is buy a roll of Spinnaker tape. It's usually about 7mm wide, transparent and double sided, and you don't know sticky until you've played with this stuff! 
Apply a heap of pieces covering the entire patch side by side, not leaving any gaps, then trim the excess off. Leave the backing stuff on until you are ready to stick of course.
Use a mild detergent or alcohol to clean the repair site and remove the backing paper from the patch. Ensure the patch extends 2cm past the damage in all directions ie, a 1cm hole, cover with a 5cm square patch, then stick the patch on and allow it to sit in the sun, then use the back of a spoon or some other smooth hard object to rub the patch in. It should go transparent when the glue bonds in tight with the weave of the fabric.
If it is in a high load point, place a 4cm square patch on the other side of the canopy as well making sure none of the sides match up.
The tape is the bomb and shouldn't lift if done correctly. I think Neil from HTLK in Wembley sells it for about $5.50 a roll. It will last you forever for small repairs. If you want a hand, drop in on me and I can help you and show you how to do it. I also have some tape if you need to borrow some because Neil is going on Holidays soon, so don't delay.
A larger repair should sewn as well as bonded due to glue melting in high temps and the cloth being pulled apart will tear further.
Good winds,
best stuff ive used is sail numbers for windsurf sails etc. My daughter borrowed a sail at a race event, took me 2hrs to get 4 numbers off sail even with turps. Buy a number 8 you get more, cut a circle and stick one each side of kite canopy over cut, sticks like **** to a blanket. I have some on my kite that have been on there for over 18 months and still stuck fast. As said the kite is 27m away so it dosent look that bad.
ironing the sail tape at a low heat setting for a quick 5secs. would ensure tape sticks tight to canopy as long as it is grease and grime free
