Could anyone please help me with tips on getting the bladder in straight? I got half of it in fine but the other side is causing me grief. I'll try again tonight when I have 4 mates over to help me guide the bastard through!
If I fail again with 4 mates helping i'm going to sacrifice it to huey and the god of northeaster.
I have Severe Retardation. 
try some talc powder, smother the sucker in it before you put it back in. This lets it slip around to the right spot when you pump it up. It helps to lay it out (folded back and forth in a bucket) so that as you pull it in with a piece of string it unravels straight....
I think it is the Naish handbook that suggest that beer is the answer...
As in, have a few beers ready so your mates will come over and help you...
Many hands make light work, but too many cooks ???
And it is all about the preparation - lay the bladder out flat and ready to go in beforehand. Talc. Patience. Half inflation. Manipulation.
Hope it all goes well...
Hey Dutchy,
Here ya go.
Bladder removal, repair and re-insertion for dummies 1.0
www.kiteboardingschool.com.au/index.php/beginner-newbie-tips/tip-21-fixing-a-leak-in-a-bladder.html
This covers struts as well as Leading edge Bladders.
Good luck,
KH
perhaps, the bladders in my last few kites have all had little peices of string still tied onto the ends (where they have cut off the string rather than undoing the not). This makes me think they just pull them through with string. When everything is nice and new, and you have an air compressor sitting there to blow it up into place, its probably easy.
Either way, string, broomstick, its not that hard.
Easy as with a few mates! but I do like the broomstick idea (you could tie it to a few spots on the broomstick so it def. wont twist.)
The good thing about mates though is you can have a few beers with them afterwards and then go and chase girls.
Thanks for the tips fellas
Select to expand quoteKitepower Australia said...
Thats pretty much exactly how its done.
NEVER use string or line, ALWAYS, use a piece of flat batten, yellow tongue plastic floor board joiner strips are ideal, we have a 2.5M length in the shop that pulls a bladder in easy with ZERO twists, first time every time.
I rarely ever use talc now either, because I know the bladder has gone in with no twists.
For One Pump kites I mark the orientation of the valves so I know they are facing the right way, when I pull them out.
Cya and
Goodwinds
Steve
i always use one of my lines.why should i never use it?
