I have a pinhole in my kite's canopy and was wondering how to repair it. I know about rip stop tape but is there anything else I should use with it?
Tiny pinholes i.e. the size of a ball pen are usually fine without fixing....but if you really want to ''fix'' it you can put a patch of sail repair tape on it on both sides, making sure you clean the canopy with alcohol wipes first. Those patches often come with small repair kits in your kite bag. You can also find this tape at Whitworths Marine, sailmakers, Ebay, etc. Tear-Aid also does the trick for very tiny holes, but always best to use sail tape if you have it.
Even if it's not worth the effort, it's good to learn those skills and also good to have both Tear Aid and Sail Repair Tape with you, it will come in handy for future repairs
Also make sure you work in a warm and dry environment. I had poor results trying to apply patches on cold rainy days like we have now in Perth.
Christian
I'd do it properly, have the whole panel removed and replaced with a new piece of material. Any good sailmaker can do this and you'll never know it's been repaired.
Pin holes can be very detrimental to your KITEs performance and your kite skills... I.e. Who boosTs big with them on the net? No 1!![]()
Fly on da wall said..
I'd do it properly, have the whole panel removed and replaced with a new piece of material. Any good sailmaker can do this and you'll never know it's been repaired.
Pin holes can be very detrimental to your KITEs performance and your kite skills... I.e. Who boosTs big with them on the net? No 1!![]()
Bollocks![]()
From a professional perspective i generally recommend that if the hole is larger than a 'square' within the ripstop then get it patched and stitched whereas if smaller a tearaid/ripstop patch applied as above should be fine.
Ry
The Sail Doctor
Kite and sail repairs
If your pin hole lines up with a strut elbow valve or inflate/deflate valve , a circular preventative patch is some thing I'd recommend , some brands do this straight out of the factory , some don't
I have a pinhole in my kite's canopy and was wondering how to repair it. I know about rip stop tape but is there anything else I should use with it?
If it's a pin hole, as in no wider than a sewing needle, just as Cauncy said... ripstop tape both sides, end of story.
If it's any bigger or you see fraying of threads, then get the area patched and sewn properly. Any decent sail repairer can do it for you in a flash.