I'm very new to kitesurfing and I've had a look on the internet for some guides on how to care for your kite and I haven't found any proper ones.
What should I do to care/look after my kite?
Cheers, Jukesy
NEVER let it flap on the beach for to long, and get a mate to catch it when you have finished your session and keep it off the sand/shells so not to rip/tear on the debris on the sand.
Ive heard some say don't wash in fresh water cause of the crap in town water. just let it dry.
Apparently each time it gets wet, the fabric gets weaker and weaker. if this is true, it's not looking good for my kites, they spend more time in the water then in the sky
Select to expand quoteTractorguy said...
NEVER let it flap on the beach for to long, and get a mate to catch it when you have finished your session and keep it off the sand/shells so not to rip/tear on the debris on the sand. Ive heard some say don't wash in fresh water cause of the crap in town water. just let it dry.
Thanks man, sounds good
Select to expand quotekemp90 said...
Apparently each time it gets wet, the fabric gets weaker and weaker. if this is true, it's not looking good for my kites, they spend more time in the water then in the sky
Looks like my first kites going to become very weak hahaha
If you get tempted to hose it off after a session it needs to be 100% dry before packing it up, the kite sitting packed up and damp from freshwater will encourage mould growth.
After each session I take my kite off the sand and pack it properly on a sand free underground (grass etc,). Sand is very bad due to its abrassive impact on the canopy. If my kite gets wet I will fly it for a while on the beach until it is almost dry.
I wash my kites and lines in fresh water after EVERY session and then hang via the bridle lines under patio (ie in the shade)
Dry for a day or two to allow moisture in the leading edge and struts to dry properly otherwise you'll eventually get mould.
My kites are around 3yrs old and still very crisp.
Sometimes I tip all the sand out of my kite bags after a fortnight or so, or when the bag weighs a few extra kg
But usually I like to just let it rattle around until the wind blows it out on the next beach 
I've got a 2009 Cabrinha switchblade I still sail on. A bit stretched, but still going at 6 years old!
I don't wash my kites - I did once and it go mould stains! Don't leave them in the sun (all polymers hate the sun it makes them go brittle).
Don't let them flap and flog out.
In summary. Try to fly them a bit dry at the end of your session (but it doesn't really matter). Shake the worst of the sand off, but it doesn't really matter. Roll them up gently and stick them in their bag pretty much straight away. Only dry them if they get fresh water on them and if you have to dry them, do it in the shade.
Cleaning and drying generally does more harm than good.
Well that is my experience anyway.
Select to expand quotemazdon said..
Sometimes I tip all the sand out of my kite bags after a fortnight or so, or when the bag weighs a few extra kg
But usually I like to just let it rattle around until the wind blows it out on the next beach
I crudely roll my kites up on the beach and throw them in the back of the ute. My kites only go in the bag once, at the factory
What about washing your Bar? I had an old bar I rarely washed and one of the centre lines snapped (core bar), I bought another one and fixed the old one and used it as a back up. The new one I started washing after most sessions thinking this would make it last longer, but it seems to be heading down the same track as the last and has not made any difference.
Select to expand quoteFreddofrog said..
I wash my kites in fresh water after EVERY session and then hang via the bridle lines under patio (ie in the shade)
Seriously?
I always make an effort to keep my kites sand free on packup and if they are wet, I have an area at home where they are unrolled to dry for a couple days.
I’m not going to hose them off, IMO you are more likely to damage them moving around or have the breeze catch them during this unless you have an excellent sheltered line.
My Bar&Lines go in a bin full of water along with harness, boardies, rashie ect after every session – it’s the metal components (swivel, pulley, cleat, safety catch ect) more than the lines I’m concerned about.
HOWEVER… I’ve borrowed a kite from the local shop several times now for various reasons, they are kites used in the school fleet and the ones I’ve been given are at least 18months old. They are always full of sand when I set them up, not long ago I used a 2013 school kite - it’s been treated like crap all its life and I had a good look over it when I finished with it (now clean and dry as opposed to still wet and fill of sand) – surprisingly it was in fantastic condition – so really I don’t know…
Select to expand quotesnalberski said..Freddofrog said..
I wash my kites in fresh water after EVERY session and then hang via the bridle lines under patio (ie in the shade)
Seriously?
Yeah can you believe it. A kitesurfer who actually looks after his gear. Takes less than 300 seconds.
If my kites been pounded in the surf I will pump it up on the back lawn in the shade and wash with fresh water. It's dry in a coupla hours .. As for lines harness and springy they go in a bucket and soak for a bit . Especially with the swivel cam on the power lines, seized swivel means twisted lines .
This old chestnut...
Well if dropped in water yep hang up under pergola by bridles (I have 4 lines on sliders so I can pump it up a bit and let it find its own size/distribution) and wash.
Obviously they need to be totally dry as explained, hence sometimes I use a small towel to get under that leading edge/canopy contact..plus it gives me another chance to inspect the kite.
If not, I always do a mid season and end of season wash same way. But really I only do this to carefully inspect the kite and plug any pinholes etc and it gives me an activity to do while I drink a beer or two and reflect how fckn lucky we are to have this sport and its associated technology.
Other than that I pack my kites in a extra large canvass bag, this way they can be rolled really loose and easily packed away. Theoretically avoids pinholes from sand abrasion in those stupid bags they provide...I'd rather buy kite without bag for this reason. But I wouldn't claim this pin hole saving technique is fact.
All lines, harness, wetty etc put in a big bucket of water after every session.
Then again I know crew who never wash their gear and seem to have no problems.
For me it is just peace of mind, that's all. I wouldn't claim to know what is best.
So my message is, do whatever fits right with you. If freedofrog wants to wash his kites after every session good on him. Me, I got kids to wash, feed and get to bed (and listen to my wifes daily events in exquisite detail
, after the sun has gone down, so washing my kite is not possible!
Select to expand quoteeppo said..
... Me, I got kids to wash, feed and get to bed (and listen to my wifes daily events in exquisite detail, after the sun has gone down, so washing my kite is not possible!
Don't forget sport, homework, music lessons and feeding the rabbits, that's what the wife's for.... ;)
I love these "gear care" topics/threads.
They provide the easiest way to take note of who to buy from, and more importantly who not to buy from, in the classifieds section!
My kites are about 5 years old and still look and perform like new. My favourite kites have just under 200 hours each.
The most important thing is to use the gear and use it hard. It's meant to be fun.
Other than that, I don't do dumb things that damage the kites like leaving them flapping in the wind and sun, or dragging them through bushes and paths when inflated. I am either riding them, or they're in the bag.
The only special maintenance things I do are:
- check and free the pulleys before every launch.
- I wipe the dacron parts of the kite with a damp chamois while opening the strut clips. It keeps the fabric clean and is easy to do.
- I keep a little brush in the car. If the kite is really sandy I will use it, or the chamois to knock the sand off.
wash sand off your feet before you go into the house
wash sand off bar and line and harness and hang up to dry
forget the kite, as long as its dry
if the kites a scrunched up soggy sandy mess then definitely wash off and leave to dry before rolling it up
^^
pretty much nails it (especially the wash sand off feet - how much grief does just a little bit of sand cause if the other half has had the vacuum out at some stage in the past week?! silly by her haha)
Select to expand quoteChris6791 said..mazdon said..
I crudely roll my kites up on the beach and throw them in the back of the ute. My kites only go in the bag once, at the factory
living the dream chris!
my bags enable my contraband to sit neatly in the work car and (relatively) free from inspection by the powers that be.
If you leave a kite inflated on the beach a few handfuls of sand on the canopy pins it down and prevents some canopy flutter, IMO sand trapped between le and conopy is a killer especially if you've course or gritty sand, don't forget if packing after a wash to check bridles and pigtails for moisture as they don't dry as quick as canopy and cause colour bleed onto canopy material especially when new, a loose fold instead of roll is less stressfull on le material valves and inflation tubes to struts
people care for their kites ?
my edges go in the bag sand and all . never had an issue .
Select to expand quoteChris_M said...
Look after your kite like you look after a sheila:
Treat it mean to keep it keen!
Haha hahahaha yes
Select to expand quoteGorgo said..
My kites are about 5 years old and still look and perform like new. My favourite kites have just under 200 hours each.
The most important thing is to use the gear and use it hard. It's meant to be fun.
Other than that, I don't do dumb things that damage the kites like leaving them flapping in the wind and sun, or dragging them through bushes and paths when inflated. I am either riding them, or they're in the bag.
The only special maintenance things I do are:
- check and free the pulleys before every launch.
- I wipe the dacron parts of the kite with a damp chamois while opening the strut clips. It keeps the fabric clean and is easy to do.
- I keep a little brush in the car. If the kite is really sandy I will use it, or the chamois to knock the sand off.
What brand of kite comes with an Hour meter ? or did u retro fit one????
Select to expand quoteJukesy said..
Thanks guys, I'll keep these all in mind when I get my kite.
Good point you make of who to buy from
Maybe from some of the above response you can pick who pays for kite gear out of their hard earned coin and who are sponsored (just tapping on the can of worms)
Freddo, wash every time ??????? Really ???????
