Tips and Tricks to Repair Kites - add your experience!

[medved]

i put piece of old bladder or piece of bakery paper

[robert007]

Some great tips here, i should try these for sure, thank you for this topic, it's indeed a helping one!

[mossi]

Here is my short experience in kite fixing.

The kite was left in my car baggage during the summer - the result -> some of the valves were detached. I got a quotation of ~$100 to glue them all again ($10 per each valve).

I purchased a vinil glue for $10, alcohol for $5 and it took me 10 hours to fix it by myself.

Yes, it was not easy on the first one however not a big issue at all!

[si-fly2]

Hi, I have some ripped struts and wondered if I have to unstitch the whole strut from the canopy before I can add a patch. The strut has ripped in half on a segment seam near the one pump tube.

Cheers,
Si.

[eree]

Hi, I have some ripped struts and wondered if I have to unstitch the whole strut from the canopy before I can add a patch. The strut has ripped in half on a segment seam near the one pump tube.

Cheers,
Si.

hi Si
if your strut ripped you probably have to undo the stitches within the 40 -50 cm ( 16 -20'' ) from the rip place up and down just to be able to make repair for yourself comfortably.

if i am not misunderstood near one-pump tube is near the LE bladder. struts usually not stitched to canopy near the LE bladder for 20 - 50 cm, so you don't have to unstitch much at all.

winds

[si-fly2]

Thanks for reply. I will start at the LE end and see how much room I need to open the strut and get a patch on. I guess if I take the strut off all the canopy it will be easier to get under the machine but more work to get back in the right place.

I have managed to rip 3 struts in half so I guess I should be proficient by the end of all the repairs!!!

I have had a very good quote from Andy at Kinetic but as I have only just had the kite back from being repaired on the LE, I feel its time to have a go myself as I cannot justify more money on an old kite!

Thanks again,

Si.

[doggy]

Yep thats correct Si, you will have to take the strut off the canopy (probably not all the way, just enough so you can open it up nicely) then un-stitch the strut seam so the strut is now a flat piece of material.
You can now patch it up, use triple zig zig stitch or zig zig if you dont have the triple function on your machine. Then you need to stitch the strut seam back up and then finally attatch it back onto the canopy.
Hope it goes well

Kite repairs

[si-fly2]

Thanks guy's, The kites unpicked and ready to go! Not sure to use my machine or a friends who has a industrial one for sail repairs, which is set up with heavy thread and should give more room to get kite under.
I think I will get a new kite anyway and keep this one as a spare as I think the material is now weak as its lived in the van for 3 1/2 years and never washed!!
Si.

[PBKiteboarding]

I use an industrial Long arm machine. Makes it easier to get the kite under in many cases. One step stitch at a time pedal down electronic motor makes curves easier too...

Thanks guy's, The kites unpicked and ready to go! Not sure to use my machine or a friends who has a industrial one for sail repairs, which is set up with heavy thread and should give more room to get kite under.
I think I will get a new kite anyway and keep this one as a spare as I think the material is now weak as its lived in the van for 3 1/2 years and never washed!!
Si.

[kytsrfr]

After finding a million ways that don't work repairing kites....

my best tip is patching bladders from the inside. you can make a short cut about three inches and pull the problem area inside out. This has proved especially helpful for two tough repairs:

1. repairing blown seams - I could never get an outside patch to seal 100%, from the inside it is no prob. just be sure to stretch/work the type A into the crease to fully seal it up.

2. hernias/ stretched blowouts - another tough one in the past, what I do is use type b to bind everything together, and as flat as possible, from the outside, then go to the inside to patch with type a, now the type b can be taken off easily. check for leaks, if you have a one or two you can seal up from the outside.

finish either repair up by closing your short cut you made to pull bladder insideout

we did videos of this and many other repairs on www.HowToKiteboard.com in the repair section.....you must register and be logged in to see vids, articles are open for public viewing.

Vids work best with firefox, have had some reported issues with internet explorer