Wash or not wash your kites

[CCollins]

Never wash my kites, mostly because I usually don't have anywhere to wash and dry them. Also because I suspect that the amount of chlorine in our local water would harm them.
I never put them away wet though, they are always completely dry, which also makes it easy to get the sand off which I really believe causes far more damage.

[JustAGirl]

Well, I guess as long as you dry it... In my case it was after a long downwinder, it was evening, and there was no time left to dry it as the beach was closing & I was exhausted.... I stored it in a friend’s basement & the next time I needed it was two weeks later... and it was too late to reverse the damage; Don’t tell me this scenario isn’t common... it happens... I always wash my kites at the end of a season and every time I drop them; lagoons especially are full of bacteria; no way that’s coming home. But that’s me. To each their own.

[JustAGirl]

P.S. of you keep your kites for years, it’s your business what you do with them, but I don’t keep mine around longer than a year or two & either sell or give them away. So, out of a sense of responsibility to the next owner, please do wash them and keep them dry. Good rule of thumb!

[knotwindy]

Yup, to each their own. I don’t think I have ever washed a kite in over 10 years and never had problems because of it.

[RedSky]

I only wash the bar and lines in some tidal pool. I don't fold the kite into its bag either. I just gather it all up and chuck in in the car then chuck it in the garage. Kite always in great condition.

[TechOps]

Only washed the kite when I was a n00b and the kite was getting muddy / dirty in salt water/mud flats. Now I never wash. Any metal on the harness, bar, and even board gets rinsed w/ fresh water after each session. Wetsuit usually gets rinsed too. Kite is put away reasonably dry and if it's a little wet I leave the bag open till it dries out. Kites stay in excellent shape this way.

[BOEMIX]

I always wash my kites if they hit the water during the session, but after droping my chrono v2 too much pushing the hydrofoil limits and taking so long to dry I decided to not wash it and I think incrusted salt makes it hold air better, and I realised that maybe washing my kite too much I actually ruined it instead of taking care of it.

[Bushflyr]

Never wash. Salt water on a kite doesn't hurt it a bit. It's mold and mildew after putting it away wet with fresh water that does damage. Just look at professional sail boat racers. They never wash their sails except at the end of a season when they can do a full wash and completely dry them out before packing them away for the winter.

[tkachuk]

After seeing a few cRUSTY quick releases in humid salty kite locations, I wash salt water off anything metal in my equipment including this and my safety leash release.

[JustAGirl]

I always wash my kites if they hit the water during the session, but after droping my chrono v2 too much pushing the hydrofoil limits and taking so long to dry I decided to not wash it and I think incrusted salt makes it hold air better, and I realised that maybe washing my kite too much I actually ruined it instead of taking care of it.

Interesting! I’ve heard others say the same... But I did have that one bad experience with mould spots... And I’ve seen some kites in pretty bad shape, so maybe SOME care & hygiene is warranted. There are times when you have to wash it & dry it, maybe not every time you drop it, but definitely before you pack it away for longer periods, say over a day or two.

Maybe I t’s not a black & white issue, but case specific...


Anyway I’m tired of this topic... wash it, don’t wash it... whatever floats your boat, just try not smell...