HI all...

first time poster here and new to the sport and loving it so far.

Whats the general consensus on washing your kite down with fresh water after use ??

Obviously it must be totally dry before its packed away but many people have advised me not to rinse it down with fresh water after a session...

Having grown up on the beach and years of ocean water sports, i've always washed everything else down after useage...so why not my kite ?? I've heard the fresh water cause's mould but in my experience salt water can lead to the stitching to rot etc etc...

searching on the net seems to lead to mixed opinions on this - so whats the go - to wash or not ?

thanks for your help

yeh thanks for that, after more searching the net last night i found more other info that says it doesn't really matter too much - as long as its dry when packed.
but i guess the odd wash in fresh water will be ok for it
cheers

simpler: Don't let your kite fall

www.surf-fast.com

What about going out in the rain once in a while... That should do it?



www.surf-fast.com

G'day,

Unless you're on tank/rain water I'd consider the risk of chlorine (and the other guff they put in too) reacting with the fabrics and bladders... esp' with continued use. Any residuals would be likely to react next time they're exposed to the sun.

I leave my kites parked while i pack everything else up... this is usually long enough for a good drying... older kites will take longer to dry as the cloth becomes porous... i try to leave the ribs inflated and pack the kite in a open mesh bag (out of the sun) when not in use... this allows it to dry off completely...

I kite in lakes, when at home, so the stink of dirt-water gets funky if the kites are left wet... i came back from Fiji with a wet kite packed in a vacuum bag (**the only way to pack a kite for travel**), it stayed packed for a week, it now has a pretty permanent black mildew mark... but is fine otherwise.

A good way to get the sand out is to inflate the kite in a very sheltered place and stand it on the rib tips (LE up, as if it were to launch hot)(**DON"T RIG THE LINES**). When it's dry, bang on the LE/ribs with your palm and brush the sand out... Paying particular attention to the LE/rib to sail/canopy joins and any other tucks around attachment points, etc.

Manipulating the kite with the bladders down can cause the bladders to shift and may, if you're not careful, burst next time you pump-up... it can also allow sand to get into the ribs/LE between the bladder and dacron/cloth, causing more wear.

Washing your kite in anything stronger than a very dilute dish-washing detergent could damage the coatings of some kites... most clothes powders are pretty caustic... and most soaps will leave a coating of rendered fat.

Most tent stores sell products that are specifically designed for use on fabrics similar to kites, so as not to interfere with coatings and water repelancy... these may be better than most options found under the sink at home. The Nikwax products work well on Chikara (used on foils)... they're a more expensive option, but what is your kite worth to you?!

Regards to all,
Azza.

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Originally posted by djo

simpler: Don't let your kite fall

www.surf-fast.com

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if your kite doesn't get wet you are not trying hard enough. it should go in about once every 2 or 3 tricks. If it doesn't you are not progressing are you.
I know a guy in sydney who always washed and dried his kites and i think it does make them look better. These were old Naish ar5's and they hardly looked used. I couldn't be bothered myself.

I reckon kiters that wash their kites also probably was their cars, polish their shoes and clean their toilets....

...never seen the point myself.

Lets face it - the only reason to wash it is if it looks really crap up in the sky...in this case just take it for a quick wash in the ocean and then let it dry on the grass.

Most of the time your kite is either packed away in its bag or 30m up....who cares what it looks like so long as it works

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Originally posted by professor

I did a two foot jump today

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I saw it man i saw it !!!!!! woulda taken a photo cept it woulda been all ass yaknow...

quote:

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Originally posted by djo

simpler: Don't let your kite fall

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If your kite is not getting wet you are not trying hard enough!