I get asked this so many times....
anyone got something else to add?

Kite are made out of nylon,plastic.....petrolium based materials. The main enemies are UV, abrasive materiaals.. sand and movement in the fabric. Most depower cords are made of braided line that therefore runs through a hole in the bar which is under enormous tension. Many were Darren Marshall's tips and tricks as he taught outside the IKO course..

1) As soon as you have finsished with a kite, pack it up, the UV, but sepecially the flapping will destroy the trailing edge.
2) When rolling up to finish, grap both end of the wingtips, especially with one pump systems and then roll then up. you roll once, and the sand is rolled up on the outside of the canopy, and not the inside..
3) A wet salty kite is OK, a slightly moist kite rinsed out in freshwater will grow mushrooms.
4) set up and check you kite for pinprick holes, a simple small patch will fix it, otherwise one large smash and it can end in tears.

My tips
1) When landing wind you lines up a bit,never leave a bar and lines that has a weaved depower cord wet in the sand, the sand works it's way into the inside of the cord.
2) spray your pump with silicone spray every 3 months in the season, your pump will last for 4 years.
3) Dont leave your kites in extremes of heat: most valves are vulcanized onto bladders and will die.
4) if your kite is losing pressure get to the shore, dont try and land, pull the safety system.
5) know your "deathleash" works, and after big crashes, check it.

-check over your gear regularly, lines, stitching, pulleys, bridles, etc. Picking up faults and defects with your gear can save the kite or you in the future from a failure.

- Wash your bar and lines with fresh water after each session, your lines will look and feel new after 3 years

- Use random packing methods as bending your kite from the same part over and over again will kill it

Bar and lines that last 3 years, I have to get me some of that fresh water. I would love to get more than a season out of my lines.

-Lines wear quicker in the section they cross when doing loops and rolls, when you notice they have worn you can flip your lines to increase there life span, as long as they have the same connection each end.

^^^ all great points

Also spray your lines with silicone spray, particularly in the couple of meters where the lines cross when twisted (e.g. after a backloop)

Saffer said...

1. Don't crash your kite into a tree (cabrinha specific kite tip)

I wish i new about this some years back, when i parked my cabrinha in a tree. Being a water sport it was about the last thing on my mind. Switched brands and no more runin's with trees ever since.