Hey. Kites are designed to be able to handle saltwater. Obviously the less they're in the water the better. Fresh water has bacteria which produces mold and mildew. I wash down my kites only when I know I can let them fully dry before putting away. If It's late in the afternoon I wait until the next morning. If I expect to kite the next day or even the day after, I often don't wash off at all, unless they're really wet and sandy. On some days I start and finish with a dry kite so the only thing I rinse out and dry are the pulleys. I usually pack my kite away with the pulleys hanging out of the bag and then rinse and let dry.
If you want to make your gear last, look after it. Don't leave kites in a hot car, particularly with struts up. The glue on the valves will give if it gets too hot too often.

^^^^ +1 ^^^^^

There has been discussions on this forum in regards to which is better eg: rinse with fresh water or not. I think burke is right on the money with a balance between the two.

It is important to not pack your kite up wet especially with fresh water and when you are learning as your kite will get wet a lot.

i generally hang my kite up in a shaded area without rinsing it and then brush sand off when it is dry. I alwasys rinse my lines, harness, wetsuit etc especially anything that has moving parts - eg pulleys and clips.

Silicon spray can be used if you have pulleys to stop them getting clogged up.

hi Guillermo,

What type of kite did you end up buying ?

Along the same thoughts as Burkey Boy & Spawn, ( he beat me to the keyboard with this reply), the enemies of your kite are:
- sand, this goes for lines as well.
- packed away still wet/damp from fresh water.
- constant flapping of the canopy (usually while waiting on the beach).
- extreme temperatures eg. in hot car for lengthy time.

- and of course dragging/abrading along rough beaches, rocks, not to mention trees & bushes etc.

Our family tend to do similar to Burkey Boy's methods.
If un-rinsed we hang the kites to dry then carefully (with a soft brush) remove any sand seaweed etc. It is amazing how much sand your kite can collect, especially if it is wet when you pack up.

If possible a freshwater rinse usually removes most debris.

I rinse any pulleys, wait until dry, then carefully apply silicone dry lube spray to keep them working.

I rinse & dry my bar & lines as often as I can as sand can abrade your lines.

Maybe we will see you at Parham on the next good wind & tide

regards
fossil

GJOchoa said...

Hi there!!! I had my first session with my new kite :D swallowed a lot of water,

We have found that if you buy a "camelback" (no...not a camel toe ) or similar water carrier it can help when you cop a smackdown and get that nose full of seawater, which unconvieniently shoots to the back of your throat when you look back up at your kite.

A gob full of fresh water rinse is nice.

Keep in mind that wearing the extra gear is probably not good as you progess into tricks etc.

Cheers
Fossil

sbray said...

GJOchoa said...
Do you guys think it would be ok if I leave the kite as it is for a week or maybe two, or should I find a place during the week where I could rinse it?

As long as your kite is dry, leaving it sandy for a while won't be a problem. I also wash out my bar and lines, harness and board each time. Don't dry your gear on the clothes line outside, the sun isn't very nice to them. I rinse everything and hang in the garage. If I'm feeling really conscientious I even use the compressor on my pulleys and bar and lines. That blast of air is excellent for pulleys.

BurkeyBoy said...


As long as your kite is dry, leaving it sandy for a while won't be a problem. I also wash out my bar and lines, harness and board each time. Don't dry your gear on the clothes line outside, the sun isn't very nice to them. I rinse everything and hang in the garage. If I'm feeling really conscientious I even use the compressor on my pulleys and bar and lines. That blast of air is excellent for pulleys.

Thanks mate... I just followed your advice and unpacked my kite and packed it again with the front lines hanging outside the bag, right now I'm rinsing them and then I would let them dry... Thanks heaps for the help guys!!!

Is it normal to have a little bit of a sore neck?? mine is killing me... I spent 2 hours and something floating and getting up... I guess the soreness is due to the fact that I was floating most of the time looking up at my kite??

Hi GJOchoa,from what i have read of read on this thread all the tips are spot on.With the brush i use one from a brush from a dust pan and brushset that you get from your local supermarket ect.As SpawnofFossl said just make sure its soft as there is a big difference in some of them.i never head to the beach without one :)
I hope you enjoy kiting and stick with it
Cheers Ray

I never rinse my kites. Unless it rains :)

I always make sure I pack away sand free and dry. If not possible then the first chance I get is dry out the kite and shake off all the sand.

I always rinse my bar and lines in fresh water and dry it out. Pay particular attention to your QR, cleat, pullies etc. You want to make sure they are sand free and operating correctly. As far as wettie and harness are concerned I give them a rinse once every month or so.

I think leaving your kites in a hot car or sitting on the beach flapping in the wind produces a lot more wear than not rinsing it.

i never wash my kite . let it dry on the beach , pack it up sand and all and put it away until i use it next . 3 years on and the kite looks fine . Other kite i must have let some dew on it when i unpacked it at home to repack it and the kite is stained but meh it still flies exactly the same .


Not sure why people go to anal lengths to maintain their kites .

Harness and lines get washed in freshwater and left outside in the sun for a few days and are still going strong .

thedrip said...

My world sucks. I wish I had the chance to get my kite wet and dirty. Locally there never seems to be enough wind, and further south don't seem like good spots to learn. I have no idea where to go in Augusta.

I want your problems.

Come down to adelaide mate :D

Gorgo said...

That bit about leaving the bridles out and washing the pulleys, that's pointless. There's nothing there that needs washing.

Just check and clear the pulleys before each launch. Pinch the line tight around the pulley then work it back and forth so you can see the pulley is turning freely. Knock any loose sand off.


My Ronstan pulleys have stainless bearings and washing out any salt and sand and running them along the lines keeps them running free. Winds here don't allow me to kite every day and often it can be a week or more between sessions. If you want to leave your pulleys caked up in that time, your choice. The little plastic pulleys close the the leading edge don't need the same sort of care, there are no bearings, I just run through occasionally.

You know the rule.... pics please