WA
6 posts
Hi guys wasnt sure where to post this, i have a small rip in my kit prob half the size of a ball point pen. Its in the cell of the kite a little away from the bladder.
My question is do i have to get it pro fixed or is there any good self repair kits. The kite is an old 09 cab only worth about 400 bucks so im not keen to fork out to much for a repair.
Any help appreciated
678 posts
If you go to a sail maker you should be able to get some Mylar film just sandwich it between two pieces cut about 1-2 inches larger all round than the repair it will last for years,I buy it in in 1mx1m sheets for about $20 so a cheap repair and it's transparent so looks good.
QLD
73 posts
yea i have done these type of repairs myself ,very easy and have lasted well ,i first took mine to sailmaker and he showed me how to do the repair ,even gave me the material cheers Tezza
WA
8407 posts
tear aid tape , its clear so no unsightly patches and sticks like s..t to a blanket, do an inner and outer patch for addded strength, also a circular patch performs better than square
WA
8407 posts
sorry forgot to mention ,if you put a piece of rigid material like cardboard or magazine behind the tear itll aid in keeping material flat while you stick on the patch,also a hair dryer and alc wipes
VIC
5127 posts
I would not use mylar. It can be too rigid and make a hard edge. I prefer spinnaker repair tape. It's characteristics are more like canopy fabric. You can buy it at any sailing shop or from the net. I am about to finish the roll I bought 30 years ago.
White spinnaker repair tape is translucent so the colour of the fabric underneath shows through. It is much easier than trying to match colours. Alternatively, use black repair tape and make a design feature out of it (a round spot or torpedo shape or a stripe or something).
Round the corners of your patch so you don't have sharp corners that will peel off.
Make the inner patch a little smaller than the outer patch so the edges don't line up and make a hard edge.
If you want to be really finicky then line up the grain of the patch with the grain of the fabric.
Clean the fabric and dry it well before you stick the patches on. Fresh water is ok to clean with. A mate used to use vodka. I have used metho on a cotton bud.
Put a magazine or paperback under the fabric to keep everything flat and give you a nice surface to smooth the repair with.
You can use a hair dryer to heat the patch to help set the glue.
678 posts
The self adhesive mylar film i use is very thin and pliable but ultra strong ,no sharp edges,it is thinner and more pliable than the canopy material,i have a kite that i repaired with it three years ago and it still looks like i did it yesterday no need for heat all you need to do is wipe the area clean and dry prior to application,it sticks instantly.
QLD
701 posts
so radman where did you get it tear aid is so bloody dear and dosnt go far
678 posts
I buy it in from peter lynn kites if your keen for some i could see how much it would cost to send over or you could contact peter lynn in australia to get some.
QLD
1293 posts
Tear-Aid is great for these small rips and holes. We sell it for $8 a foot so it's not that much.
Quickest option for a very small hole is to just use one of the small bladder patches that come with most kites though as it's similar to Tear-Aid
