macboy - 3-10-2009 at 10:54 PM
So.....I've finally christened the LF Proof at a local lake today (All the onlookers think we were crazy but I don't regret it......6 degrees is fine
with wetsuits, booties, gloves and neoprene hoods - and we spent more time IN the water than out but we're learning ; )
Here's the questions though....rolling the kite up on the sand resulted in....well, a sand covered kite. I unrolled it and hosed it off and laid it
out to dry BUT was wondering if it'd be OK to string it up by the front line pigtails to dry it. I ask because although I routinely do this after
snowkiting, the kite is very heavy all wet from being hosed off. Is it too heavy to hang by the front lines?
Second - the bar & lines. I hosed them off too (all wrapped up on the bar) but now wonder how I should dry it......should the lines be unwound and
laid out or is it OK to leave them wound and just put the bar & lines somewhere that they'll dry rather quickly. Again - they just don't get wet
like that after snowkiting.
Thanks for the help - this notion of sand getting EVERYWHERE is new to me...not sure the best way to deal with it.
Oh, and it's the VII 16 I'm wondering if I can string up if that makes any difference.
dylanj423 - 4-10-2009 at 06:52 AM
ah the sand.... i have learned to just leave it there... my phantom is always covered with some sand.... you can only shake so much off.... i find
that as long as i leave the bar in some fresh air, just a little circulation is necessary to allow it to dry.... dont wrap it up wet, in the kite....
the kite itself could be laid out in the sun for a few minutes.... i dont know how likely that is in canada at the moment....
the sand really pushes the limits of my OCD, it is hard to not clean it off every time
manitoulinkiter1 - 4-10-2009 at 07:55 AM
Hey man
I did exactly the same thing as you. Wash off sand then hang the kite on the close line if it wasn't to windy.
I hung mine by the bridle attachment points at the kite.
I put a closepin on the bridle close to the kite then wrapped the bridle line around the closepin.
I did this with a Liquid Force Assault, a Waroo and my Cabrhina Contra.
Never had any problems. I think there are around 6 to 10 attachment points depending on the kite so the weight is evenly distributed. Plus those
points are strong enough to haul you around or even up. Getting the first couple closepins to stay was tricky though they have a tendancy to pop off.
Watch the wind though it doesn't take much and the kite is either wrapped around the line or laying on the ground.
John
macboy - 4-10-2009 at 09:27 AM
One of my concerns since this is an Arc is that there are only two attachment points so hanging it is like pulling the arms off of a Joe Armstrong
doll 
In the house I have a line zig zagging around the basement that I hang them from using clothes pins and clips. It was too wet and too sandy to bring
in though so I laid it out over the patio furniture.
furbowski - 4-10-2009 at 09:50 AM
i haven't flown my arc much, but the couple times i have have been in gusty & cloudy conditions, and i got rained out and had to pack up fast on
sand to get out.
hung it up at home by draping the TE over a 12' railing, used clothespins to fasten the inflate zip to a fan on low power, left the deflate and the
other inflate open as well and left it that way for a while, afterwards most all of the sand just shook off.
i work in outdoor education, have done for 15 years now, and the general consensus on tent and rain fly care is to dry them thoroughly and then shake
/ brush off any excess before packing it up in a loose roll. any kind of washing just shortens the life of the ripstop.
but draping the trailing edge over something long spreads out the tension enough to let it dry without stressing the fabric. running a fan dries it
off fast.