Power Kite Forum

Kite holes :(

lceliz - 12-6-2016 at 07:54 PM

So, My kite got a hole today after playing with it in 10MPH winds and a gust of 17 came out of no where and It spinned my kite out of control and I manage to pull it up but my brake line had some how manage to go behind for a few on the edge and when it popped back to its normal position it caused like a burn hole from the line.

I was wondering if there is any way to fix it or what do I buy? or what have you guys done?

abkayak - 12-6-2016 at 08:04 PM

Ok...when flying in 10 gusts of 17 don't come out of nowhere...that's part of the deal
That said I hope kite tape will fix...

Kamikuza - 12-6-2016 at 08:14 PM

TearAid type 2, I think. Leave about an inch to the edges of the hole.

lceliz - 12-6-2016 at 08:32 PM

Yeah I wasnt watching behind me while flying it. I did manage to not crash it and the holes are the size 2 rices like I said it mange to just make 2 perfect lil holes where it heated up when the line fliped.

bigkid - 12-6-2016 at 11:05 PM

I order my kite, nylon, Mylar repair tape from Goodwinds.com in Mount Vernon, Washington
They sell the colored tape and the clear Mylar tape as well. Make sure the fabric is clean and the repair tape has the corners of the patch rounded so it helps to stick. I use this stuff on rips and tears big or little. Aply it to the inside and outside for the bigger problem areas.

indigo_wolf - 13-6-2016 at 06:53 AM

Quote: Originally posted by bigkid  
Aply it to the inside and outside for the bigger problem areas.


Might be difficult on the Flow which has mesh on the leading edge intakes.

Haven't tried to get my hands through the dirt outs and inner ribs. ;)

Inside of an Ozone Flow looks like this:



The ghosted verticals are the ribs that support the inside of the canopy.

ATB,
Sam

lceliz - 13-6-2016 at 11:53 AM

I might be able to do it from the dirt out holes maybe since it's on the tail side. I'll have to lay out flat and check it, I just noticed the two holes when packing it up.

Chook - 14-6-2016 at 02:58 AM

If it's the tip cell, yes as "indigo" said it can be repaired through the dirt out. (I have done this and sewn around the patch by gently turning the cell inside out through the dirt out) It's tricky but take your time and it works and is a tight fit to get the cell around the base of your sewing machine. Mine was a 3mtr Flow.

Sometimes you just have to have a hard heart and open up the rear seam of the kite to make cell/skin repairs easier.

If it's that tiny I wouldn't even worry about stitching it. Just a sticky backed sailcloth patch each side. Maybe only being only the size of a grain of rice a tiny bit of superglue dabbed over it will sort it out.

A quick repair now, then just wait till it needs a more major repair to sort it out properly then.

Just think of your kites as a tool of trade. They need care and maintenance but don't be afraid to use them. If you worry about the area or surroundings they can get snagged in it spoils a lot of good riding fun.

My biggest repair jobs have been the power line failures. When one snaps it rips all the brake tabs out of the trailing edge on that side of the kite. Hotwiring has proven that much stronger power lines are required.

My 2.7mtr Vapor was given to me with 9 blown cell dividers and now flys a treat after the repairs with sticky backed sail cloth both sides and stitched. It must be stitched as over time the heat/sun will lift the sticky back and sand will get stuck under it.

I unpick and repair as my relaxation time. I use normal polyester sewing thread and zigzag or triple stitch zigzag around the patches and denim thread to rebuild the structural areas of the kite with straight stitch.

It's a great feeling to get them back into the air again.

Almost all of my kites have had some kind of repair in one way or other as they have been purchased second hand and I fly them pretty hard, for lots of kilometers in unforgiving areas. (Some purchased cheaply as basket cases and then I rebuilt them when I get a wet day, all part of the fun.)

Randy - 14-6-2016 at 05:56 AM

I always thought a kite-hole was somebody flying a kite and pissing you or everyone else off while doing so. You know, like the car-hole who cuts you off in traffic.....

This guy may be a an example.



Windstruck - 14-6-2016 at 07:39 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Randy  
I always thought a kite-hole was somebody flying a kite and pissing you or everyone else off while doing so. You know, like the car-hole who cuts you off in traffic.....

This guy may be a an example.





Now that was funny! What a tool. Yup, regretfully King Tuts like this are everywhere. Seen more than a few of these Jerkies here in town at my local ski hills too....

brockrock1000 - 14-6-2016 at 08:09 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Randy  
I always thought a kite-hole was somebody flying a kite and pissing you or everyone else off while doing so. You know, like the car-hole who cuts you off in traffic.....

This guy may be a an example.


Speaking for myself, I enjoy Power Kiting as a healthy form of relaxation and - not that I live an overly stressful life - as a form of stress relief as well. I have often said, 'when I am flying my kite, I am thinking about nothing else'.

I have also noticed that those I have introduced to Power Kiting seem to become very engaged in it as well, and most have commented about how relaxing it is despite the fact that it is very, physically exertive.

So I wonder, if this is a depiction of this poor soul while relaxed, I'd hate to see him in the office on a Monday morning...

ssayre - 14-6-2016 at 08:34 AM

kite surfers are different than land kiters. They use kites as another means to enjoy surfing and the water.

Land kiters use buggies, boards, etc as another means to enjoy their kites.

ssayre - 14-6-2016 at 08:41 AM

That thought just popped in my head. It literally has nothing to do with this conversation.

lceliz - 14-6-2016 at 09:14 AM

so, I went to the sky diving place and got it fixed with some tape they said they are just pin holes so the tape should just hold it. That they do it on their paragliders all the time.

Whats funny is they were like never seen a kite like that before but looks like a mini paraglider.

I havent group flown kites so was seeing the video and I just see him mad all the time and crashing his kite so could someone tell me what he was doing wrong?

So far that comment on top about enjoying and thinking about the kite the entire time your flying it is about right. Thats what I do just think about what the kite is doing and what im doing and nothing else at all. Didnt know kitesurfers were angry all the time.

Randy - 14-6-2016 at 09:19 AM

Quote: Originally posted by lceliz  
so, I went to the sky diving place and got it fixed with some tape they said they are just pin holes so the tape should just hold it. That they do it on their paragliders all the time.

Whats funny is they were like never seen a kite like that before but looks like a mini paraglider.

I havent group flown kites so was seeing the video and I just see him mad all the time and crashing his kite so could someone tell me what he was doing wrong?

So far that comment on top about enjoying and thinking about the kite the entire time your flying it is about right. Thats what I do just think about what the kite is doing and what im doing and nothing else at all. Didnt know kitesurfers were angry all the time.


That was it - kiting is for fun. Being mad all the time is not the right way to do it. TBH though, everyone has probably had a bad day kiting or whatever we do for "fun."

3shot - 14-6-2016 at 05:32 PM

Lol Randy!! "Kitehole"..... :lol:

pbc - 21-6-2016 at 06:59 PM

Quote: Originally posted by lceliz  

I havent group flown kites so was seeing the video and I just see him mad all the time and crashing his kite so could someone tell me what he was doing wrong?


I don't even kitesurf, but I see plenty I don't like. Here's a play-by-play:

Board leashes are a bad idea. I'd say google "kiteboard leash injury" but you might not want to see those pictures. It grossed me out. The elastic leash stretches, stores energy, and then rockets the board directly towards you edge first. The right way is to learn proper board recovery technique including the upwind body drag.

He doesn't know how to manage his own gear. What's up with getting his GF to help him?

Handling kites next to pedestrians? Not a good idea. You chat with them until they leave. Or launch elsewhere. You are a hazard to them and vice-versa.

He doesn't have a plan for launching. The kite is up, the kite is powered. He lingers at the shoreline. Get out of the launch/landing zone. Yikes.

He cross lines with another kite takes it out of the sky.

He's angry. He's directing someone on how to manipulate his kite. This suggests either he or the other person does not know what needs to be done with the kite. Asking a non-kite-trained to handle your kite is dicey. You need to train them or not use them. My money says it's the GF. No slight on her. It his fault for not training her and allowing her to get involved. Better to ask a kite flier to assist. Anyone with experience should know what to do.

Doesn't seem to know what to do with the kite. Gets yarded. Ouch! Watch the board go airborne at 2:08. Holy shiite! This is on the beach with peds!

Again he is directing someone to fiddle with the kite. Note kid standing by sucking his thumb. Bad kite ambassador!

At 2:44 observe the kite is shredded.

3:43: Kites collide. releases bar. Directing other people. Not executing a self rescue.

4:06: Are we really arguing with a 10 year old girl? Bad Kite Ambassador!

4:15: We are definitely aggravating a woman. The dude with her is keeping his cool, but would rather be anywhere else on the planet.

Bad Kite Ambassador!

lceliz - 21-6-2016 at 09:26 PM

I see, thats a very good explenation yeah I notice the kite lines hitting each other but then didnt get the part of the gf helping I figured that was normal.
Then the arguing I didnt know what that was about but I saw the same lil girl in the background of the older woman arguing with him so i figured they belong to the same group.

pbc - 22-6-2016 at 03:16 AM

Most kites are simple and safe for one assistant to manipulate if the assistant knows how to handle that kite. When the assistant doesn't know what to do it's very hard to teach them from the handles. It can result in confusing hand gestures, very loud talking (some might say yelling), tension (emotional, not line), exacerbation of the problem and safety issues.

Note that the pilot must also know what to do with the kite. If the assistant knows what to do while the pilot doesn't and wants something else, the emotional conflict is still bad, just differently bad. When the kites get bigger and people attach themselves to the kite the stakes get higher.

So talk with other flyers. Be open to input. Even if you don't plan to go on the water some kiteboard training could be good. After 15 years of landing kiting I found myself in a kiteboarding class. It was very much focused on safety, procedure, and flying skills. Most of it I had figured out in a lifetime of sailing and kiting, but there were still specifics to be learned about the gear I had never flown. It was a good class.

Know also that you will get conflicting opinions. The water kiters think some of the things I do are nuts. They don't use my gear or know how I use it so they don't understand it I'm not. Yet I'll never convince them of that.

Philip