primekutzz - 16-6-2007 at 04:10 PM
So I went out boarding the other day. It was a nice day and I had fun being that it was my third time ever landboarding. I used my only kite, a
QuadTrac Profoil 3m that I bought from Corey.
Come time to pack up one of the bridle lines on the kite rips right off. I want to know if it's worth repairing this kite, having it repaired and
where, or how with what.
Taper123 - 17-6-2007 at 05:54 AM
Did the bridle tab get ripped out?
Sometimes you can turn the kite inside out at the cell the tab is on, poke through some gross grain ribbon from a fabric store and stitch in a new
loop.
primekutzz - 17-6-2007 at 09:52 AM
yea...bridle tab ripped straight out...good idea for a fix, but the bad thing is that the seam is ripped as well. I might have to brush up my sewing
skills.
gilligan - 17-6-2007 at 11:01 AM
I've done some sewing repairs and replaced a tab on one of my old beater kites... i just used a little piece of fabric and some upholstery thread(any
fabric store'll have this thread... good for about 800 repairs in a spool).
It wasn't pretty but quite functional. Gave me something to do while watching t.v.
Bob
powerzone - 18-6-2007 at 07:43 AM
I'll fix er for ya... 25 plus shipping costs
acampbell - 19-6-2007 at 05:53 AM
I've had a brake bridle tab pull out of a ProFoil when the main toggle knot failed and a main line parted and dumped me on my butt.
It was at the tip and there was no way to turn it inside out, so we made the repair from the outside. We re-inserted the tab and sewed over the
trailing edge in two parallel rows. I used a simple overhand stiitch with "Sulky Invisible Thread"- a super strong hair-thin synthetic. The repair
was indeed practically invisible and held well. Any sewing notions store will know the thread. Or you can use white Polyester "Super Strong" Thread
from Singer.
BigSiler - 19-6-2007 at 06:45 PM
LoL.. Thats what happened to me last month with my profoils.
Just got em, and a friend and I launched @ same time, and pop pop pop.. with one tab ripping at the end...
Still looking forward to fying one of them one day.
primekutzz - 19-6-2007 at 08:10 PM
kinda makes you question the quality of the kites.
acampbell - 20-6-2007 at 05:07 AM
The Profoils are generally of good build quality. I abused mine pretty well and they held up. The weakness is in the toggles- both in the handles
and at the kite bridle. In both cases they are formed with doubled-over bridle line and overhand knots. On my 4.5, the stopper knot on the main line
bridle toggle was too close to the end and pulled out under load. I corrected by putting a figure-of-eight stopper knot on both toggles.
At the handles, the line leaders are secured by running them through a length of vinyl tubing and tying the whole affair in an overhand knot inside
the aluminum tube, with the vinyl tube sticking out of the hole enough to provide chafe protection. In my case, my 4.5 put enough load on it for the
leader line to cut right through the vinyl tubing, allowing it to come out of the hole in the handle.
In both cases, when the line parted, the sudden load on the brake bridles pulled out one bridle tab on the tip trailing edge.
I flew my 5.5 just as hard and never had a problem.
Ever since then I have worn sailing gloves when I fly, as in both cases the invisible whiplash on the parted main line gave me minor lacerations on my
hand. And I wear sunglasses as eye protection even on a cloudy day.
primekutzz - 20-6-2007 at 07:40 AM
I wonder if we're talking about the same kite here. I have the 3m Premier QuadTrac Profoil...here's a link...
http://www.windpowersports.com/kites/premier/quadtrac.html
Probably not what you guys were talking about.
acampbell - 20-6-2007 at 07:46 AM
Earlier iteration of the same kite, I'm pretty sure. Those were built in whole-number sizes. Tthe later ones in 1/2 meter increments (2.5, 3.5, 4.5
etc). The tips look a little more squared off but that might be the photo perspective.
tedsfoils - 20-6-2007 at 08:13 AM
Ok here is the skinny on the Quad-Trac Profoil vs. Profoil. These kites are very different from one another.
The Original Quad-Trac Profoil 2m, 3m, 5m, 7m, 9m, were first being made by Mile High Kites aka Skynasaur. Then Premier kites started making them in
limited sizes. The only type of reinforcement in the kites was at the nose and the center rib sections. At the time this was the only area that was
seeing stress and failures.
The next Profoil series 1.0m, 1.5m, 2.5m, 3.5m, 4.5m, 5.5m only available from Kite Innovations had reinforcement on every rib section on the main
bridle group from the tab going up through the rib to the top. When the factory finished the bridles on the kites the link line that was attached only
had a single overhand knot very close to the end on the line. If this knot is not retied it could slip when powered up and cause the flyer to loose
control (Read the instruction sheet). The only type on damage that could be seen as a result of this type of failure was at the wingtip or trailing
edge. A single line tab would pull out from the seam because this was the only area that did not see any other reinforcement. I have not heard or seen
any of these having rips in the cloth.
It is difficult to predict every failure. I have seen many unusual failures throughout my years in kiting and skydiving. All we can do is get good
feedback and try to correct it so it does not happen again.
powerzone - 20-6-2007 at 12:27 PM
Go easy on Ted.... his kites have always been Top Quality Performers and he is a legendary kite maker and innovator who has helped the kite industry
to keep advancing and improving.... everything manufactured in quantities has afew "bad apples" no matter what brand..... its inevitable.
someone as experienced and knowledgeable as Ted should not have to explain himself to the masses on forums. if people have a beef with a product,
please direct it to the source.
acampbell - 20-6-2007 at 12:37 PM
No Beef. I love those kites and wish I could still sell them. I talked about one little thing that came up in context of this thread.
I also should have added that Ted always stepped up and offered warranty support. As a dealer I made repairs myself, but he would have stood behind
them for any end customer. Top notch guy.
My Pro-foil demos are all gone but in the hands of very happy customers.
primekutzz - 20-6-2007 at 08:05 PM
Yea...I'm totally happy with the kite. It's got great pull and has helped me learn more and more about the sport. This is my very first power kite to
date and will always stay in the quiver. I love it and want to obviously repair it.
Like you said Ted, the failure was on the left center power bridle tab. It ripped straight out.
awindofchange - 21-6-2007 at 11:54 AM
Bring the kite out to the park with you on Friday and we can have a look at it. There are a couple of us out there that can repair kites pretty
easily and should be able to get it done for you.