I asked for some information about Holmenkol SEALnGLIDE at PTW's site on face book
to see what euro buggy folks think about this stuff. Got several responses and then got this information. Look & learn.
http://r1ch-g.co.uk/?page_id=781
SEALnGLIDE – some information about what it is, what it does, why and how to use it.
SEALnGLIDE is made by Holmenkol, a company from Germany which started out around 1920 making ski wax.
Rip-stop fabric of all types and ages face damage from sun, water, tearing, friction and mishandling. SEALnGLIDE is a water-like topical coating that
provides a clear and flexible shield against environmental hazards and heavy use or abuse while providing a long-lasting surface sealant that assists
kites to more efficiently inter-act with the wind.
Kites are made from rip stop fabric which is a woven material and all rip stops are (to a greater or lesser extent) porous. The “better” rip stop
materials such as porcher marine and skytex are still porous, but the yarns are much finer resulting in a tighter weave and a less porous material.
However, all untreated material is prone to allowing the air to “bleed” through the pores in the weave.
Other things to consider with regard to rip stop fabric is friction over the face of the fabric. As can be seen from the picture below (which is
skytex) rip stop is really quite coarse!
Also, rip stop is a nylon based material, which is a polymer. Somewhat surprisingly, polymers, which in themselves generally tend not to be
absorbent, as a woven material WILL “absorb” water through capillarity.
*We’ve all had occasions when kiting, where the kite has been landed in the sea, or even flying in the twilight where the kite seems to get heavier as
dew forms, resulting in a soggy kite that is reluctant to fly and simply flops around looking sad! Who hasn’t tried to “fly the kite to get it dry”?*
So, why use SEALnGLIDE as opposed to other coatings?
The SEALnGLIDE coating is made from tiny nano particles which bond at a molecular level to the surface of the material it is being applied to. During
this process the particles organise themselves to completely cover the surface. This process then continues to form a multi layered coating.
This layered structure is resistant to abrasion, but if it is damaged another layer underneath continues to protect the surface.
Meaning? A consistent, long lasting, even coating with incredible durability that is salt, dirt and water repellent, that also gives UV protection and
creates an easy to clean surface finish. (I like this)
Standard protective coatings are made up of large particles which sit randomly on the surface to be protected, leaving exposed areas.
There is no inter-particle bonding nor bonding to the surface because of size and chemistry.
Meaning? The coating is easily damaged and the underlying surface is exposed to the elements causing early degradation.
Hopefully that explains a few of the benefits of using a treatment that was designed for kiting fabric, how about a bit of guidance on application?
Your wish is my command…
Here is the “official” page taken from Holmenkol.
Having treated about 4 hectares of rip stop (OK, massive exaggeration, but is sometimes feels like it!), here’s my guide on how to apply it.
Firstly, you’re going to need somewhere to wash and dry the kite, I normally hang the kite on a washing line and with a hose pipe and a clean sponge,
clean the kite as much as you can. Some people have said they have used a washing machine (put the kite in a pillow slip, then low temperature (cold)
wash with no detergent), but I have never dared to do this, having spent £££££ on kites!
Using plenty of running water to rinse off traces of salt water or anything else, clean off tougher dirt deposits using the sponge. Once this is
complete, leave the kite to dry thoroughly.
**NOTE** Kites are measured in square meters, don’t forget though that you will need to double this for foils as there is a top and bottom to the
kite.
Next thing to do is prepare the area where you intend to treat the kite, personally, in good weather, I leave the kite pegged out on a washing line as
it means I don’t need to scrabble around on hands and knees. If the weather is not favourable, I spread out a sheet of polythene in the garage and
lay the kite on the polythene. I have in the past had access to a hangar/warehouse which is ideal, but not everyone has this luxury!
Once the kite is pegged out/laid out, mix the amount of SEALnGLIDE that you think you’ll need.
SEALnGLIDE comes as a 2 part kit. The larger bottle SEALnGLIDE + GLAZE is 100 ml, the smaller bottle SEALnGLIDE ACTIVATOR is 25 ml. To achieve
coverage of an area of approximately 80 square meters would require mixing the contents of both bottles to 2 litres of water.
As not everyone wants to treat 80 square meters at once, follow this simple mix ratio:
250 ml water:12.5 mlSEALnGLIDE + GLAZE:3 ml SEALnGLIDE ACTIVATOR = 10 M²
Or 250:12.5:3 = 10
As a fairly standard kite size is 4M², the above mix should be plenty to treat the kite and still have enough left over to do bridles and lines!
Never spray – inhalation of the spray could be hazardous to health!
Apply the SEALnGLIDE using a clean sponge (I found the ones from the Pound shops for cleaning cars were perfect!) and “paint” it onto the kite making
sure to treat stitching and seams as well. If the solution starts to pool anywhere on the kite, soak it up with the sponge and apply it to untreated
areas of the kite. Allow the coating to dry thoroughly, then treat the other side of the kite, again, leave that to dry thoroughly as well.
If you have any spare solution left over, use it on the bridle lines and kite lines – no point in wasting it!
I hope this guide helps, but if you’ve got any questions, post a comment and I’ll try and help (if I can).
The proper function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them. I shall use my time.
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OOBE Field Dirt Diver, Toilet Paper ASSassin. I am NKBRA Kite Buggy Police Man Obe Scuddly.
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