Hello! Fixing some puncture to the leading edge bladder - about 13 tiny pin #@%$#!s scattered along half the bladder. Is Duct tape a sensible option? or bike repair kits? i only got 6 small patches with the kite and used all them. Ta

No, I tried duct tape. The bladder material needs to stretch.

Kitefix do self adhesive patches. These work great on a hole(s) and #@%$#!s. :D

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/KITEFIX-KITE-FIX-MONSTER-BLADDER-R...

would cycle puncture repair patches work? if so could i just use the same glue as i would for a tyre inner tube? Struggling to find kitefix kits locally

Quote: Originally posted by skutter

would cycle puncture repair patches work? if so could i just use the same glue as i would for a tyre inner tube? Struggling to find kitefix kits locally

Honestly I don't know. Those cycle patches aren't as stretchy as the bladder and might create a weak pinch point. Do you have an old bladder you could cut up ? You could iron some squares of that on instead. Failing that PM me your address and I'll send you some of my Kitefix patch.

3M 5200 fast cure.

on bladder ends clip needed material and adhere with 5200 . if hole is sizable always place barrier within bladder so cross adhere will not occur.

tube is about 10$ and will adhere about 25 valves and patches or so. local marine store will have it

Am I the only one thinking that with 13 repairs and no experience you may be wanting to look at replacing the bladder completely?

I see constant issues for you down the road ?

Tear aid type A.

http://www.sailrite.com/Tear-Aid-Repair-Kit-Type-A

Peel and stick. It's the same exact material that your tiny patches are.
Don't get type B. It's for vinyl.

its 13 tiny holes. I bought the kite cheep because of it leaking air - was assured it was only one or two. Kite hat been flown into a thorn bush. Seriously small holes mind, there is only 1 that i would call visible and thats still like a pin hole. Despite all the holes the bladder still holds air for about 15 -20 minutes.
some of them when i marked with the marker pen and that in it self almost stopped the bubbles coming out. There is one area where one small patch covered 3 holes, the rest are scattered apart.

Looking into replacing the bladder, and need to find away of using the old valves to save cost. but first i think im going to try and patch this up and at least fly the kite as i havent even tried it yet - its a 9m vari vulcan from 2010. If im not happy with the kite i can probably sell it for more than i paid if its not leaking air or trade it in against a new kite at local kite shop.

I found a place in Sweden that will post me tear aid but well, i live in an apartment and the kite in its current state of dismemberment is taking up space so it would be cool to get it sorted and packed away. There is a beach house not far away where they sell kit and give lessons, so i reckon they must have stuff for repairs so i'll go and see if they are about later today.

Also after repairing 13 leaks in a bladder, i think i will then be able to say i have experience

Asked on the local Kite network and found some tear aid type A. Bladder is now waiting to impress me by not self defalting over the next hour. -

well...Bladder has not impressed me. Fixed the first round of thorn holes, and then found 3 more when it wouldnt stay fully inflated. none of them you can see with the eye. And now it still doesnt quite stay inflated....though it takes about 30 minutes befoe it shows any noticable defaltion if its just left sitting. Checked in the bath tub again and it looks like there is an issue with holes towards teh centre of the leading edge. The design of the bladder is such that there are two bits that greatly over lap. It looks like they have been seam welded in the middle and then again along the bottom seam. I can pull it back so far and found one leek there but bubbles still look to be travelling from some where underneath the over lap. Now....two things....finally found a place that has in stock or will at least make and ship a bladder for the Vari vulcan so i have said sod it and ordered one. The person i bought the kite from has refunded me half the cost of the new bladder so even after i pay for the bladder its still a cheep kite.

But i am also thinking that i might be able to get away with cutting away all the excess material either side of the central weld as i cant see that it does anything actually structural....though maybe i'm wrong. any thoughts on this??