I went out today for the first time with my new Ozone Cult, 4.5. Not having flown a kite like this before i was really impressed with the power. 10mph winds still proved to be extremly hardcore! I have cuts all over me.

When on the beach the kite got a bit wet when it landed near the water.

What should I do, rinse it clean? or leave it as it is?

It has dried out of the sun and most of the sand in the kite has been removed.

Some articles say that fresh water causes mold.

I would just like a straight cut answer say what I should do with my brand new kite....

Many Thanks Berman

Fresh water will only cause mold if you don't let it dry properly so i would give the thing a nice rinse down with a hose and lay it on a washing line till it's completely dry, then pack it away
Of course i can't do any of that now as i live in new york so my kites are taking on a quite interesting smell...

Wait for a day that has a nice warm sunny forcast, right when you wake up get a line and string it from tree to tree, tie the kite to it, and hose it down, pack it when it dries.

fly it dry, pack it, fly it again soon...repeat
simple like that
when the wind is down and you're bored you can prep for the next run
unpack, sun dry, shake it out, repack but only if you're bored
peace

If you got saltwater on it wash it with freshwater though, never leave a kite sitting like that for long, thats one of the reasons surfkites have such a short life expectancy, people dont know/are to busy/lazy to wash off thier kites.

I dunk mine all the time, just rinse with freshwater and dry. You don't want salt crystals to develop, it can damage the fibers of the nylon(micrscopic cuts) I hang mine up in the garage to dry.

This post leads me to something that I have not thought of. If you fly regularly a the beach, sometimes there is fog... Even though you don't dunk it in the ocean, wouldn't it be a good idea to wash it off anyway? You see cars rusting from the salt air all the time. Wouldn't the same rule apply to kites through prolonged flying at the ocean (yeah, I know it will not rust, but you get the drift)? I am real good about getting the sand out, but don't necessarily wash them out after a normal non-dunk day. When I do get them wet, I take them into the shower and give them a good rinsing, then hang them out to dry for the next day. I don't let salt watter sit on the kites and lines.

What are thoughts on this? Should you get into the habit of washing after a day at the beach, especially when fog is present?

nh I have done alot of climbing (rock,tree,ship,ect) and I'm tellin you salt WILL crystalize in the nylon and abrade the fibers microscopically and thus deteriorate the fabric. It will do the same to rope and nylon slings. If they get sea fog on em, maybe not so bad. Because the salt doesn't evaporate , only the water!

You know there is a bright side to this. Forced upgrade due to blowout. Sorry honey, I just had to replace it!

Seriously though, looks like I need to add this to my sand outting ritual at the end of each visit to the beach. Get home, wash em all out.

I like the way you think aren't you the guy who has the same plate as me in CA?

Yup - KYTBUGY on the 4 Runner. DRVALOT on the Rubicon, NICS FJ on the Wife's car, ITSADRG on the travel trailer, and WHRSBOO on my sons car. If you are in CA and see these plates...honk your horn and lets go flyin! There are generally kites in the trunk!

I told ya,I like the way you think

The salt doesn't evaporate, but if you go to the beach on an on shore day you kinda feel sticky, the mist from the surf gets picked up and adheres to stuff. I would wash kites every 10 "Non dunk sessions" and every "dunk session"

I've had a couple of my kites for 8 years plus and I only kitesurf and ATB ride on the beach. So far there is no obvious damage from salt water. The only 2 kites that are not flyable that are 5+ years old are not flyable due to damage or stretched bridle lines.

I do wash my kites on occasion and hang them out to dry.

I never washed my windsurfing sails when I windsurfed and they never wore out due to salt eroding the fabric.

It's not that bid of a deal. But the kites do feel better when they are clean and dry.

Scott

From what I am told Salt water won't cause rot or damage. It's fresh water that will rot your kite.

A have found that salt water seems to help set dirt in though. I thought I didn't get my Naish wet and I gave it enough time to dry because it just got a bit of sea scum on it. I never washed it off. Now it's a permanent stain.

Yeah, salt water doesn't let mold grow i.e. rot. I rarely ever let my windsurf sails dry before putting them away and they never got any rot on them. Since my kites are flying they stay pretty much dry. I have noted that the extra salt on the kite makes the kite gain water weight from the salt pulling in the extra moisture in the air. Even if my kites don't get dipped in the salt water often they will sometimes feel wet when I roll them up. At that point it's time to put them on the clothes line and wash them out.

Scott

I only wash and dry only after a surf dunk where suspend sand coats the panels this seems to be the worst. rarely drop out in open ocean but pack a wet kite (freshwater)and it will mold. saltwater damp even with out a dunk no big deal

dose anyone ever read the owners manual.

the owners manual for the ozone cult says:

dry your kite after each use AWAY from the sun and direct heat. donot pack away your kite wet or the fabric colors can run.
store your kite in a dry place OUT OF THE SUN. NEVER wash your kite or clean it with detergents.