Crashed my kite hard into the ground at full speed

flipper · Since 17 Oct 2011 320 Posts Obsessed

The crash popped the IN-valve open of the 8M RPM, but the kite didn't seem to lose any air or have any damage. Are there any specific areas I should be checking on the kite to check for damage that may leave me without a kite in a bad spot? I dislike having my kite fall apart when I'm in the middle of the river, so I'm trying to be proactive, and in five years I have never abused my kite like I did with this crash.

airtimekite · Since 10 Aug 2005 28 Posts 13th and Wasco

You'll want to look it over carefully to make sure the kite doesn't have any small tears. Start by inflating the kite and looking all along the leading edge where it first made contact with the ground. Next, check the canopy in the front portion (near the leading edge). If you find any damage in the canopy near the leading edge you'll want to look behind it as well to see if the damage got the leading edge behind the canopy.

You may also want to check where the lines connect to the l.e. as those really hard crashes can tear the fabric where those are sewn on.

If you don't find any damage you should be good to go. Kites are super tough until they have a little tear. The little tears are the ones that then turn into front to back tears when you crash them hard.

If you find anything and you're not sure just post it here and we'll tell you what you should do to fix it.

Casey

flipper · Since 17 Oct 2011 320 Posts Obsessed

Thanks Casey!

wylieflyote · Mon May 26, 14 5:56 am

Another thing I've done in the past is inflate the LE good & hard, then use a mist spray bottle with a solution of shampoo & water. Wet the entire LE with this and look for pin-hole bubbles.
My reason is that in the past a simple visual inspection missed the pin-hole leaks from my "tomahawk" beach crash. Next time I went out my session was cut short by a floppy-spongy LE.

toddjb · Since 16 Oct 2007 271 Posts MD Obsessed

Check it in a month or two, that's the key period. I have had hard wrecks like that and everything looks solid....and then, later in the season I see holes/tears/abrasions appearing in the exact areas of impact. I have surmised that the impact will cause damage by weakened fibers that don't show up until several sessions later.

Or just sell it now and buy a new one. Smile

First time I saw it was when my 2006 Fuel (I loved the kite) crashed on an oyster shell beach. Sharp shells all over the place. I walked up and carefully inspected the kite...did not see any damage. This was a pretty extreme condition but it all looked good...by the end of the season that kite was riddled with LE pinholes that caused the bladder beneath to bulge out. I had to reach inside the LE and put stick-on dacron patches inside and out to stop it from getting worse.

flipper · Since 17 Oct 2011 320 Posts Obsessed

Thanks wylieflyote & toddjb