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lawnmower
Since 14 Dec 2007
153 Posts
Stoked
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Fri Jul 08, 22 10:24 am Kite repair for 2010 Naish Cult |
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I’ve got a quiver of 2010 Naish Cults that leak air. It’s probably valves coming loose from the bladders. Airtime wants $550 per kite to do the repair which is not worth it.
Does anyone have any DIY info for valve leaks? |
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Singlemalt
Since 21 Jun 2015
460 Posts
White Salmon
Obsessed
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Fri Jul 08, 22 10:46 am |
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If this is the infamous Octopus system, I’ve performed a full autopsy.
I had a 6m 2011 Park. Leaked at the batten to main bladder joints, the weak point of the system.
When I took it apart to attempt a fix, every last nipple fell off the main bladder. Same thing inside the batten bladders.
Previous to this, I had airtime replace one bladder on a newer Park: $60. I sold the quiver.
Back to the 2011 6m, I was bored, so I put my McGiver hat on and went at it. I used an airtime inflate valve to replace the inflate, and patched over every other connection on the main bladder. I patched over the valve connection on the batten bladders.
I could now inflate each batten bladder individually, but I’d need a needle nose plier to pinch the valve while I put in the plug. I could inflate the main bladder, but needed a pokey thing to deflate. Do all that dance and the kite held air all day.
Did I want to trust it on a 6m day? I’m a strong swimmer, but I’d rather kite.
That one went to the dump. I wouldn’t even feel good about giving it to a new kiter for free, not a safe kite.
TLDR: Not worth fixing. Plenty of great kites available used for less than $400. Treat yourself!
Relaunch Kite Bags makes tote bags and jackets from dead kites. Located in Hood River. 206-972-83sixtwo. You could recycle the old kites. _________________ Pull the cork. |
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Nak
Since 19 May 2005
4200 Posts
Camas
XTreme Poster
CGKA Member
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Fri Jul 08, 22 4:22 pm |
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It's not really all that hard to fix the Naish bladders if you keep it stock. Changing up the inflation system is for sure not worth the effort. 2010 kites you want to replace the valves. All of them, on any kite. They just aren't reliable otherwise. Basically, you pull the bladders, use a hair dryer to heat the valves and remove them, clean the bladder, use Airtime valves to replace the old ones, reinstall the bladders, use good teflon tape to wrap the octopus nipples--Oatey gray tape, three or four wraps--and voila! You have a reliable kite that holds air again. Do watch the Youtube videos, and do make sure the dump valve and inflate valve are in the same orientation as stock.
OTH, used kites are cheap right now. Get a two or three year old kite for not a lot more cost than repairing the 2010. |
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shred_da_gorge
Since 12 Nov 2008
1251 Posts
Local, not Low Cal
XTreme Poster
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Sat Jul 09, 22 6:37 am |
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This might be super easy! If these have the "Boston valves" (outside, not inside on the octopus system), what happens is they have rubber gaskets that compress and dry out over time, leaking air. This happened on my three Pivots and the solution was straightforward. AirTime sells replacement Boston valves ($10 each back when I repaired mine), but frankly you only need to swap the old rubber gaskets out (there's an inner and outer gasket), not the entire thing.
Get yourself a $2 spray bottle at Walmart, fill it with water with just a little dish soap, then pump up the kites fully and spray the valves to see if they have air bubbles coming out from between the inner and/or outer screw caps.
G'luck!
BTW, I have a tool to help remove the bladders in a Naish octopus system if you go that far, and there's a thread here you can search for with a ton of useful info. They are definitely a be-atch to work with but not impossible - much easier to remove than re-install, for sure. |
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