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Topic: Re proofing a kite |
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Barney Rubble |
Posted: 09-Jul-08 15:32 |
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I'm thinking of re-proofing one of my old kites to help it run in the hoist/drop. LDC do Holmenkol seal n glide (wash in the machine) which should do 2 for £28. Has any-one else tried it, or used anything else ?
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Pete Lindley |
Posted: 09-Jul-08 17:25 |
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From Bob Ladell:
"Spinnaker Restoration
Has your kite lost that nice new “crunchy” feeling ? Is it looking all tired and floppy ? Difficult to drop in the chute ? Trawls all too easily ?? Gets small rope burns in it ? Snags and tears rather easily ??
A technique I’ve used successfully for several years on an old kite, until it became so baggy that it really was past it’s sell by date, is to use NikWax tent water proofer from Millets. The purple spray bottle at about £8 a time. I tried Fabsil, which does do the water proofing a treat – but not the lubrication that NikWax offers. And it smells awful !!
Try this :-
Basic aim is to use the NikWax to lube the kite both sides. You can do the whole thing or just the areas that matter most. It makes little difference.
The areas that matter most are the halyard run from the downhaul patch to the down haul hole to make sure the halyard runs on a slippery surface - like the original silicone coating. Cover an area at least a metre either side of the halyard and the whole of the triangle the size of the foot.
Other side needs the first 2/3rds that goes in the chute making slippery again.
Technique is with a **dry** kite, spray the NikWax on about a metre square at a time and then rub in with either kitchen towel or a paint brush. The spray sits on the surface and needs moving about a fair bit to get it to penetrate the cloth surface.
Then hang it up to dry for at least 3 days in your garage before use. Any less and it will wash off.
You will need to a repeat cover at 3 months, 6 months and then a year or so as the wax impregnation builds up in the fibres. 3 spray cans at around £8 each - just a tad cheaper than a new kite !!!
And then we lent the old baggy thing to someone else – and they got all too close flying our nice new kite ……….
Bob Ladell
ISO 814" |
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