https://www.ultramarxl.com/kites/

Unfortunately they do not have a dealership here in Aus, so I was wondering if anyone have ordered their kite coating products and what was it like? Did it work? Does it repell water and actually make the kite "lighter"?

If we cannot purchase this locally, what other options do we have in adding some protection to our investments?

Thanks in advance

how can applying something to another surface make it lighter ?

Its all got to do with density Dusta.

I applied helium balloons to my 7m so i can fly it in 4 knots.


Turns like a 16 tho...

Sounds like a silicone spray. It would add weight right? It would replace the wetness with a silicone oil.

Scotch guard..

I've got a crazy idea...

how about not leaving your inflated kite secured on the beach for extended periods of time flapping in the wind and baking in the sun ? Most kiters do this regularly and this has to be the Number ONE reason canopies deteriorate rapidly.

I got asked this question by almost every student ''what's the best way to take care of my kite, do I have to rinse it every day ?'' ....the answer is pack it up a soon as you finish kiting, even if you have to re-inflate it 2 hours later, over time this will make a massive difference.

Christian

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cbulota said..
I've got a crazy idea...

how about not leaving your inflated kite secured on the beach for extended periods of time flapping in the wind and baking in the sun ? Most kiters do this regularly and this has to be the Number ONE reason canopies deteriorate rapidly.

I got asked this question by almost every student ''what's the best way to take care of my kite, do I have to rinse it every day ?'' ....the answer is pack it up a soon as you finish kiting, even if you have to re-inflate it 2 hours later, over time this will make a massive difference.

Christian

Best advice in years.

the best advice lofty would be not to do your market research on seabreeze before becoming an importer for snake oil.

if there was a magic spray to fix the porosity of a kite you can guarantee we would all be applying it to our wings just before we get them tested before selling them were talking an extra 1k$ for nothing.

i know you know the canopy materials coated and even some coat the individual thread before its woven. but there is a very good reason they do this before they turn it into a kite and not after.

several reasons

but ill let you do your own homework :D ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

I was under the impression that some kite companies coat their kites after construction in a silicone spray. I cant verify this and I may have misunderstood what I was told. But that was the impression I got.

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Adam'KiteRepair said..
I was under the impression that some kite companies coat their kites after construction in a silicone spray. I cant verify this and I may have misunderstood what I was told. But that was the impression I got.

I can verify that they do not coat the kites with anything. However, the canopy cloth itself is coated with a very thin coating that makes it less likely to hold static charges and dirt, and in my experience, it wears off fairly quickly, within a couple of weeks or one or two decent wave rinses!
The dacron cloth used in the LE's does not seem to be coated in the same way.

Doubt this product is anything other than a gimmick. Do yachties coat their sails with anything like this? I've not heard of them doing it. Seems expensive and toxic, less crap washing into our waterways the better.

Here is a fairly old article on making paraglider cloth. You would have to assume the process is similar.

http://ojovolador.com/eng/read/reports/porcher/index.htm

Also this: www.porcher-sport.com/en/manufacturing-process.html

Spraying a kite with a coating will make the fabric heavier (the contents of the spray minus the solvents), make it less water absorbent (so lighter in use if you crash a lot), and resistant to glue so you can't easily repair it with sail tape.

I have an old kite with over 300 hours use on it (All kiting. No sitting on the beach.) It is very porous, and works just fine. To be honest, I try to kill my gear and it just won't die.

People who worry about doing tricky stuff to make their kites last longer ... don't kite enough.

Kite harder. Wear out your gear. Buy new stuff.

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fruuugz said..
the best advice lofty would be not to do your market research on seabreeze before becoming an importer for snake oil.

I've got better things to do, but I thought I would ask if anyone else have used those products. Obviously not

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Gorgo said..
Here is a fairly old article on making paraglider cloth. You would have to assume the process is similar.

http://ojovolador.com/eng/read/reports/porcher/index.htm
............................

cheers for that gorgo bita light reading for me to do :D :D are you actually in victoria? excited about bright getting the PWC next year?! im starting to look for vinyards to live on :D

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NorthernKitesAUS said..

cbulota said..
I've got a crazy idea...

how about not leaving your inflated kite secured on the beach for extended periods of time flapping in the wind and baking in the sun ? Most kiters do this regularly and this has to be the Number ONE reason canopies deteriorate rapidly.

I got asked this question by almost every student ''what's the best way to take care of my kite, do I have to rinse it every day ?'' ....the answer is pack it up a soon as you finish kiting, even if you have to re-inflate it 2 hours later, over time this will make a massive difference.

Christian

Best advice in years.

Or leave em in the bag, they'll last almost indefinitely. You can still tell everyone that doesn't ask that you are a kitesurfer...

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Underoath said..


Turns like a 16 tho...

hahaha , i'll always have clear memories of you hanging on for dear life before L2L that year .