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Luponic
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Newbie with a broken kite

Mon Jul 30, 2012 1:20 pm

Hello all, allow me to introduce myself with tales of inexperience and stupidity:

I've just got back into kite flying and although I'm hopeless at any tricks, I've been throughly enjoying myself. This might be because I seem to have had quite a nice kite, a flexifoil matrix, that, judging by the cost, I must have bought before I got married and had my daughter.

Notice that I said 'had quite a nice kite'. I let a friend have a go and he managed to plough it into the ground, nose first. There is nothing but splinters left of the spine and there is a foot long tear in the fabric.

I've ordered some repair tape and some rods but am I being optimistic that this kite will be back to its old self after the repairs and is there anything I need to know about fixing it?
 
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Zippy8
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Re: Newbie with a broken kite

Mon Jul 30, 2012 1:41 pm

Luponic wrote:
There is nothing but splinters left of the spine and there is a foot long tear in the fabric.

Ooooooohhhhh dear :(

I've ordered some repair tape and some rods but am I being optimistic that this kite will be back to its old self after the repairs and is there anything I need to know about fixing it?

You should be able to get it flying again more than OK but that sail rip will be like an itch you can't scratch - it'll always be there, annoying you.

Taping up a sail isn't tricky - clean up both sides of the fabric, apply as little an amount of tape as you can and do it on both sides. Keep the sail flat when putting on the tape. If it was a smaller rip you can use superglue to tack the sail back together. It might even be worthwhile finding someone to make a more functional repair by replacing the panel but that's a much more costly option.

Mike.
 
Luponic
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Re: Newbie with a broken kite

Mon Jul 30, 2012 1:55 pm

Thanks for the quick reply. I'm glad that its not the end of the kite. My friend was already upset when he saw the damage, he would be horrified if he though he had destroyed the kite. I suppose if it starts to bother me then I have a good excuse to start saving up for a replacement.
 
Ferris
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Re: Newbie with a broken kite

Mon Jul 30, 2012 7:55 pm

I've had this experience! I also got some helpful hints from some users on this site...the thread is here.... viewtopic.php?f=13&t=10871
 
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Marc moss
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Re: Newbie with a broken kite

Mon Jul 30, 2012 11:31 pm

Sounds like a bad crash for a vintage beauty, have u managed to source the correct carbon for it?? If not I have a great contact with lots of spare parts! I have a mad fetish for old flexifoils and have two of most of them! It'll be fine
 
Luponic
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Re: Newbie with a broken kite

Tue Jul 31, 2012 12:59 pm

Marc
I couldn't find exactly the right spine as skyshark P5 appears discontinued but an old post on this board indicated that P200 or P300 might fit and do the trick. Do you reckon it would make much difference to a duffer like me?

Ferris
Good info but I'm hoping the moonie tape will hold it together and I'll not need to break out the sewing kit
 
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Zippy8
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Re: Newbie with a broken kite

Tue Jul 31, 2012 1:12 pm

Luponic wrote:
I couldn't find exactly the right spine as skyshark P5 appears discontinued but an old post on this board indicated that P200 or P300 might fit and do the trick. Do you reckon it would make much difference to a duffer like me?

Skyshark 5P is long out of production but the manufacture of the Matrix was taken over by Kitestudio after Flexifoil stopped making them and they used the P200 for the standard kite IIRC. Frankly a slightly stiffer spine (P300) won't hurt so it'd be a case of what you can get your hands on.

Moonie tape is a bit much for a big sail repair. It's mainly used in areas of high wear. You can get ripstop sail repair tape from a chandlery.

Mike.
 
timorohn
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Re: Newbie with a broken kite

Tue Jul 31, 2012 6:15 pm

Ripstop tape available from Danson marine http://www.dansonmarine.co.uk . Large range of colours. Good luck ,got to keep the oldens flying. Tim
 
Luponic
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Re: Newbie with a broken kite

Thu Aug 02, 2012 9:53 am

Thanks for all the help. So far thinks are looking much better, the replacement carbon looks good and the hole is patched. What I didn't notice is that the bridle is also damaged. The FA shop has two sizes, will the 150lb be OK or do you think I need the heavier stuff?
 
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Craig
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Re: Newbie with a broken kite

Thu Aug 02, 2012 11:09 am

The lighter bridle line would be fine.
 
SeanTurpin
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Re: Newbie with a broken kite

Wed Sep 05, 2012 10:38 am

Luponic wrote:
Hello all, allow me to introduce myself with tales of inexperience and stupidity:

I've just got back into kite flying and although I'm hopeless at any tricks, I've been throughly enjoying myself. This might be because I seem to have had quite a nice kite, a flexifoil matrix, that, judging by the cost, I must have bought before I got married and had my daughter.

Notice that I said 'had quite a nice kite'. I let a friend have a go and he managed to plough it into the ground, nose first. There is nothing but splinters left of the spine and there is a foot long tear in the fabric.

I've ordered some repair tape and some rods but am I being optimistic that this kite will be back to its old self after the repairs and is there anything I need to know about fixing it?



Did you get this sorted in the end? Give us a shout if you need a repair sorting, we can do sail and frame repairs. We also stock a fairly wide range of Skyshark in the newer P series...

Call either myself, or Ben at http://www.thehighwaymen.co.uk on 01455 230 736 or 01455 234 728

Cheers
Sean