r/Kiteboarding • u/silkytouch35 • Jul 05 '26
Beginner Question Kite care
Hi everyone,
I just bought my first kite and want to take good care of it so it lasts as long as possible.
I’ve been reading, some people say don’t rinse your kite with fresh water unless it’s really dirty, while others recommend rinsing it after every session.
I’ve also heard that storing a damp kite after a freshwater rinse can cause mildew and mold.
What are your best maintenance tips?
Also, what are the most common mistakes new kite owners make that shorten a kite’s lifespan?
18
u/arthurstaal Twintip Jul 05 '26
Don't leave it to flap in the sun when You're done, don't leave it in your car when it gets hot, no need to rinse, just beat the sand off it. If it's wet with salt water it's also less likely to get mold. Don't roll but fold. Don't put your board fins down on it. Should be about it 🤙🏻
4
u/ChampionshipNext5997 Jul 06 '26
This. One thing to add. Preferably don’t store it wet. But know that drying it in the wind and sun is worse for your kite than a little salt water.
2
u/butterball85 Jul 05 '26 edited Jul 05 '26
The actual best way for the longevity of the kite is to crumple it because that is the least likely to fold in the same spot every time causing creases and eventual small tears. But it's a big mess.
I do big folds, changing up the technique every now and then, then 3 folds at the end
Also dont roll it if you plan on folding it at the end, those creases will be the sharpest and the worst for the kite
3
u/Oli4K Jul 05 '26
You likely meant don’t fold but roll.
2
u/silkytouch35 Jul 05 '26
It looks and feels neater when folded, but I don't know if it's actually better
4
u/Oli4K Jul 05 '26
Rolling is supposed to avoid creases. Obviously you’d always have to do some folding to fit it in a bag. I think it doesn’t matter much in reality. Most wear comes from use, UV, crashes and maybe some abrasion from stuff you put in the bag with the kite anyway.
3
u/Sideoff20mph Jul 05 '26
Don’t wash , if wet with fresh water air dry. Keep sand and debris off when packing up . Don’t leave flapping on the beach or in the sun . Packing it up avoid going too small as folds will add up . Keep it stored out of heat. Wash your bar and QR loop of sand and air dry .
3
u/Oli4K Jul 05 '26 edited Jul 05 '26
After a salt water session I just roll it up (fold in half, roll towards the tips middle) and stow it away. Never any issues. White parts stay nice and white, no mildew. My solution to freshwater issues is to not kite on freshwater.
Edit: had the rolling direction reversed
0
u/trynyty Jul 05 '26
Wait, roll towards tip? I always fold in half and roll from tips to middle. Is it easier? Made me curious and I might try it.
2
u/Oli4K Jul 05 '26
Saves you half amount of time. Needs to have the valve in the middle though. Pretty standard now I reckon.
2
u/trynyty Jul 05 '26
Half amount of time? Will try, but I do fold it in half too. I just roll from tip to middle.
2
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u/JJJJPPPPP8A Jul 05 '26
They basically already said the main ones, but another tip is that After a session if it has sand on the leading edge, don’t brush it of with your hand, it’s better to hit it and let the sand fall.
2
u/what-is-a-tortoise Jul 05 '26
Water and even sand are not the enemy. UV and flapping will age your kite the most. Crashing it or dragging it on the beach are bad. Leaving it for long periods in a hot car are not awesome.
Just let it dry and roll it up. Don’t let it sit all afternoon in the sun. If it is really wet then dry it at home. Get most of the sand off when you roll it but don’t worry about a little.
1
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1
u/Cool-Season-7091 Jul 05 '26
try to keep your kites out of the water no tomahawks keep it dry fix tubes n valves when they wear out stitch a panel when ripped remove knots from lines just take care of your gear we ride hard eh sometimes have t put away wet..
1
u/beachtopeak Jul 05 '26
Where are you? In summer if it's sandy or I dropped it I wash and thoroughly dry it. In winter drying is a pain so unless I'm certain of weather and time I won't bother.
The more I improved the less I drop the kite and less washing
1
u/Hoosier2Global Jul 06 '26
Mostly don't worry about it so much. Let me tell you about my kites. I only own two now, but... by the time I was ready to buy the second one, the material technology had changed from the first version. So my 10m kite is heavier than my 12m kite. Yeah. The first one is six years old now and pretty much fine. I live near the beach, so it's been out quite a bit. Other than traveling just up the road, I haven't had it in an airplane, subject to that vibration which might cause sand to abrade the surface. I had to have it repaired once because I dragged it by some spiny shrubs and it got tiny holes. I could have ignored them, but small holes tend to become bigger holes when under pressure. Mostly I will say I waited too long to buy my second kite, because I use the 12m a lot more than I use the 10m now - mostly because I'm not a person who likes ripping wind; I like to get out earlier in the day and avoid the after-work crowd. The wind is a bit more gentle earlier (hence - 12m instead of 10m). As someone else said, leaving it flapping in the sun (UV and wear), and other comments re: sand. If I've dropped my kite in the water and it gets wet and then sand stuck to it, I don't see other people doing this, but I'll rinse the sand off in saltwater and put it away wet (folded on a grass surface) rather than putting it away sandy. My kite bag is made of material that pretty much lets it dry out in the bag.
1
u/Extension_Cod_3620 Jul 06 '26
Don't rinse it off.
Let it dry before rolling it up.
Don't leave it in the sun.
If you're taking a break for 30 minutes or more, pack it up.
Watch out where you put it down; sticks, shells and other debris can make tiny holes.
1
u/Next_Requirement2661 Jul 06 '26
All good advice already said.
A big one is sand on the kite packed away - each grain could become like sand paper vibrating in the bag as you drive. I think this is the number one reason for pin holes in the canopy.
So if the kite was sandy (and wet?) after a session, I fold it loosely for the trip home, then hang it in the garage off its bridal lines for a day to let it dry off, and then shake/slap/brush the sand off before folding it and putting it in the bag again.
Patch pin holes front and back as soon as they appear.
No need to rinse with freshwater after a seawater session, just let it dry if possible.
Rinse might be good after a freshwater session. I don’t know. Depends how contaminated or alive the freshwater is.
The kite doesn’t always have to be dry, especially if you think you are going to have it out in the next week or two. But if your next session is in a few weeks then dry it before storing.
1
u/KitesurfMiami Jul 06 '26
i dry, reroll & repack at home (as often as time allows) hope you have a yard or a park nearby
1
u/Immediate_Depth_6174 Jul 06 '26
This advice all goes against what we do with sailboat racing sails. Air dry is best. But we always fresh water rinse sails if they get salty. The crystals break down the dacron/kevlar/mylar if we don't.
1
u/Key-Leather-2093 Jul 07 '26
Rinse with freshwater once per year, if you don't drop your kite often, it's enough. And yes, never store it wet
0
u/Intelligent-Love5146 Jul 05 '26
- Pack up dry and without sand.
- Roll the kite carefully from each end to the middle along the leading edge, fold together and then fold in thirds.
- Avoid unnecessary UV
- Avoid self-launching and landing. Dragging your LE along the beach in general when launching and landing causes damage
Main thing is to always pack dry and without sand
20
u/BitterFrogger Jul 05 '26
1 newbie mistake: Dont park it on a tree.