How To Preserve Your Kite And Bar With Rich Flindall

Kites and bars are not the cheapest so you want to get as much life out of them as possible. Richard Flindall from Richys Kitesurf School and team rider for Agent Eight, Cabrinha and NP Surf has given us his top tips to expanding the life span of your kit!

  • Don’t leave your kite sitting in the sun or flapping in the wind as UV rays are lethal for rip stop tissues. Even if you’re just taking a quick break, move it out of direct sunlight.
  • Brush off sand before packing away as it can rub in the bag and wear the material and keep sand out of the valves! If it is really dirty, you can rinse your kite with fresh water but make sure it’s totally dry before packing away as it can go mouldy.
  • During setup, check bridles for twists, wear and tear. Also check your pigtails for sand or mud before attaching your lines as this can cause the lines to slip off.
  • Store kites in a cool dry place…e.g not the back of your car as the valves can become unstuck.
  • Check the ground for sharp objects before laying your kite down or self launching as even a tiny shell can cause a tear through your kite.
  • Avoid thorn bushes at ALL COSTS! They are a real pain causing multiple punctures to your leading edge and bladder and even if you replace the bladder, the thorns can remain in the leading edge which repuncture the bladder. If you do get in this pickle, use water and a brush on the outside and inside of the leading edge to try and get rid of all the thorns.
  • Rinse bar and lines off after every session and clean out the safety system.
  • When laying out your lines, check for freying and knots as a knot in your lines can reduce the line strength by 50%.
  • If your center lines are not protected by plastic, then you can rub candle wax over them which will protect them and stop them wearing as much.
  • If there is plastic around your centre lines, pull it through the bar and don’t wrap it tight around the bar as this can cause the plastic to bend and crack.