20 replies to this topic

[rmesm]

I was one of the participants at the Rev clinic in Long Beach over the weekend and had so much fun and learned more than I ever expected!! Thank you very much to John, Steve, Watty and all the instructors. Fellow participants helped me all weekend as well, Brad and Terry and John and so many others!! A special thanks to Bazzer for teaching the newest of us team flying on Sunday.. I didn't think it was possible..Great fun!!
But more to my dilemma...Our team flying was not without incident.. I crashed and tangled and took down the team on more than one occasion. When ending the day I found my 1.5B Vent had a large vertical tear in the center panel about 6" long but not near any of the seams. My question is, can this be repaired? Will repair tape hold or can the panel be replaced? The kite is new otherwise; only flown at this clinic..Suggestions??

Mark G

[Baloo]

There are many ways the kite can be repaired.

However with a long tear I would suggest maybe patching with a new panel might be best.

However Tedlar Tape may well do the job. Most good kite shops will supply it.

I am sure you will get better advice.

Shame about the rip, glad you had a good time. That pleasure pain thing again!

[Theresa]

Hello Mark!!

I'm so glad you had a great time at the clinic!! This is the first one I have missed

Bad news about the vented sail! Ouch!

Yes, as Chris says, replacing the panel would be best.

A couple of repair options could be tried first though, and see if it holds.
1. lay the sail flat and using regular old scotch tape, tape the tear together so the edges meet, just on one side. Now flip the sail over and very carefully apply CA medium hobby glue, like you would be 'welding' the tear together. Smooth out any excess with a Q-tip.....less is better than to much globbed up as when it dries it'll be too stiff. After 24 hours remove the tape. Go out and fly.
If that doesn't hold....
2. Tedlar tape the tear together.
and if that doesn't work.....
3. Call me.....

T

[Jeepster]

... a large vertical tear in the center panel about 6" long but not near any of the seams. ...

Can you post a picture of the center panel with the tear. There are a number of folks on the forum who build their own kites and at least one who loves to modify Revs. With a picture to stir their creative juices, you'll most likely get a number of suggested fixes ...

One of our the IKE members was playing with the crowd when a wooden stake played with his kite. One middle panel on the right wing had a 3 to 4 inch tear right in the middle. Rather than try to repair the sail with a reinforcement and stitching, a different approach was used. He took a contrasting color (lime on a primarily blue sail) and made a diamond patch in the center of the panel. Then he went to the opposite panel and did the same thing. Used the 3M tape (no sewing) and then back cut out both panels as one does with applique work. The kite is better than new ... flies well and looks cool.

Don't let the tear get you down, it's correctable!

Cheers,
Tom

[John F]

1. lay the sail flat and using regular old scotch tape, tape the tear together so the edges meet, just on one side. Now flip the sail over and very carefully apply CA medium hobby glue, like you would be 'welding' the tear together. Smooth out any excess with a Q-tip.....less is better than to much globbed up as when it dries it'll be too stiff. After 24 hours remove the tape. Go out and fly.
T

Definately try number one. I did major damage to an indoor kite with a badly frayed tear, not as long as yours but very ugly. Theresa had me do the above technique and 4 years later I am still flying that kite.

[Jeff]

Can you post a picture of the center panel with the tear. There are a number of folks on the forum who build their own kites and at least one who loves to modify Revs. With a picture to stir their creative juices, you'll most likely get a number of suggested fixes ...

One of our the IKE members was playing with the crowd when a wooden stake played with his kite. One middle panel on the right wing had a 3 to 4 inch tear right in the middle. Rather than try to repair the sail with a reinforcement and stitching, a different approach was used. He took a contrasting color (lime on a primarily blue sail) and made a diamond patch in the center of the panel. Then he went to the opposite panel and did the same thing. Used the 3M tape (no sewing) and then back cut out both panels as one does with applique work. The kite is better than new ... flies well and looks cool.

Don't let the tear get you down, it's correctable!

Cheers,
Tom

And here is that kite in action at Kite Party...

[AldenMiler]

Ha, easiest repair I can think of is to give it to that guy Bazzer.

-Alden

[Jeepster]

Related question:

I've used Tedlar tape on some small wear/tears on one of my Revs ... McKite to be specific. I've noticed that the tear is now highlighted with dirt/sand/dust due to the stickiness of the Tedlar tape. I closed up the tear before applying the tape, but some sticky must still show through.

Have you seen this? What have you done to correct it? Any suggestions ... short of send it to me or give it an honorable death!!!

Cheers,
Tom

PS ... thanks for the picture Jeff ... didn't think to look in the KP album.

[revmoe]

And here is that kite in action at Kite Party...

wow!

i mean really WOW!

cheers
'moe

[Watty]

I was one of the participants at the Rev clinic in Long Beach over the weekend and had so much fun and learned more than I ever expected!! Thank you very much to John, Steve, Watty and all the instructors. Fellow participants helped me all weekend as well, Brad and Terry and John and so many others!! A special thanks to Bazzer for teaching the newest of us team flying on Sunday.. I didn't think it was possible..Great fun!!
But more to my dilemma...Our team flying was not without incident.. I crashed and tangled and took down the team on more than one occasion. When ending the day I found my 1.5B Vent had a large vertical tear in the center panel about 6" long but not near any of the seams. My question is, can this be repaired? Will repair tape hold or can the panel be replaced? The kite is new otherwise; only flown at this clinic..Suggestions??

Mark G

Hey Mark,

Sorry to hear about the sail damage. Fortunately, I should be able to hook you up with the supplies for at least two of the solutions. I have some Zap a gap that I use for repairs on sails and securing ferrules. We can use that with Theresa's #1 method. I also have some piles of ripstop that you could use to make a patch. I wouldn't use the stuff to replace the panal, because I doubt that it is the same exact fabric, and may stretch differently. Send me an e-mail or PM, and we will get together soon.


~Spencer "Watty" Watson

Edited by Watty, 24 March 2010 - 12:44 PM.

[LS Kite Stakes]

And here is that kite in action at Kite Party...

New desktop background!!!!!!

[rmesm]

Here is a picture of the tear.
Thanks for all the help.
Watty, I'll be in touch.
Mark G

Attached Thumbnails

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[Jeepster]

New desktop background!!!!!!

Aren't John Chilese's photos great? There are a couple more with crossed lines in his Kite Party 8 photo album.

If you're going to be looking at the picture as a background, you'll need to know who was flying which kite. Can you name the owners?

Cheers,
Tom

[Jeepster]

Here is a picture of the tear.
Thanks for all the help.
Watty, I'll be in touch.
Mark G

Yep, that's fixable. Try Watty and the superglue first. Let some artistic folks chime in with patchwork fixes and you'll be flying in no time.

As a non-artist, black diamonds on the left and right side would be my suggestion. Of course the blacks in the sail and the patches probably wouldn't match, so some other color might be a better choice.

Cheers,
Tom

[awindofchange]

You could also get in touch with your local Rev shop and they can contact Rev for you. Chances are you can ship the sail into Rev and they can re-work it with a brand new panel. This would be the most expensive option out of all that have been listed thus far but it would look like a brand new kite - well the center would be brand new anyways. The cost for this does vary but Revolution is very good on the prices for repairs. It would only be a fraction of what a new sail would cost.

[Simon]

You could also get in touch with your local Rev shop and they can contact Rev for you.  Chances are you can ship the sail into Rev and they can re-work it with a brand new panel.  This would be the most expensive option out of all that have been listed thus far but it would look like a brand new kite - well the center would be brand new anyways.  The cost for this does vary but Revolution is very good on the prices for repairs.  It would only be a fraction of what a new sail would cost.

I like Kent's idea, the rip/tear is in the centre of a Vented kite.  So hi wind = high pressure and the place that takes that pressure.  Buzz = Correct the centre panel.





I would go via your retailer and get it sent back for repair.  in the long run it'll be worth it.  The kite will look 100%, you'll have more confidence in it.  and you can even sell it on easier.

[LS Kite Stakes]

I had a Race Rod explode a couple weeks ago, putting a 2 inch rip in the sail. This thread promped me to try a repair I had been thinking about, sewing a star in place over the rip. After removing the tedar tape I had used, and cutting out a star shape from some RS nylon Bazzer had given me some time ago, I used a glue stick to attach the star to the sail. I then sewed the star in place. I think it came out great for my first time sewing on a kite!

[LS Kite Stakes]

The finished star!

[Jeepster]

The finished star!

Cool Walt ... who would have thought ... a machinist with a softer side!!!

Cheers,
Tom

[Theresa]

You could also get in touch with your local Rev shop and they can contact Rev for you. Chances are you can ship the sail into Rev and they can re-work it with a brand new panel. This would be the most expensive option out of all that have been listed thus far but it would look like a brand new kite - well the center would be brand new anyways. The cost for this does vary but Revolution is very good on the prices for repairs. It would only be a fraction of what a new sail would cost.

Thus my #3 suggestion....