How to Get Water Out of Kite?

Post general kiteboarding discussion topics here!
Post Reply
Thor29
Valued Contributor
Valued Contributor
Posts:131
Joined:Fri May 28, 2010 2:16 pm
Contact:
How to Get Water Out of Kite?

Post by Thor29 » Sat Apr 13, 2013 8:51 pm

Sonny rescued my kite today at 3rd Ave. Thanks Sonny! If it weren't for him, it would have headed straight for the San Mateo Bridge. But to do it he had to deflate the main strut. He wasn't able to get it all the way to the lower launch so it floated for awhile with the valve open until I could swim out and retrieve it. So now there is some water inside the kite...

What's the best way to get the water out? Does it matter if a little bit stays in there? (The kite is a Naish Park).

drroc
Valued Contributor
Valued Contributor
Posts:249
Joined:Mon Mar 19, 2012 3:43 pm
Contact:

Re: How to Get Water Out of Kite?

Post by drroc » Sat Apr 13, 2013 8:55 pm

Take out the bladders and let them air out. Once the bladders are visible, you can move them to force the water to come out of the inflation valves.

User avatar
MehYam
Valued Contributor
Valued Contributor
Posts:292
Joined:Wed Jul 13, 2005 12:23 pm
Location:San Mateo
Contact:

Re: How to Get Water Out of Kite?

Post by MehYam » Sat Apr 13, 2013 10:55 pm

Assuming the strut clips were all pinched off, couldn't you hang the kite by both its wingtips, leave the valve open at the bottom, and just let gravity do the work? That might leave a few drops in there, but that'll fix itself over time.

User avatar
le noun
Old School
Old School
Posts:1645
Joined:Sat May 21, 2011 11:12 am
Contact:

Re: How to Get Water Out of Kite?

Post by le noun » Sun Apr 14, 2013 8:49 am

Agreed with above.
I would just hang it by its wingtips in the back yard with all the valves open and let dry for a couple of days.
Taking the bladders out can be a reaaaaal pain.
Kites: 2020 F-One Bandit: 10m.
Board: 2018 F-One Slice 5'1 Surf/Foil convertible
Harness: Manera Union.
Wetsuit: Manera 5/4 X10D

User avatar
adamrod
Old School
Old School
Posts:1534
Joined:Fri Sep 15, 2006 5:35 pm
Location:SF
Contact:

Re: How to Get Water Out of Kite?

Post by adamrod » Sun Apr 14, 2013 9:05 am

inflate the kite. flip the kite such that the main valve is at the bottom. let all the water collect there.

then, really carefully, open the main valve, making sure to keep the collected water from flowing out again (by pinching the bladder)

then, pour the water out.

you'll get maybe 90% of the water out that way.

it's not the end of the world to have a little bit of water in the bladders, but you don't want pints of it in there.
Liquid Force Kites/Boards
ShredReady Helmets

User avatar
Sonny
Resident
Resident
Posts:892
Joined:Tue Apr 26, 2005 8:18 am
Location:Foster City
Contact:

Re: How to Get Water Out of Kite?

Post by Sonny » Sun Apr 14, 2013 10:42 am

Yes, do what adam suggested, do not take the bladder out, it's not worth all the trouble. I could not bring the kite to the beach because there was very little wind near the beach and it was impossible to carry the kite and fly the kite. I had to deflate the kite so that it would not blow out to the channel and under the bridge.
Sonny
3rd AVE Kite Repair
sonny@kite3rd.com
http://www.kite3rd.com

acctx
Contributor
Contributor
Posts:25
Joined:Thu Jun 14, 2012 5:52 am
Contact:

Re: How to Get Water Out of Kite?

Post by acctx » Sun Apr 14, 2013 11:57 am

For drying anything airflow is key. I use a fan to dry all neoprene so that it dries within a few hours. Same with camelbak bladders. If you can rig something up to get air flow into the bladder then I think you could get it dry within a few hours. I have no idea how to do this but maybe duct tape the pump hose to a hair dryer set on cold. Open the deflate valve (might need to restrict flow out with something partially over the hole. Let the kite inflate enough to spread the bladder. With air going in/out I think the water would eventually all come out.

I would drain it first as someone else suggested to get it as dry as possible.

Thor29
Valued Contributor
Valued Contributor
Posts:131
Joined:Fri May 28, 2010 2:16 pm
Contact:

Re: How to Get Water Out of Kite?

Post by Thor29 » Sun Apr 14, 2013 1:01 pm

I did what Adam suggested a couple of times and I think it got most of the water out. I figure that every time I deflate the kite after use a little bit more will come out.

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions and especially thanks again to Sonny for rescuing my kite in the first place.

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Bing [Bot] and 50 guests