How to maintain your kitesurfing gear and more specifically your kite ?

This is a very recurrent question and if you kite, you must have already asked it (or will soon 😉 )

That's why today we're going to provide you with a digest of the most important information to know!

It's THE question everyone asks: should you rinse your kite after each session? The answer is ... no!

It is important to know that the canopy is treated in the factory to be UV and salt resistant. It is therefore not necessary to rinse your kite after each session, even if it has fallen into the water while sailing. On the contrary, rinsing too regularly will degrade the protective film placed on the spinnaker, and thus reduce the kite's resistance to UV and salt.

One or two rinses per year is more than enough to keep it in good condition. A good time to do this is before a long period without using it (before winter for example). To rinse it, prefer demineralized water or river water, but otherwise clear water will do just as well. To store it, favour a dry and shady place, it will be perfect!

In any case, the most important thing is to DRY YOUR WING completely before storing it, either after a session or after rinsing it. More than the salt, it is the moisture-related mold that can damage it if you don't let it dry. Also, avoid leaving sand on the kite before storing it, as the rubbing of sand on the spinnaker can damage it. Carry a mini broom for example, it's perfect to remove sand from your board and kite after a session!

A few more tips on how to maintain your wing:

• From time to time before a session, check if your spinnaker has no holes and if your seams are all ok. This will help you avoid unpleasant surprises while sailing, and it is very easy for a professional to repair this kind of little problem (if you don't know a repairer, send us a message and we will be able to advise you 🙂

• Before and after your session, avoid leaving your kite on the beach "flapping" (waving in the wind, like a flag) as this creates marbling on the spinnaker and therefore weakens it. So rig your kite just before going sailing, and put it away quickly after the session. If you do two sessions in a day, try to store your kite in between! We know it's a pain, but believe us, your wing will thank you 😉

As for the rest of your equipment, it should be rinsed after each session, especially the bar so that the lines do not get damaged. Ideally, let it soak for a few hours in a basin of clear water, otherwise rinse it with water for a few minutes to remove as much salt and sand as possible 🙂

For the harness and the board, take care to rinse the metal parts thoroughly (hook of the harness, attachment system and screws of the board). Finally, for everything made of neoprene, rinse your equipment with cold water, and the most important thing is not to let it dry in the sun, because it dries out the neoprene and damages it 🙂

Last little tip and then you will know (almost) everything: avoid letting sand settle inside your pump hose, because it could then end up inside your bladders, and there, we assure you, it is complicated to remove it 😉 So, once your wing is inflated, put your pump in your wing bag for the duration of the session!
If sand still gets into the pipe, run a little water through it to clean it 🙂

That's it, you are now ready for your next sessions and to keep your equipment in good condition!

See you soon for a new article,

Stay Tuned and Keep Riding

The Ridery