It makes it get wet
Serious now.....kite will still fly but,depending on wind strenght and how heavey the rain is,kite will feel heavey and fly sluggish.
Wind is usually,not always,,gusty and all over the place in rainy stormy conditions anyway,but we all still give it a go.
Is it summer yet
Is it summer yet
Is it summer yet
Is it summer yet
It don't. Maybe you'll get a bit extra weight with more sand held to it but that's all. You may want to consider clear safety glasses & a peak when it's pelting cause that stuff hurts.
cheers COL
not much effect on inflatables. My Fs Pulse II flies terribly in drizzle or very humid air. My inflatables fly fine. Freezing rain is a bit of a problem but can me shaken off by sheeting in and out. Freezing rain sticks to the lines with limited effect.
"Freezing rain is a bit of a problem but can me shaken off by sheeting in and out. Freezing rain sticks to the lines with limited effect."
You hell man Flipper, my hero.
I'm totally in awe! You HELL MAN
COL
old worn out material that holds water will be effected more than shiny crispy newbies. I love kiting in the rain on the occasions when there is still good wind. its like even extra nature and elements or something. I like it.
Main problem seems to be after the session - if you put the kite away wet with freshwater on it, it starts to go mouldy within about 48hr, and then the mould attacks the stitching, weakening the kite.
So you can either dunk it in the saltwater prior to rolling it up, or get it out somewhere later at home and try to dry it.
I had some great 8m sessions in the monsoon rain squalls last NQ wet season, and yes you need the glasses to see through the driving rain, but I left the kite overnight one time and the mould had started by the next day!
But thats NQ in summer - probably not as bad in the southern states during winter.
You can use a water repellent product on any kite which is probably part of the manufacturing process anyway but doesn't last longer than a season or so, I would expect at best. My kite (Flysurfer Pulse 2) was very water repellent when I first bought it as of course very crisp new cloth but what I did notice after a season is that if I washed it in fresh water before the next session it would repel sand and salt water much better for the next session so I'm guessing the build up of salt effects the materials repellent properties somewhat.
I think if you are using an older kite or intend keeping your kite for longer than a season which you can very easily do with foils it's probably a good idea to use a water repellent agent again to give the cloth that shiny, water and sand repellent property again. I am intending to use Holmenkol SealnGlide as it is a 2 part treatment that impregnates the cloth with nano technology in a different way to normal spray on repellents which still allow the cloth to breathe.
There are other posts I have read on how well this stuff has worked but from memory not on this forum - just google sealnglide and you will find some feedback. Below is the manufactures spruk about it and as you can see it was developed for the sailing industry...
Holmenkol SEALnGLIDE Sail Coating
Item #: Homenkol_25200
Holmenkol SEALnGLIDE Homenkol-25200
SealnGlide is the ultimate performance lubricant finish, based on "nano" technology, for significantly reducing the friction of sail surfaces, resulting in tangible benefits such as:
# Faster sail setting - thanks to reduced friction
# Prevents sail snagging on rigs or fittings
# Increases cloth stability
# Use on bolt ropes for easy hoists
# Increases the sailcloth tear strength
# Resistant to sail washing detergents
# Reduced weight aloft - due to lower water absorption
# Non stick tell-tales - giving a clear advantage in competition
Used mainly on Sails, this unique system offers "nano" technology creating a slippery, water and dirt repellent surface glaze which also gives fungicidal and UV protection.
# Two Part Concentrate
# 100ML bottle
