rexracer Posted June 24, 2013 Report Share Posted June 24, 2013 Let me start by saying today was a good day! A couple hours paddling in the canoe with a friend, and close to 2 hours flying my Rev vented B in "good" wind. The only down side was when I was puting my kite away, I found a tear in the sail. It's a small triangle shaped tear, only 1/8" to 3/16" on a side. Don't really know how or when it happened. My main concern is it getting worse. Should I try to seal the edges with a soldering iron or something? Any suggestions would be appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hadge Posted June 24, 2013 Report Share Posted June 24, 2013 Should I try to seal the edges with a soldering iron or something? NO!!!!!.... you'll end up with an even bigger hole! Best thing would be a small circle of clear Tedlar tape or similar either side of the sail. As it's a very small tear the other way is to use a piece of sticky tape on the back of the sail to pull the edges together then carefully run a little superglue along the tear edges and let it dry before removing the sticky tape - it should hold it just fine. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne Dowler Posted June 24, 2013 Report Share Posted June 24, 2013 I'd tape it with Tedlar - front and back for best strength! Since it's clear it shouldn't even show!! Make the tape patch oversized a bit, so it completely covers the rip! The super glue method I've heard about, but never tried yet! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spence Watson Posted June 24, 2013 Report Share Posted June 24, 2013 I'd tape it with Tedlar - front and back for best strength! Since it's clear it shouldn't even show!! Make the tape patch oversized a bit, so it completely covers the rip! The super glue method I've heard about, but never tried yet! Tedlar tape is my remedy of choice as well. Just be sure to cut off a round patch. Any corners on the tape can come loose and make the tape start to peel off. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rexracer Posted June 24, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 24, 2013 OK, Next question(s). What is Tedlar tape and where do I get it. And has anyone used the superglue method? I could do that with available supplies. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Kite Shoppe Posted June 24, 2013 Report Share Posted June 24, 2013 OK, Next question(s). What is Tedlar tape and where do I get it. And has anyone used the superglue method? I could do that with available supplies. Thanks. Hi! The super glue method works great on SMALL holes, that are NOT in a stress point on the sail. And it doesn't hurt to go ahead and try a repair with the super glue. If it looks like it didn't join the edges good, then go with the tape. http://www.thekiteshoppe.com/products/Tedlar-Repair-Tape.html 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rexracer Posted June 24, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 24, 2013 The tear is in the center panel, just below and to the side of the center of the panel. The tear could be covered with a 1/4" circle. I guess I'll try the glue and tape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne Dowler Posted June 25, 2013 Report Share Posted June 25, 2013 Make your Tedlar patch plenty big, it's invisible and you want to completely cover the hole! Tedlar is a brand of repair tape sold by most kite stores for fixing small holes, etc.! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted June 25, 2013 Report Share Posted June 25, 2013 The tape route, I think is best. Blenderm ...thats the stuff I've been using. Rolls come in a variety of widths too. Its a surgical tape so you'll find it in any drugstore/pharmacy. Its virtually invisible when applied to the sail. I've used it on the back of my printed Rev, running from top to bottom, the whole length under both vertical spars ..the icarex seems to have got a little thin from rubbing against the race rods. Since my sail is predominantly white, any repair I did had to be near invisible. Also where I've been unlucky enough to suffer a punctured sail too ...especially on some of my taut single line and dualie sails, I've used a patch of tape on the back and one on the front too, sandwiching the puncture spot nicely. You'd be hard push to spot the repairs by eye or by running your hand across the sails. As suggested by others, if you do follow us down the tape route, do round off those corners or it'll start to lift eventually ...and sure if it does you get another chance to apply a fresh piece of tape. Do follow up and let us all know how the repair goes!? Chris 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reef Runner Posted June 25, 2013 Report Share Posted June 25, 2013 Gosh, I'm learning something new here. Glad to say, but I haven't had to use either method, but I did just see something over on GWTW, which showed a couple of small repairs, and sure enough, they were both very small circles of tedlar tape (dime/nickel size). Yes, they were visible, but definitely not objectionable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reef Runner Posted June 25, 2013 Report Share Posted June 25, 2013 Chris, Good pic, and I can see 3M, etc, but can't quite tell the exact name of that stuff. Could you post the "exact" name of this tape..............looks like a good repair item, to have around.............thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeepster Posted June 26, 2013 Report Share Posted June 26, 2013 ... I've used a patch of tape on the back and one on the front too, sandwiching the puncture spot nicely. ... Suspect this is the tape the Chris is talking about: http://www.3m.com/product/information/Blenderm-Surgical-Tape.html I used Tedlar tape on one of my SUL sails when it started to develop perpendicular slits in the fabric along the vertical rods. I only taped the backside of the sail. After flying the kite on the beach a couple of times, I noticed that the sand/dust collected on the gummy side of the tape right through the fabric slits ... looked terrible. Also, after about a year, the tape split right at the fabric slits. So, if you're going to tape your sail, I'd highly recommend the "tape both sides of the sail" approach that others have recommended. Another fix that hasn't been discussed is to patch the tear. A friend of mine tore his favorite B-series kite on a steel post while playing with the crowd. He used a contrasting color fabric to create an additional design on the sail (plus a symmetrical patch on the opposite side of the kite) that actually looked very good. It ended up looking like the kite has lime green "eyes." As to my SUL sail: Last week I peeled the Tedlar tape off ... that stuff really, really sticks. Then used Goof Off to remove the remaining adhesive ... the adhesive is tenacious. Then sewed some 1" binding along the path of the vertical rods ... aka Bazzer's approach on the Pros. That covered the slits and hopefully extended the life of the sail. Just can't give up on it ... it's been to five Kite Parties and has flown on numerous beaches in and out of country. It's the gold and raspberry colored kite that looks like an advertisement for McDonald ... thus it's name of McKite. So, don't despair on your small tear, do something to stop it's progression and then fly the hell out of it. Every time you fly it, you'll see the "repair" and remember that you were having a blast on the day the sail tore. It's funny how only happy thoughts attach themselves to older kites. Cheers, Tom 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne Dowler Posted June 26, 2013 Report Share Posted June 26, 2013 Tom - is that 1' binding, adhesive too? Bazzer uses "Insignia" tape, (that used on sails for sail boats) for the wear strips, and sews it after sticking it down! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeepster Posted June 26, 2013 Report Share Posted June 26, 2013 Tom - is that 1' binding, adhesive too? Bazzer uses "Insignia" tape, (that used on sails for sail boats) for the wear strips, and sews it after sticking it down! Well now you tell me that!!! That would have been a good choice also. I used sail tape and some one inch poly binding. Removed an inch-and-a-half of stitching along the triangular point and along the sail-to-venting seam. Stretched the sail tightly over the "guidelines" drawn on my glass table. Then applied two rows of sail tape along the edges of the guidelines. Then tucked the binding under the top edge (where the stitching was removed) and carefully laid it down following the guidelines. At the triangular point it was tucked between the sail and the reinforcing tip. The binding was sewn along both edges with a three-step zig-zag stitch ... matches the normal Rev stitch. Then replaced the stitching along the sail-to-venting seam and the bottom triangle. Now that I think about it, the insignia tape (with pre-applied adhesive) would have been a better choice 'cuz it would help to hold all of slit length together ... and prevent any intrusion of sand/dust between the reinforcement and the sail fabric. Cheers, Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rexracer Posted June 26, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 26, 2013 Would the Tedlar tape be available locally? Where can you get it, and is that the actual name? Maybe a fabric store? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne Dowler Posted June 26, 2013 Report Share Posted June 26, 2013 It's common at most kite stores under that name! Never got any at a fabric store!! Sorry! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Kite Shoppe Posted June 26, 2013 Report Share Posted June 26, 2013 Would the Tedlar tape be available locally? Where can you get it, and is that the actual name? Maybe a fabric store? http://www.thekiteshoppe.com/products/Tedlar-Repair-Tape.html Yes, that is it's actual trademark/registered name. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rexracer Posted June 27, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2013 It's common at most kite stores under that name! Never got any at a fabric store!! Sorry! Kite store? Around here? That's like trying to find good wind around here. Maybe when I order the tape I can get some of that shipped, too? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joespickles Posted June 27, 2013 Report Share Posted June 27, 2013 The folks at Midwest kites have it, Pretty inexpensive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted June 27, 2013 Report Share Posted June 27, 2013 Thanks Reef Runner and Jeepster ..yep thats the stuff 'Blenderm' surgical tape. Seriously for those of you with splits, tares or punctures in your sails ...a roll of this stuff in your bag does the trick. I will say ...I've started to use one of those small printers rollers when applying the tape to the kite, rather than rubbing the tape over with your fingers. Give it a go ...especially if you don't have a kite store nearby ...everywhere has a drugstore! Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Kite Shoppe Posted June 29, 2013 Report Share Posted June 29, 2013 Tedlar and string on its way to you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rexracer Posted June 29, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 29, 2013 Tedlar and string on its way to you! Couldn't throw in some good wind, huh? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne Dowler Posted June 29, 2013 Report Share Posted June 29, 2013 Winds are optional!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rexracer Posted June 30, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2013 Ah well, probably couldn't afford the shipping anyway. The weight wouldn't be bad, but imagine the size of the box! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rexracer Posted July 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 2, 2013 Got my Tedlar tape, and the new lines for flying my tube tail when it comes. This is one big wad of kite lines. Thanks Theresa! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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