HELP!......I need to know how to repair Rev 'kevlar' stress patch?

[northwavesailor]

I just noticed a tear (almost complete) in the small Kevlar patch at the bottom of my mid-vent Rev.

I only have Tedlar and insignia tape and am about to go to John's 3 day clinic in Long Beach! I could also snag some rip stop repair tape at REI if that would work. Sadly, it will likely be wet some of the 3 days which will not be good for any patch.

Has anyone done this repair and with & without a sewing machine?

I think w/o a patch or repair it will rip up to the leading edge and not be repairable.

Thanks!!!

[Wayne Dowler]

Unless someone has other suggestions - I'd start by laying out the sail really flat and patch the sail first, front and back with the Tedlar tape. Then sacrificing a bit of the "V" cut, I'd go from side to side with Insignia tape, and also put that both front and back! Really press down both tapes. I'd even consider cutting the Insignia tape to allow it to form a "sandwich" front and back! You'll lose a small bit of "V", but the repair should hold!!

Good luck with any attempt!!

[cerfvoliste]

Whatever you use (rip stop tape?) I would run a 3 point zig-zag stitch along the trailing edge and up the tear.

@

Remember, No Matter Where You Go, There You Are.

[Paul LaMasters]

tape alone will not offer more than a couple of hard knocks before giving out again, when this happens it's quite dramatic. The sail rips in half all the way to the leading edge

I have fixed this problem permanently, here's how,......

using 9460 bonding tape and kevlar patch (cut to the same shape as the one you've torn thru) Bond the kevlar into place over the old one.

and then bond a second layer of black fabric OVER both sides to cover the patch you've just made. You could go lazy and paint the kevlar with a sharpie pen (but it could possibly leech some color onto the sail if wet!) if you didn't have some scrap fabric laying around for the black.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10201221925525072&set=a.10200884097639586.1073741826.1079141123&type=1&theater

[Tmadz]

I gotta believe that the shearing force of that notch would rip like newspaper if not fixed properly.

[northwavesailor]

I gotta believe that the shearing force of that notch would rip like newspaper if not fixed properly.

Yup! It would go all the way up to the leading edge.....Zippppppppppppppppppppppppp......with just a little more time in the air. I guess I should be glad the wind dropped off Friday and I moved to the standard Rev or it would already be toast!!!

I may attempt Paul's repair or have a local sail shop use Paul's 'how to' guide, as well as their experience doing sail repairs, to get it back from the brink.

I am getting a new mid-vent from Rev this week and had them send along an OEM Kevlar 'V' as well to do a proper replacement. The sail maker has some Kevlar as well. I noticed on our new Revs (this one was used) they have WAY more stitching over this small piece of Kevlar. The one shown in the pix just had a single run of zig-zag thread over this critical area.

I am going to ask Paul for some clarification in his repair technique when I have some more time...................My taxes are calling with only 3 weeks left!

[Captainbob]

I think if i had a major tear, I would contact these folks and see what they would charge to fix it. http://fixmykite.com/

[Tmadz]

I think if i had a major tear, I would contact these folks and see what they would charge to fix it. http://fixmykite.com/

It looks like they're more prone to fixing large foils for surfing. flying or boarding. Probably cost prohibitive for Rev's since the large foils run into the thousands.

[Captainbob]

I think if i had a major tear, I would contact these folks and see what they would charge to fix it. http://fixmykite.com/

It looks like they're more prone to fixing large foils for surfing. flying or boarding. Probably cost prohibitive for Rev's since the large foils run into the thousands.

I found a couple of posts where they had repaired REVs and some 2LK, so I think they do both.

[Paul LaMasters]

Eliot Shook has fixed my beaters into brand new kites. He's also slapped a quickie solution together while we wait, if you just want it fixed as opposed to back like new. Honestly? I think he makes a pretty good living off of just Rich Comras' repair needs!

My revs would go to the Shook Kite Hospital in North Carolina for a stay if it was a serious injury! Who'd you trust more than a masterpiece artist?

[northwavesailor]

Thanks, Paul!

I'll send Elliot this photo and see what he thinks. I have already bought a replacement mid-vent so it is not a rush by any means. This one isn't quite ready for the trash heap, even though my wife would say it is!

I may still snag some 3M 9460 tape and with insignia tape and the Kevlar from Rev, may try your repair. I think I read a 'Tedlar Tape' thread where you mentioned success using 9460 for small tears as well?

This Rev also has a small (1") mesh separation from the leading edge. Would the 9460 applied both sides over the leading edge and into the mesh resolve or stop this tear? On a prior repair I had the sail shop fix 2 others mesh tears with insignia tape and sewing that were at the classic 'fold' point of the mesh, but this one is either new or I didn't catch it as it is at the point where the mesh is (was) sandwiched into the leading edge.

Great comments and advice, Paul, I enjoy reading your posts!

[Wayne Dowler]

I've had a friend "fix" mine using a zig-zag stitch from sail to about 2 or 3 screen threads deep! Has held for a full year and flown regularly! I'll show it to you at the clinic!!

[Captainbob]

Eliot Shook has fixed my beaters into brand new kites. He's also slapped a quickie solution together while we wait, if you just want it fixed as opposed to back like new. Honestly? I think he makes a pretty good living off of just Rich Comras' repair needs!

My revs would go to the Shook Kite Hospital in North Carolina for a stay if it was a serious injury! Who'd you trust more than a masterpiece artist?

Just talked to him on the phone about 5 minutes ago. Ordered a set of Magic Sticks from him. Super nice person.....

[Paul LaMasters]

This Rev also has a small (1") mesh separation from the leading edge. Would the 9460 applied both sides over the leading edge and into the mesh resolve or stop this tear? On a prior repair I had the sail shop fix 2 others mesh tears with insignia tape and sewing that were at the classic 'fold' point of the mesh, but this one is either new or I didn't catch it as it is at the point where the mesh is (was) sandwiched into the leading edge.

the bonding tape will work, but you want to stick it to something solid, not just the mesh (it will pick-up debris otherwise)

I personally would add some reinforcing patches over the torn area too, from the front, wrapping over the leading edge and onto the back. On this kite you can see how the factory (actually Bazzer) did it

Run rows of the bonding tape next to each other for solid areas and a single width around the parameter for the mesh at a minimum.

Iron it for permanence, or leave it under something heavy overnight.

You can peel it up quickly if you make a mistake, but this product is made to "bond" two pieces of metal together. Imagine the fabric next to your bond will fail before the adhesive. I have made several kites entirely using this technique and flown for literally thousands of hours. (No-sew construction is the term)

I prefer these patches on everything now

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10202213682478376&set=a.10200884097639586.1073741826.1079141123&type=1&theater

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10200468097999855&set=t.1079141123&type=3&theater

https://www.facebook.com/269662239733283/photos/t.1079141123/606002589432578/?type=3&theater

[northwavesailor]

Thanks to Paul's helpful suggestion, my sick Rev was admitted into the Flying Smiles, Outer Banks Kite Hospital last week.

A skillful surgeon, Dr. Eliot Shook, performed the micro surgery on the Kevlar repair/replacement and a mesh renforcement procedure with a great prognosis for future flying time.

My thanks to the skilled Dr. Shook!

[RobB]

SkyBurner also has a reputation for repairing damaged kites. They say openly that they'll fix SkyBurner & Blue Moon kites, but I hear that they do other repairs as well. I have always been tempted to try my local sail shop, but haven't because they're kinda busy, especially this time of year.