How to Repair a KITE Bladder - TEAM TECH

[@robertdutton5338]

Just purchased a kite and had another thrown in as it requires a new bladder. This video has given me the confidence to be able to repair. Cheers

[@tomcourtkite]

Cheers!! yes its not too bad if you do it right

[@jamespalmer6452]

Way too many valve repair videos lacking the removal and replacement of the bladder! THANKS 🤙🏽

[@tomcourtkite]

that's the hardest bit ;) but yea I have had good feedback on this one! 👍 any other tips let me know

[@msimbo93]

Nice video! I am writing this as I pull apart my slingshot kite. Good idea to use the tubes and clamps to isolate the bladders - that also helps with identifying the leak.

[@tomcourtkite]

stoked it helped! Yes it can be a pain ;)

[@remoburkli3813]

Thanks for the video

[@tomcourtkite]

@@remoburkli3813 no worries, more coming! 🤟😛

[@paco83s]

God's work here. Thank you very much tom

[@tomcourtkite]

Hope it helped bro!!

[@timothygroten4193]

Great tutorial. Parts that were missing were how to remove the inflation valve and more detail on the bladder installation. Remove the inflation valve using the tool provided with your kite to unthread the valve from the kite exterior. Regarding the bladder installation, remember to not stuff the end of the bladder into the kite. I did that yesterday and popped the bladder because of it right on the end. It’s probably better to roll the end up to get it to fit. It sucks because you can’t see if there’s a twist on the bladder if it occurs right on the end of the wingtip.

[@foadysfah]

Great repair video :) Doing it on a 12m2 kite thpugh is quite more difficult, I did need another person to hold the edge of the kite while pulling and re-inserting the bladder.

[@tomcourtkite]

Yes it is much easier with two people. But possible by yourself :) 👍 stoked it helped!

[@MikeMPharmaCyclist]

True, just did my 13m and it's definitely more difficult.. my wife wasn't wanting to help lol. One thing that helped me a ton was to set a bit of weight on one edge of the leading edge to stand in for someone holding it, that helped make it pull through easily.

[@sirsweetalot]

that mini kite :D can you go kiting with it once?( foil or sth) would be funny

[@tomcourtkite]

haha. Yea I will try! :) it would be like yoda

[@almeidaalmeida8559]

Great job. Thank you

[@tomcourtkite]

No Problem!

[@Juno_Vega]

thanks for the info Tom

[@tomcourtkite]

👍👍

[@laurentgremet296]

Good advices, this really helped me succeeding in this boring task, thanks !

[@tomcourtkite]

Glad it helped man!!

[@andresgutierrez3167]

Great video!!! Is this a real solution to the problem? I just bought a DEMO kite and I sadly realised the other day that it was losing air near it’s wing tip. Now I’m wondering what to do because I don’t want a short term fixed kite... 😢

[@tomcourtkite]

Andrés Gutiérrez yes just patch the bladder!! It works great 👍

[@lunanuergo5061]

Yow! What size is this kite? And where did you get it??? It’s so cool! It would be amazing to teach someone the basics of kitesurfing with this size kite and using proper bar instead tubeless kite with just steering lines! Looking forward to hearing from you!

[@tomcourtkite]

This a 1m display model!! 🤨 not sure they are for sale tho

[@LeoGwizdala]

are you really huge or was that a small kite ? Thanks, great tutorial.

[@tomcourtkite]

It was a tiny kite to make it easy!! 😂😂

[@MikeMPharmaCyclist]

Nice video Tom, like the bladder folding idea I always struggle with that part.. personally I get the proper orientation on one side then walk it way out like a single fold then slowly pull back through. Folding more seems easier to control, I'll try that next time. Also, you about killed me laying that kite out on what looks like rough pavement!

[@tomcourtkite]

sometimes space is the issue ;) concrete, is ok if you don't walk over it! Kites see a lot worse on the beach :)

[@MikeMPharmaCyclist]

@@tomcourtkite haha I hear that!

[@vincentvanderplas7888]

Where can I buy a small kite like this ? Would be nice as decoration !

[@tomcourtkite]

At most kite shops, they get them for display!! 👌

[@Kitesurfing]

Great repair video!

[@tomcourtkite]

Kitesurfing cheers

[@MatthewWithers-r6v]

This video, and multiple others, fail to mention that you shouldn’t over inflate the bladder out of the kite as it is not very strong and stretches! I just followed this video to try and repair a small pin hole. I found the hole successfully, patched it up and then pumped up the bladder to see if I had patched it correctly but the bladder couldn’t handle the pressure outside of the kite and has now stretched considerably. I will now need to find a replacement bladder

[@eflix8474]

I reglued my LE valves but after putting the bladder back in its torn in a few places . Really annoying. I hope talcum powder will help

[@tomcourtkite]

hope you didn't make more holes

[@MikeMPharmaCyclist]

Be very gentle when you reinsert and don't get caught on any zippers etc.. shouldn't require much force at all, if it does usually a valve is caught somewhere. Hope you got it fixed, repairing these can be maddening because in theory it's so simple but it's also easy to make a mistake. Practice makes perfect, I've learned on an old kite I just use for training.. made more mistakes repairing than I'd like to admit lol!

[@eflix8474]

@@MikeMPharmaCyclist I did get in back in without any problems after using talcum powder. Was very easy and practically impossible without it. Thanks for the help and the video!

[@gianrop2205]

Hi. What kind of patch did you use?

[@benjaminstrang1305]

Is it a bad idea to keep riding a kite with a pin hole leak for 1-2 weeks and re-pumping when it loses air? I just found leaks in my main 12m kite while on a month-long kite trip :(

[@tomcourtkite]

always best to fix as soon as possible!!

[@berendgoosens8337]

4:37 anyone knows how to click those thing back in place? been trying to do it for an hour?

[@tomcourtkite]

Berend Goosens use a pair of pliers! 👍

[@normajeanvas9532]

My Aluula has no access zipper. What now?

[@tomcourtkite]

Normajean Which kite model??

[@normajeanvas9532]

Aluula Flite 14.5. The new one with the patented material. Flies like a charm but it sprung two herniated bubbles and one popped. Ocean rodeo sent a new bladder but I can’t find a zipper. So I bet I have to go thru the inflate/deflate valve unless there’s a trick?

[@tomcourtkite]

Normajean Vas I am not sure about ocean rodeo mate, however usually you take bladders out via the tips... make sure you attach a line before pulling it out tho!! Will be tricky if it’s one pump

[@normajeanvas9532]

@@tomcourtkite yup, one pump. Ugh. Called them and they said through the deflate valve. That’s just my luck.

[@tomcourtkite]

Normajean Vas unlucky man, bet they haven’t done a video on how to do it either!?

[@IKSURFMAG]

Sharing the stoke: www.iksurfmag.com/kitesurfing-news/2019/01/how-to-repair-a-kite-bladder-team-tech/

[@luukdeboer1974]

I wouldn't recommend doing all this on a concrete floor

[@tomcourtkite]

I wouldn’t recommend doing it at all 😂😂

[@pickleforknwiggles634]

What a pain in the ass.

[@tomcourtkite]

don't burst your kite ;)