Repairs - F-One SWING User Manual

REPAIRS

BEFORE PROCEEDING WITH ANY TYPE OF REPAIR, LOOK FOR A PLACE SHELTERED FROM THE
SAND, WATER AND WIND, WITH A CLEAN SURFACE TO WORK ON. YOU WILL NEED THE REPAIR
KIT SUPPLIED, A MARKER PEN AND ONE OF THE FLYING LINES IF YOU NEED TO CHANGE ONE
OF THE BLADDERS.
REPAIR THE LEADING EDGE BLADDER
If you have a leak on the leading edge, remove it together with its connecting pipe.
—1—
Disconnect the connecting pipe from the strut.
—3—
Tie one line on each side of the leading edge and
take off the leading edge.
—5—
Sand then stick the repair patch
(enclosed in the repair kit).
IF THE LEAK IS TOO IMPORTANT, CONTACT A KITE REPAIR PROFESSIONAL.
—2—
Take off the REACTOR Valve
if the wing is fitted with it (see here after).
—4—
Find the leak.
—6—
Replace the leading edge using the lines.
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CHANGE / REMOVE THE REACTOR
VALVE:
—1—
Take the repair kit and open the exterior plug
on the valve.
—2—
Unscrew the valve from its base using the
handle supplied for this purpose.
—3—
Take off the valve once it is completely unscrewed.
To change the valve, fit it on the wing by screwing
it on the base using the handle supplied.
To change the leading edge bladder, take off
the base of the valve. To do so, fit your hand
inside the opening and take the base off from the
leading edge by pulling off the Velcro®.
REPAIRING THE CENTRAL STRUT
BLADDER
Lay the wing out flat with all bladders facing up
and deflated.
Tie a "pull" line to the extremity of the bladder
to be replaced or fixed. You'll use this line to pull
the bladder back in. If you're repairing a strut
bladder, the line should be tied to the base of the
valve. If you're repairing a leading edge bladder,
a line should be tied to each end of the bladder.
The "pull" line should be longer that the bladder.
Do not pull the bladder out by the "pull" line – its
only use is to guide the bladder back in.
Push the air valve entirely in and for the leading
edge bladder, open the zipper flap near the
middle of the leading edge and pull the bladder
out, first one side, then the other. For the struts,
pull the bladder out from the back of its casing.
When the bladder has been re-moved from the
wing, the "pull" line should pass through the
tube and extend from each end.
Inflate the bladder and wipe soapy water on
it with a sponge. Holes are indicated by air
bubbles. Small leaks can be hard to find. Dry
and clean the bladder with a towel, circle the
leak with a marker and then deflate the bladder
Using the sandpaper enclosed in the repair kit,
sand down the surrounding of the hole, peel the
backing off the repair patch and apply it on top
of the repair area. Wait two hours before usage.
Close the valve and fold the bladder like an
accordion, with the air valve lined up to the
opening on the strut and insert it back. Guide the
bladder in by slightly pulling in the rope. Once
completely inserted, make sure that the air valve
is properly exposed through the valve opening.
Install the zipper back.
Inflate the bladder until it is half full with air.
Check to make sure that the bladder was
inserted correctly and that there are no folds in
the bladder material. If you detect a crimp in the
bladder or the air valve appears misaligned, stop
and re-insert the bladder. Failure to correct the
problem at this point can cause severe damage
to the bladder when it is fully inflated. Roll the
excess bladder material into the tip of the rib and
reconnect the Velcro strap under the securing
loop.
REPAIRING THE WING FABRIC
To repair your wing fabric you have to use kite
repair tape. You can find those tapes in kitesurf
shops. Before repairing the tear your wing must
be rinsed and dry. Lay your wing out on a clean
and flat surface.
Cut out two sized of adhesive tape large enough
to cover the entire tear. Stick one piece over the
tear and rub it down in order to eliminate any air
bubbles. Stick the other piece on the other side
of the material in the same way.
For majors tears (> 10 cm) consult your dealer
for a kite repair loft.
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