In the Rise Venturi XPD topic an interesting (at least for some of us) conversation broke out about the use of the valve clips, I’m moving these posts in this new topic here.
So Ladies and Gentlemen of The Crew, share your ideas and knowledge here, and don’t forget the poll!
Inflated struts - there’s no real need for that as the time you win by not pumping them you easily loose over closing the strut valves. I wonder who uses them all the time - if at all, I only use them when it’s really really hairy.
I clip them off every time I go out. Unfortunately I’ve had too many leading edges blow out over the years, and at least with the struts holding air, I can make a raft and swim in.
Also, I like to keep the struts inflated so that after washing the kite out, I can stand it up in the garage and let it dry out. Although 2 of the struts on my 12m seem to deflate when the LE is empty. I’ve still not worked out where the air is going. So currently, I roll the kite up with the struts up and carry it back to the van as is. Makes my arms ache though.
Unfortunately I’ve had too many leading edges blow out over the years, and at least with the struts holding air, I can make a raft and swim in.
I usually clip down only the middle strut. I beleive that is enough if the LE blows, I will be able to roll the kite and pack it in the water and the kite will not drown. I have not test this though and hope I will never have to. If someone knows more in this subject, please enlighten us!
Greetings,
Jaros
Really handy cause ders a fella I know whos practicing handlepasses and he dosent use the velcro covring the leading edge valve so that when the kite falls it dosent pop.Witthout the clips you’d have to pump the whole kite up every time.
This is a must for everyone kiting in San Francisco, where a completely flat kite could mean the end of it all. We have to be able to use the kite to self rescue, stay afloat, and for a visual aid for the Coast Guard and the tankers and everything else in the shipping channel. Going out the Gate with a downed kite on a 4 knot ebb in heavy fog is scary enough as it..it would be just plain horrible with a completely flat kite. No one with any common sense/experience would buy a kite here if it did not have the clips. This is also why everyone buys/orders kites in bright colors only.
If I am working on something where I expect the kite to crash hard I leave the middle strut clamp open - “so the air has somewhere to go” when the leading edge slams into the water.
I leave them open so the pressure has somewhere to go when the kite takes a hard hit.
They are very handy when you want to leave the struts inflated for another session later in the day,
or if you want to dry the kite out. So I do use them, just on land though.
They are also very nice to have when you want to isolate a leak in one of the bladders.
It helped me locate a slow leak caused by a thorn in the LE a few weeks ago.
I always close them all. I crash my kite a lot on a suicide leash, and on hard crashes, the inflate or deflate valve pops open. It’s nice to have the struts inflated for the long swim in. I’ve had leaks in struts as well. Kites fly pretty well with one or two flat struts, not so well with a floppy leading edge.
I always close them all. I crash my kite a lot on a suicide leash, and on hard crashes, the inflate or deflate valve pops open. It’s nice to have the struts inflated for the long swim in. I’ve had leaks in struts as well. Kites fly pretty well with one or two flat struts, not so well with a floppy leading edge.
In your case the in or deflate valve would not open if you leave the strut valve clips open.
I never close them..but I’m always near the beach
