How Do I Find a Leak in My Kite? - Liquid Force Kook Academy

Is your kite becoming soft after a session? Did you just have to swim in front of all of your buddies? It is possible you have a tiny leak in your kite. The first step of fixing this leak is to identify where that leak is. Professor Rich highlights the steps necessary to find out where that leak is. Once you've figured out where the leak is, it's time to graduate to the next step of kite repair.

Easy Steps to finding a leak in your kite:

Check inflation valve for sand or damage between all seals
Inflate Kite so it is rock hard.
Close all the clips on the strut inflation tubes in between the leading edge and Struts. (Often skipped on your beach setup for sessions)
Let kite sit for 2-3 hours
Have a beer or Club Soda and chat with a friend.
Check individual bladder for firmness. If any are soft that is where the leak is located

Pro Tips:

If your kite is still rock solid and your kite had a hard hit on the water sometimes the main valve can temporarily spring a leak or become loose.
If a strut and leading edge are both soft when you come back. it could actually be a bad hose between the two bladbers
When you are narrowing down the leak, fill a spray bottle with soap and water and spray all the valves that are on the affected bladder. Then look for small bubbles. Delaminated valves can sometimes be fixed with Airtime Trap Valves.

3rd Apr 2020 Jake VanderZee